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In 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center opened a transgender care clinic, which later sparked an investigation by conservatives in Tennessee leading to a ban on gender-affirming care.
Written by Emily Cochrane
In 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center discreetly announced the opening of a new transgender clinic with a brief news release. The announcement only provided information about the clinic’s location, hours of operation, and the names of two senior staff members.
Four years later, the clinic gained attention when Matt Walsh, a conservative political commentator at The Daily Wire in Nashville, shared a series of posts and videos criticizing the clinic. In these posts, it was alleged that a staff member at the clinic referred to gender-affirming medication and surgery as profit-driven and used harsh language to describe the treatments offered at the center.
The healthcare facility, which is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University, disagreed. In a statement, they explained that their clinic’s purpose is to provide care for a group of people who are at a greater risk for mental and physical health problems and have not received adequate care from the U.S. healthcare system.
The medical center 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.
Opponents of gender-affirming care for children demanded an inquiry into the clinic, and Republican officials participated in a rally organized by Mr. Walsh in Nashville in October 2022. Upon the gathering of Tennessee lawmakers in January 2023, a proposed prohibition on gender-affirming care was labeled as Senate Bill 1. Despite opposition from transgender individuals and the majority of Democrats, the bill was approved.
Emily Cochrane is a journalist who works for The Times and focuses on reporting news from the American South. She is located in Nashville. More information about Emily Cochrane can
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