GLAAD ELEVATES SOUTH CAROLINA TRANSGENDER PEOPLE AND ACTIVISTS RESPONDING TO DISCRIMINATORY AND DANGEROUS HEALTH CARE BAN FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH AND EXTREME RESTRICTIONS FOR TRANSGENDER ADULTS

(May 22, 2024 – New York, NY) — Today GLAAD, the world’s leading LGBTQ media advocacy organization, responded to the enactment of South Carolina’s H. 4624, which bans health care for transgender youth under 18; imposes severe restrictions on access to health care for transgender adults under major insurance plans and health care providers who receive public funds; and threatens the safety of transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming students by encouraging school officials to disclose their preferred name or pronouns to parents without the students’ permission.

South Carolina governor Henry McMaster signed the bill into law yesterday afternoon and it goes into effect immediately, making South Carolina one of approximately two dozen states to pass a ban on health care for transgender Americans since 2021.

Sarah Kate Ellis (she/her), GLAAD’s President and CEO, released the following statement in response to the news:

“H. 4624 in South Carolina is one of the most extreme attacks on transgender Americans in the country and will hurt countless families and residents while helping no one. Anti-transgender extremists claimed that their surge of attacks against basic access to health care were in the interest of protecting children, yet it’s clearer than ever that their goal is to eradicate the ability of transgender people to live and thrive in any aspect of their lives. To transgender Americans in the South and to those watching all over the country: No political maneuver can erase the fact that you exist, you belong here, and you are loved. GLAAD is committed to continuing fighting alongside our partners to undo these unconstitutional bans and to ensure an America that is safe and free for everyone.”

Chase Glenn (he/him), a leader in the SC United for Justice & Equality coalition and the Executive Director of Alliance for Full Acceptance, said:

“Across the state, from the Lowcountry to the Upstate, South Carolinians are mourning the passage of H.4624, which will make it immeasurably harder for transgender youth and many adults to access the life-saving healthcare that they need and deserve. But let me be clear: This loss does not crumble a movement. Our movement supporting transgender people in South Carolina is louder and stronger than it’s ever been. We’ve marched at the State House, we’ve told our stories, and we’ve made sure our lawmakers heard from us. Now, we will do everything in our power to support our community through this crisis.”

Ivy Hill (they/them), Director of Gender Justice for the Campaign for Southern Equality and a lifelong South Carolinian, released the following statement:

“It has been an honor to organize alongside so many courageous trans and queer South Carolinians – and I’m proud that our community staved off this oppressive anti-trans healthcare legislation for more than three years. Now that this attack has become law, it’s up to all of us to protect the continuity of care for as many people as we can. That’s what this project is all about: Supporting trans youth and their families and making sure they know that no law can stop the transgender community from charting our paths to a future where all of us can thrive and live authentically.”

Jace Woodrum (he/him), Executive Director of the ACLU of South Carolina, released the following statement:

“We stand in grief and solidarity with LGBTQ South Carolinians, who are increasingly under attack by our own government. We can put to rest the notion that the governor cares about limited government and personal freedom. With the stroke of a pen, he has chosen to insert the will of politicians into healthcare decisions, trample on the liberties of trans South Carolinians, and deny the rights of the parents of trans minors.”

Additional background:

• Federal courts across the country are increasingly ruling against categorical bans on health care for transgender Americans as unconstitutional. Last month, the S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that exclusions on transition-related care in West Virginia’s Medicaid system and North Carolina’s state employee healthcare plan are unconstitutional. South Carolina’s laws fall under legal precedent of the 4th Circuit court.
• The Campaign for Southern Equality has extended its Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project to support South Carolina transgender residents and families affected by the new law, in partnership with We Are Family, Uplift Outreach Center, and the Harriet Hancock Center. 71% of South Carolinians oppose bills like H. 4624 according to recent polling.
• Every major medical association and leading world health authority supports health care for transgender people and youth – 30+ organizations’ statements here (at odds with many candidates’ claims and lawmakers looking to ban this care).
• GLAAD research shows fewer than 30% of non-LGBTQ people say they personally know a transgender person. Still, there is ongoing evidence that voters nationwide in each passing election cycle are rejecting disinformation campaigns and candidates that target this small community.