The S.C. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a controversial ban on gender-affirming care for kids and teens in South Carolina after a six-hour debate. The 82-23 vote split largely along party lines in favor of the restrictions.
The bill would bar health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty-blocking drugs and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18 years old. People under 26 years old could not use Medicaid to cover the costs for such care and school employees could not withhold knowledge of a student’s transgender identity from their legal guardians.
“Today the House of Representatives voted to rip health care away from South Carolina kids,” said Jace Woodrum, executive director of American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina (ACLU-SC). “They ignored doctors, mental health professionals and parents — and decided that they know best.”
Doctors and parents told lawmakers last week the benefits of such treatments for transgender youth, according to South Carolina Public Radio, citing research that has shown that transgender youth and adults are prone to stress, depression and suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth.
“If this bill becomes law, kids will be forced to stop receiving care, putting their mental and physical well-being at risk,” Woodrum said. “Parents will be forced to wonder why their lawmakers didn’t respect their parental rights. Voters will question why lawmakers prioritized a cruel attack on a small population of kids during the first weeks of session.”
In response to the passing of the bill, ACLU-SC issued fact-checks and clarifications on social media about some of the arguments made during the debate.
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In other recent news:
CP NEWS: Tips to make it through the cold weekend. Temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s in the days ahead, and wind chill could pull feels-like temperatures as low as 10 to 15 degrees. Charleston City Paper collected a list of tips from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to prepare for the cold.
CP NEWS: Eat at these 50 restaurants in Charleston this year .In this food-loving town, a popular start-of-the-year tradition has become plotting a Alphabet Restaurant Challenge. Lowcountry Eat Out! is a group of local F&B supporters that has generated this year’s list, filled with undiscovered gems and popular restaurants throughout the Lowcountry.
First female North Charleston police officer dies at 83. Lt. Letty Whitehead died Monday morning at the age of 83. Whitehead was a trailblazer for women on the force and one of the first police officers of North Charleston.
Health department confirms rabid coyote in Mount Pleasant. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control has confirmed that a coyote found in Mount Pleasant has tested positive for rabies. One person has been confirmed to be infected after an encounter with the coyote.
College of Charleston considers tearing down College Lodge despite opposition. The College of Charleston wants to demolish a motel-turned-dormitory along Calhoun Street, but preservationists said the former motor lodge should remain as one of the only mid-century modern buildings still standing in downtown Charleston.
Charleston Co. kicks off monthly community meetings. The Charleston County School District is kicking off a new community engagement initiative with monthly parent, student and community engagement meetings to discuss things happening within the community.
New Chick-Fil-A and car wash slated near Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley. A proposed Chick-fil-A and Time to Shine Car Wash, along with other retail space, passed the preliminary approval at the City of Charleston’s Design Review Board meeting on Tuesday evening for Floyd Drive near W. Ashley Circle.
Trader Joe’s confirms 2nd location in Charleston Co. Trader Joe’s officially announced plans for a second location in Charleston County. Information on a specific location and opening date has not been released.
Mount Pleasant plans series of events for Black History Month. The Mount Pleasant Historical Commission will hold a series of free community events “that pay homage to the rich and diverse history of the community.”
- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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