Governor signs gender-affirming care ban into law
WREN is immensely disappointed that Governor McMaster signed the discriminatory House Bill 4624 into law yesterday, cruelly banning medically necessary healthcare for transgender youth and some adults in South Carolina.
It is truly disheartening that, in a time when urgent issues like failing schools, gun violence, and the plight of families living on the margins demand immediate attention, South Carolina lawmakers consistently choose to prioritize discrimination and fear. Banning gender-affirming care is another egregious attack on bodily autonomy and a step backward in the pursuit of equality.
Everyone, especially young people, deserves to feel safe and supported at the doctor’s office. This vital, evidence-based healthcare is endorsed by every major medical authority. Denying it disregards widespread medical consensus, violates fundamental human rights, and only exists to push an agenda of hate.
These recent assaults on gender and reproductive justice are not isolated. South Carolina joins 24 other states with new laws that threaten the well-being, dignity, and fundamental freedoms of our transgender neighbors, friends, and loved ones.
Guidance for Trans People and Their Families
Talk to your providers as soon as possible to determine how H.4624 will impact your care.
For Trans Youth
- If your child can no longer access care through your current provider, contact the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project for information about providers in nearby states.
- If your medical provider determines that gender-affirming hormone therapy is the right path and you need support identifying out-of-state care, please visit this link.
For Trans Adults
Now that H. 4624 has gone into effect, Medicaid and state employee health insurance plans will stop covering gender-affirming care. If your medical provider receives public funding, they could limit their gender-affirming care services. If you need help finding a provider, the Campaign for Southern Equality has a page that might help.
A call to action
Vote for Compassionate Lawmakers
- Every member of the South Carolina General Assembly is up for reelection in November. Thoroughly research candidates’ stances and voting records on LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive healthcare access. Then, elect leaders who will prioritize the rights and dignity of ALL South Carolinians.
- Organize get-out-the-vote efforts in your community to unseat any lawmaker who supports taking away bodily autonomy. People, not politicians, deserve the right to decide what’s best for them and their families.
Support Advocacy Organizations
- Donate or volunteer with organizations like WREN, SC United, We Are Family, and the ACLU that are fighting against this harmful political agenda in South Carolina.
Promote Education & Dialogue
- Have open and compassionate conversations with friends, family, and neighbors to combat transphobic misinformation and bias.
- Research has found that the most effective way to combat anti-trans rhetoric is by getting to know a transgender person personally. Hear their stories:
13-year-old Skyler
Voices campaign
#DontDisruptTransLives on Instagram
Provide Direct Assistance
- Donate to funds helping transgender individuals in South Carolina access out-of-state care and support services.
- Offer emotional support and affirmation to any transgender people in your life impacted by this harmful law.
While we are sad it’s come to this, we stand in defiant solidarity with our transgender community members and will continue fighting to protect their right to be seen and respected for who they are.