SC Witness Reveals Comically Large Binder Of Trans Studies After Republicans Ask For Studies
The dramatic moment happened in a hearing in South Carolina over House Bill 4624, a bill that would ban gender affirming care for trans youth and forcibly out them to their parents.
Yesterday, South Carolina heard House Bill 4624, a bill that would ban gender affirming care for transgender youth. The bill would also force teachers to out trans students and would ban Medicaid coverage for trans issues up to the age of 26 years old, placing transgender adults squarely in the crosshairs in a year where legislation has increasingly targeted this group. During the hearing, every person physically present to speak spoke in opposition to the bill, with many citing studies showing the necessity of gender affirming care. This prompted one representative to ask a prominent local activist to show his studies; he responded by pulling out a comically large binder of them, stating, “I have them right here.”
Phillip Ford, who spoke in opposition to the bill, was representing multiple groups. He stated in his speech that the mere hearing of anti-trans bills would result in a negative mental health impact to 94% of queer youth in the state, and 42% of queer youth considering suicide, citing a Trevor project study. “I was one of those youths,” he said, “several years ago when they passed the amendment banning marriage equality.”
After Ford pointed out that that studies show that transgender care is medically necessary and lifesaving, he was questioned by Republican Representative Heath Sessions, who asked incredulously, “Can we ask when we have speakers citing studies, can we get that turned into the committee?”
He responded, “I’ve got them all right here,” pulling out a comically large binder of studies with a smirk.
See the exchange here:
Indeed, many studies show the necessity of gender affirming care for transgender youth. Gender affirming care is found to be important and lifesaving according to a review compiled by Cornell University, which compiled over 50 journal articles on the topic. Some of these studies have shown as high as a 73% decreases in suicidality for transgender youth who are allowed to start puberty blockers or hormone therapy. These findings were echoed recently in an article published by the Journal of Adolescent Health, which found that puberty blockers dramatically lowered depression and anxiety. All of these studies and more have led to The Lancet, a medical journal with international acclaim, to publish a letter stating that gender affirming care is lifesaving preventative care.
House Bill 4624 would ban that care for all trans youth. It tells doctors to “systematically reduce” hormone levels in transgender youth who are already getting care, essentially forcing them to medically detransition. It says that teachers would be forced to report any student they “believe or knows” suffers from gender dysphoria to their parents. It also bans mental healthcare providers from “aiding or abetting” gender affirming care, which could affect their ability to even gender their patients correctly in private sessions. It also targets transgender adults by removing Medicaid coverage up to the age of 26 years old.
See this provision:
In fact, every person present to testify did so in opposition to the bill. Among the testifiers were representatives from major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Elizabeth Mack, speaking on their behalf, effectively countered Republican arguments, such as the claim that puberty blockers and hormone therapy are prescribed off-label. She accurately noted that 90% of pediatric medications are prescribed this way due to ethical issues surrounding the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) required for on-label use. Additionally, numerous parents of transgender youth voiced their support. David and Rebecca, whose last names are withheld, shared that their transgender daughter was able to stop taking antidepressants after starting hormone therapy and is now flourishing.
Only a single person spoke in favor of the bill. Matt Sharp, from the Alliance Defending Freedom, did so virtually from out of state. The Alliance Defending Freedom has been a major part of the authoring and defense of similar laws around the United States. Legislators asked a few questions that seemed pre-prepared, such as a question about the famously misused “Swedish Study,” before ending testimony for the day.
Despite significant opposition, the subcommittee approved the bill, with additional hearings set for this week. This scenario echoes similar situations in numerous states, indicating that no amount of public opposition or argument seems to dissuade legislators from enacting laws that target transgender individuals. However, for some attendees, their presence serves a crucial role. By confronting legislation that disregards scientific evidence and undermines human rights, they ensure these bills do not pass in darkness. Republican willingness to pass the bills in the face of binders full of evidence could prove important when they are later heard in court.
It's the fact that they pass them regardless of the fact that the people they are supposed to represent are in extreme opposition to them. Republicans hopefully end up shooting themselves in the foot when they continue to show how obstinately they want to ignore facts.
But then again, these politicians are making laws based on faith, not fact. Faith is a powerful motivator....
Somebody needs to do a poll on how the anti trans youth laws/bills/media barrage affect the mental of trans adults because if I use myself as an example, its not good.