South Carolina lawmakers approved a bill on Thursday that prohibits gender-affirming care for minors. The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster for his expected signature.
South Carolina’s House Bill 4624 bans health care providers from giving puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries to transgender minors. However, youths receiving care before Aug. 1 will have a gradual cessation until Jan. 31.
The bill also stops public funding from being used for gender-affirming care, potentially affecting transgender adults in South Carolina who rely on programs like Medicaid for treatment costs.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers South Carolina, ruled in April that state health care plans and government-funded insurance programs cannot exclude coverage for gender-affirming medical care. If signed by McMaster, South Carolina will be among 24 states, over half of which are in the South, restricting access to gender-affirming care for minors. In January, McMaster expressed support for the bill, with some changes added by state senators this month requiring public schools to inform parents if a student requests to use a different name or pronouns.
Gender-affirming medical care for transgender adults and minors is considered safe and medically necessary by major medical organizations. However, not every trans person chooses to medically transition or has access to care. Laws penalizing seekers or providers of transition-related care have been opposed by groups such as the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.
Cathryn Oakley, senior director of legal policy for the Human Rights Campaign, criticized South Carolina legislators for overstepping their authority by disregarding the input of parents, medical professionals, and other experts. This was described as a serious infringement on South Carolinians’ freedom.
The Campaign for Southern Equality announced plans to extend a program supporting transgender youths affected by government policies in South Carolina. This program, the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project, offers families assistance to ensure continuity of care.
The group sends love, support, and solidarity to trans people in South Carolina, assuring them that they are valued, affirmed, and visible, and that a community is ready to oppose these restrictive laws.
said on Thursday the social platform X. South Carolina lawmakers approved a bill on Thursday that prohibits gender-affirming care for minors. The legislation has been sent to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who is likely to approve it. The bill, known as South Carolina’s House Bill 4624, forbids health care providers from giving puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries to transgender minors, except for those who were already receiving such care before…
The Campaign for Southern Equality, another LGBTQ rights organization, said Thursday that it would expand a program for transgender youths whose access to gender-affirming care is disrupted by government policies to South Carolina. The program, the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project, provides families with information and financial aid to ensure continuity of care.
“We are sending so much love, support and solidarity and want trans people in SC to know that you are loved, affirmed, and seen – and that there is an entire community ready to fight against these oppressive laws,” the group said Thursday on the social platform X.
