South Carolina governor signs ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors
Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, making South Carolina the 25th state to restrict or ban such care.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Tuesday signed into law a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
When the ink dried, South Carolina became the 25th state to restrict or ban such care for minors. The governor announced the signing on social media and said he would hold a ceremonial bill signing next week.
The law bars health professionals from performing gender-transition surgery, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18.
School principals or vice principals would have to notify parents or guardians if a child wanted to use a name other than their legal one, or a nickname or pronouns that did not match their sex assigned at birth.
The bill was changed in the Senate to allow mental health counselors to talk about banned treatments — and even suggest a place where they are legal. Doctors can also prescribe puberty blockers for some conditions for which they are prescribed such as when a child begins what is called precocious puberty — as young as age 4.
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