South Carolina Senate takes up ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s Senate is debating a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The bill was passed by the state House in January and would bar health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty-blocking drugs and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18 years old. School principals or vice principals would also have to notify parents or guardians if a child wanted to use a different name than their legal one or a nickname or pronouns that did not match their sex at birth. If passed and signed by the governor, South Carolina would be the 25th state to pass a ban on gender-affirming care.