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A transgender care clinic was opened by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2018. However, years later, conservatives requested an investigation into the clinic.
Written by Emily Cochrane
The opening of a transgender clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2018 was not widely publicized. The announcement only included basic information such as the clinic’s address, operating hours, and the names of two key staff members.
Four years later, the clinic gained attention when Matt Walsh, a conservative political commentator at The Daily Wire in Nashville, released a series of posts and videos discussing the clinic. In the posts, it was mentioned that a staff member had referred to gender-affirming medication and surgery as a way to make money, and had used harsh language to describe the center’s treatments.
The health center, which is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University, disagreed. In a statement, they explained that their clinic’s goal is to provide care for a group of people who are at a higher risk for mental and physical health problems and have historically not received enough support from the healthcare system in the United States.
The hospital stated that they do not treat children under 18 without parental consent and they will not require any employee to provide care that goes against their personal or religious beliefs.
Members of the conservative political party demanded a thorough examination of the clinic, and Republican officials publicly addressed a gathering arranged by Mr. Walsh in Nashville in October 2022 to express their opposition to gender-affirming treatments for minors. During the meeting of Tennessee lawmakers in January 2023, a proposed law to prohibit gender-affirming care was officially labeled as Senate Bill 1. Despite opposition from the transgender community and the majority of Democratic legislators, the bill was successfully approved.
Emily Cochrane is a journalist who reports on news in the southern United States for The Times, working out of Nashville. You can find additional information about Emily Cochrane on
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