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The establishment of a transgender care clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2018 eventually led to Tennessee’s decision to ban gender-affirming care. Several years later, conservative groups raised concerns and requested an investigation into the clinic.
Written by Emily Cochrane
In 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center introduced a new transgender clinic, but the announcement did not receive much attention. The news release only provided basic information such as the clinic’s location, operating hours, and the names of two senior staff members in just four paragraphs.
Four years later, the clinic gained attention when Matt Walsh, a conservative political commentator at The Daily Wire in Nashville, wrote articles and created videos discussing the clinic. In these posts, it was reported that a staff member at the clinic referred to gender-affirming medication and surgery as profitable, and used harsh language to describe the center’s treatments.
The healthcare facility, which is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University, responded by saying that their clinic’s main 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 adequate support from the American healthcare system.
The medical center stated that they do not treat children under 18 without parental consent, and they respect the personal or religious beliefs of their employees who may disagree with certain types of care.
Those with conservative beliefs requested a probe into the clinic, and Republican leaders participated in a rally organized by Mr. Walsh in Nashville in October 2022 to speak out against gender-affirming care for children. In January 2023, when Tennessee legislators gathered, they introduced Senate Bill 1, which aimed to ban gender-affirming care. Despite opposition from transgender individuals and the majority of Democrats, the bill was approved.
Emily Cochrane is a journalist for The Times who focuses on reporting in the southern region of the United States, with her home base being in Nashville. You can find out more
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