SC Senate subcommittee advances bill banning gender transition procedures for minors

THOUGH THERE ISN’T A FEDERAL LAW IN PLACE. MEANWHILE, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, A BILL BANNING GENDER TRANSITIONAL TREATMENT FOR MINORS IS MOVING FORWARD. THIS MORNING, A SENATE PANEL HEARD PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE BILL AND VOTED TO ADVANCE IT TO THE FULL MEDICAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. OUR TAGGART HOUCK IS GETTING THE FACTS ON WHERE THIS BILL STANDS IN THE STATE HOUSE TODAY. WELL, ERIN, THE MEETING WAS FULL OF PUBLIC INPUT BOTH FOR AND AGAINST. AND IN MANY WAYS IT BECAME A DEBATE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN THIS DECISION TO BEGIN WITH THAT BILL. A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SENATE’S MEDICAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEARD PUBLIC INPUT WEDNESDAY ON A BILL THAT BANS GENDER TRANSITION PROCEDURES FOR ANYONE UNDER 18. YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO LIVE UP TO OUR STATE MOTTO. WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE OR MAKE OUR STATE MOTTO WHILE SOME BREED, SOME HOPE. THE BILL BANS MINERS FROM UNDERGOING GENDER TRANSITION OPERATIONS, EVEN WITH PARENTAL CONSENT. IT ALSO PROHIBITS DOCTORS FROM PRESCRIBING THEM HORMONES OR PUBERTY BLOCKERS AND REQUIRES SCHOOL STAFF TO INFORM PARENTS THAT THEIR CHILD IS TRANSGENDER IF THEY DON’T ALREADY KNOW SOME SPOKE IN FAVOR, SAYING NOBODY UNDER 18 IS OLD ENOUGH TO MAKE SUCH A LIFE ALTERING DECISION PROCESS CANNOT SIMPLY BE REVERSED. INDIVIDUAL SHOULD CHANGE HIS OR HER MIND. BUT OTHERS, INCLUDING PARENTS, SAY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULDN’T HAVE A SAY BASED ON A CHILD IS TRANSGENDERED. WE AGONIZED OVER WHAT TO DO. IT TAKES US A LONG TIME TO ACCEPT YOU. WE DON’T NEED HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. ACCORDING TO THE WILLIAMS INSTITUTE, THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 30,000 LGBT TEENS IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS SOMEONE WHO IS A MINOR AND MATURE ENOUGH TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AND MAKE A DECISION. THE COMMITTEE ADVANCED THE BILL. THE FULL COMMITTEE WILL UNDERGO MORE DISCUSSION. AND IF IT MAKES IT OUT OF THE MEDICAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, IT WILL GO TO THE FULL SENATE FLOOR WHERE IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO DEBATE AND A VOTE. BY THE WAY, LAST WEEK, GEORGIA GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP SIGNED A SIMILAR BILL INTO LAW