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The ban on gender-affirming care in Tennessee was prompted by the opening of a new transgender care clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2018. After several years, conservatives pushed for an investigation into the clinic.
Written by Emily Cochrane
In 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center quietly introduced a new transgender clinic without much fanfare. The short announcement simply provided information about the clinic’s location, operating hours, and introduced two key staff members.
Four years later, 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 shared that a staff member at the clinic had expressed negative views towards gender-affirming medication and surgery, referring to them as profit-driven and using harsh language to describe the center’s treatments.
The medical center, which is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University, responded with a statement. They explained that the clinic’s goal was to provide healthcare to a group of people who are at high risk for mental and physical health problems and have historically not received adequate care from the US healthcare system.
The hospital stated that they do not treat children under 18 without parental consent and respect the beliefs of their employees by not requiring them to provide care that goes against their personal or religious beliefs.
Those on the right side of the political spectrum demanded a probe into the clinic, and GOP officials addressed a gathering organized by Mr. Walsh in Nashville in October 2022 to speak out against gender-affirming treatment for minors. In January 2023, Tennessee lawmakers met and labeled a potential prohibition on gender-affirming care as Senate Bill 1. Despite opposition from transgender individuals and the majority of Democrats, the bill was approved.
Emily Cochrane is a journalist who reports on news related to the southern United States for The Times. She is located in Nashville. For additional information on Emily Cochrane,
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