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In 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center opened a new clinic specifically for transgender care. However, conservatives later requested an investigation into the clinic’s practices, leading to Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care.
Written by Emily Cochrane
In 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center quietly announced the opening of a new clinic specifically for transgender individuals. The announcement was short and to the point, providing details such as the clinic’s location, operating hours, and the names of two key staff members. Despite the significance of this new clinic, it did not receive much attention or publicity at the
Four years after its establishment, the clinic gained attention when Matt Walsh, a conservative political commentator at The Daily Wire in Nashville, brought awareness to it through a series of posts and videos. These posts claimed that a staff member at the clinic had referred to gender-affirming medication and surgery as profit-driven practices, using harsh language to criticize the center’s treatments.
The medical center, which is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University, responded by stating that their clinic is focused on providing healthcare for a population that is at high risk for mental and physical health problems, and has historically not received adequate care 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 employees to provide care that goes against their personal or religious beliefs.
Supporters of conservative ideology demanded an inquiry into the clinic, and GOP officials attended a protest that Mr. Walsh coordinated in Nashville in October 2022 against gender-affirming treatment for minors. During the January 2023 session of the Tennessee legislature, a ban on gender-affirming care was introduced as Senate Bill 1. Despite opposition from transgender individuals and the majority of Democrats, the bill was passed by lawmakers.
Emily Cochrane is a journalist who reports on news throughout the southern United States for The Times, with her home base located in Nashville. To learn more about Emily Cochrane
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