South Carolina's New Law Banning Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Minors: A Complex Issue with Valid Concerns on Both Sides

Columbia, South Carolina United States of America
Research shows transgender youth and adults are prone to stress, depression, and suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth
School principals or vice principals are required to notify parents if a child wants to use a name other than their legal one or pronouns that do not match their sex assigned at birth
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors
Supporters argue such care can be irreversible but major medical associations agree it is appropriate for gender dysphoria
The ban on gender-affirming care has been met with criticism from organizations like the ACLU and Harriet Hancock Center
The new legislation bars health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18
South Carolina's New Law Banning Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Minors: A Complex Issue with Valid Concerns on Both Sides

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster recently signed a law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors, making it the 25th state to restrict or ban such care. The new legislation bars health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18. School principals or vice principals are required to notify parents if a child wants to use a name other than their legal one or pronouns that do not match their sex assigned at birth. The law takes effect immediately, and violations may result in disciplinary action by the appropriate licensing board.

The ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors has been met with criticism from various organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina. Jace Woodrum, the executive director of the ACLU of South Carolina, stated that “the governor cares about limited government and personal freedom only when it suits him.” The organization is gathering resources to help families find any help they might need outside of South Carolina and most of the Southeast, which have similar bans. Cristina Picozzi, executive director of the Harriet Hancock Center, an LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit, reassured that no law can change the fact that transgender individuals are worthy of dignity, equality, joy, and respect.

The ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors is a significant step backward in supporting the mental and physical health of these individuals. Research has shown that transgender youth and adults are prone to stress, depression, and suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth. Supporters of the ban argue that such care can be irreversible, but major medical associations agree that it is appropriate for gender dysphoria, a psychological distress that may result when a person's gender identity and sex assigned at birth do not align.

The new law also requires school officials to notify parents if their child wants to use a name other than their legal one or pronouns that do not match their sex assigned at birth. This requirement has raised concerns about the potential for increased bullying and harassment of transgender students in South Carolina schools.

South Carolina joins 24 other states that have passed laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors. The American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health all support gender-affirmative care as evidence-based and essential to improving mental health outcomes for transgender individuals.

The debate over gender-affirming care is a complex issue with valid concerns on both sides. It is crucial that we approach this topic with an open mind, respect for all individuals involved, and a commitment to ensuring the best possible outcomes for transgender youth and adults.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Is the ban on gender-affirming care irreversible as supporters claim?
  • What are the long-term mental health effects of not allowing transgender individuals to receive this care?

Sources

83%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

South Carolina governor signs into law ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors

ABC NEWS SITE NAMES Name: ABC News Site Names URL: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-officially-blames-iran_106834435 ABC News Wednesday, 22 May 2024 03:19
  • Unique Points
    • South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors into law, making it the 25th state to restrict or ban such care.
    • 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.
    • Executive Director of the Harriet Hancock Center, Cristina Picozzi, reassured that no law can change the fact that transgender individuals are worthy of dignity, equality, joy, and respect.
  • Accuracy
    • The law bars health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports on the negative aspects of gender-affirming care for transgender minors without mentioning the potential benefits or peer-reviewed studies that support its use. The author also uses emotional manipulation by quoting a statement from an executive director about how it breaks her heart to see young people forced to leave their home state for necessary medical care, and sensationalism by stating that South Carolina is the 25th state to restrict or ban such care for minors.
    • South Carolina became the 25th state to restrict or ban such care for minors.
    • Groups that support LGBTQ+ rights said Tuesday that they are considering a lawsuit against the state.
    • The law bars health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the law as something that 'rips away life-affirming and often life-saving medical care from transgender youth' and refers to it as a 'ban'. Additionally, the author includes statements from both sides of the debate without clearly indicating which position is more supported by evidence.
    • . . . South Carolina became the 25th state to restrict or ban such care for minors.
    • 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 . . .
    • Earlier this year, McMaster said he supported the proposal to “keep our young people safe and healthy.”
    • Supporters of the bill have cited their own unpublished evidence that puberty blockers increase self-harm and can be irreversible.
  • Bias (90%)
    The author uses language that depicts the law as 'ripping away life-affirming and often life-saving medical care from transgender youth' and quotes an executive director stating that 'healthcare is a human right'. These statements reflect a clear bias in favor of allowing gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
    • it breaks my heart to see lawmakers rip away life-affirming and often life-saving medical care from transgender youth in South Carolina.
      • No law can change the fact that you are worthy of dignity, equality, joy, and respect.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      79%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      South Carolina governor signs ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors

      CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Jack Forrest Wednesday, 22 May 2024 01:34
      • Unique Points
        • South Carolina governor Henry McMaster signed a law banning gender-affirming medical care for minors.
        • The law bars physicians from providing hormone treatments, puberty blockers, and surgeries to minors.
      • Accuracy
        • School officials are required to notify parents or guardians if their child has told school employees their gender doesn’t align with their sex assigned at birth or asks to use different pronouns.
      • Deception (30%)
        The author uses emotional manipulation by implying that the governor's actions are protecting children and denying that they care about limited government and personal freedom. The article also engages in selective reporting by only mentioning the negative aspects of the law without providing any context or counterarguments. Additionally, there is a lack of disclosure regarding sources for some statements made in the article.
        • The measure protects our state's children from irreversible gender transition procedures and bans public funds from being used for them.
        • We can put to rest the notion that the governor cares about limited government and personal freedom.
        • The legislation threatens to plunge the transgender community into a deeper health care crisis.
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority without providing evidence for the claims made. The author references the ACLU and Human Rights Campaign as sources of opposition to the law, but does not present any counterarguments or evidence from medical professionals who support the ban.
        • South Carolina's Republican governor on Tuesday signed a law banning gender-affirming medical care for minors in the state.
      • Bias (95%)
        The author expresses a clear bias against gender-affirming medical care for minors by using language like 'irreversible gender transition procedures' and 'deny the rights of the parents of trans minors'. He also quotes others who share this bias, such as Jace Woodrum from the American Civil Liberties Union and Brandon Wolf from the Human Rights Campaign.
        • protects our state's children from irreversible gender transition procedures and bans public funds from being used for them.
          • threatens to plunge the transgender community into a deeper health care crisis, leaving Virginia as the only Southern state without a ban.
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          76%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          South Carolina Bans Gender Transition Care for Minors

          The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Adeel Hassan Tuesday, 21 May 2024 20:39
          • Unique Points
            • South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a bill on Tuesday that bans health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blocking drugs, and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18.
            • South Carolina joins about two dozen other states that have passed laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.
            • Principals, teachers, and other school staff members are required to tell parents when their children want to use a name other than their legal one or pronouns that do not match their sex assigned at birth.
          • Accuracy
            • The new legislation also bars adults under 26 from using Medicaid to cover the costs for such care.
            • School principals, teachers, and other school staff members are required to tell parents when their children want to use a name other than their legal one or pronouns that do not match their sex assigned at birth.
          • Deception (0%)
            The author, Adeel Hassan, uses editorializing language in the article by stating 'All these other folks that want to change that from birth, change that through their life, we need to stand up against that.' This is a clear example of the author's opinion being presented as fact. The article also employs selective reporting by only mentioning the negative aspects of gender-affirming care and ignoring any potential benefits. Additionally, there is no disclosure of sources in the article.
            • All these other folks that want to change that from birth, change that through their life, we need to stand up against that.
          • Fallacies (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Bias (95%)
            The author expresses a clear bias against gender-affirming care for minors by quoting the House majority leader's statement 'All these other folks that want to change that from birth, change that through their life, we need to stand up against that.' This statement is not an objective reporting of facts and demonstrates a negative attitude towards individuals seeking gender-affirming care.
            • “All these other folks that want to change that from birth, change that through their life, we need to stand up against that.”
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            73%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            South Carolina governor signs gender-affirming care ban

            The Hill News Site: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate-seethe-republicans-call-for-israeli-elections/ Tara Suter Tuesday, 21 May 2024 23:07
            • Unique Points
              • South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors on Tuesday.
              • Violation of the ban may result in disciplinary action by the appropriate licensing board.
            • Accuracy
              • The bill states that healthcare professionals shall not provide gender transition procedures to persons under eighteen years of age.
            • Deception (10%)
              The author uses emotional manipulation by stating that the bill 'protects our state's children from irreversible gender transition procedures' and 'bans public funds from being used for them'. This is a mischaracterization of the bill as it does not protect children but rather restricts their access to necessary medical care. The author also uses selective reporting by only mentioning the negative aspects of the bill without providing any context or information about its potential benefits. Lastly, there is no disclosure of sources in the article.
              • The bill protects our state's children from irreversible gender transition procedures and bans public funds from being used for them.
              • 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.
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (80%)
              The author expresses her opinion that the bill signed by the governor is protecting children from irreversible procedures and denies liberties to trans South Carolinians. She also quotes Glenn's statement that 'Our movement supporting transgender people in South Carolina is louder and stronger than it's ever been.' These statements reflect a clear ideological bias against gender-affirming care for transgender individuals.
              • 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.
                • I signed the Help Not Harm bill into law, which protects our state's children from irreversible gender transition procedures and bans public funds from being used for them.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication