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VUMC Clinic for Transgender Health Opens on August 24

After more than two years of planning, the new Vanderbilt Clinic for Transgender Health will open on Friday, Aug. 24. The clinic, open Friday afternoons to start, will provide comprehensive gender-affirming services in a single convenient location.

Initially, the clinic will co-locate in Bellevue at the Vanderbilt Walk-In Clinic before moving to its permanent home in One Hundred Oaks in January 2019.

Shayne Taylor, M.D., who's just finished residency at Vanderbilt and appointed to faculty, will serve as the clinic's first director. Adam Huggins, M.D., assistant professor in obstetrics and gynecology, will serve as the clinic's assistant director.

Patients seeking gender affirmation services can contact the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health for referrals at [email protected] .  

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Vanderbilt to pause gender-affirming procedures for minors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced Friday that they are pausing gender-affirming surgeries for minors in order to review their practices.

The news, delivered in a letter sent to a lawmaker who has demanded an end to the surgeries, was publicly released Friday afternoon. It comes amid mounting political pressure from Tennessee’s Republican leaders — many of whom are running for reelection — who called for an investigation into the private nonprofit hospital after  videos surfaced on social media last month  of a doctor touting that gender-affirming procedures are “huge money makers.” Another video showed a staffer saying anyone with a religious objection should quit.

None of the politicians could point to a specific law that the hospital had violated, and no agency to date has committed to an investigation. Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s office said they had passed their concerns to the Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, but his office has not commented on whether he is looking into the Nashville-based hospital.

“We are pausing gender affirmation surgeries on patients under age 18 while we complete this review, which may take several months,” wrote C. Wright Pinson, VUMC’s deputy CEO and chief health system officer.

The GOP-dominated Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in January, and many lawmakers have vowed to introduce legislation further limit gender-affirming treatments. If successful, it’s unclear if VUMC would be allowed to resume gender-affirming surgeries for minors, regardless of their internal review.

“We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children,” Lee tweeted late Friday. “With the partnership of the General Assembly, this practice should end in Tennessee.”

According to Pinson, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health recently changed its recommendations for transgender treatment, which helped prompt the need for a review.

On average, VUMC has provided five gender affirming surgeries to minors every year since its transgender clinic opened in 2018. All were over the age of 16 and had parental consent, and none received genital procedures.

“The revenues from this limited number of surgeries represent an immaterial percentage of VUMC’s net operating revenue,” Pinson wrote.

Emails provided to The Associated Press through a public records request show hundreds of Tennesseans reached out to the governor’s office in support of shutting down VUMC’s transgender youth health clinic, with some asking him to call a special legislative session to address the issue. Others asked if he could suspend the licenses of the doctors who work at the clinic.

A few criticized Lee for not taking harsher steps earlier when he signed legislation banning doctors from providing gender-confirming hormone treatment to prepubescent minors.

Only a handful defended the clinic’s services, with some saying the transgender health care they received had been life-saving.

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September 21, 2022, statement about transgender health care at vumc.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been and will continue to be committed to providing family-centered care to all adolescents in compliance with state law and in line with professional practice standards and guidance established by medical specialty societies. 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is now the subject of social media posts and a video that misrepresent facts about the care the Medical Center provides to transgender patients.

VUMC began its Transgender Health Clinic because transgender individuals are a high-risk population for mental and physical health issues and have been consistently underserved by the U.S. health system.

We have been and will continue to be committed to providing family-centered care to all adolescents in compliance with state law and in line with professional practice standards and guidance established by medical specialty societies.

VUMC requires parental consent to treat a minor patient who is to be seen for issues related to transgender care, and never refuses parental involvement in the care of transgender youth who are under age 18.

Our policies allow employees to decline to participate in care they find morally objectionable, and do not permit discrimination against employees who choose to do so.  This includes employees whose personal or religious beliefs do not support gender-affirming care for transgender persons.

The Trans Buddy program mentioned in the video has received national acclaim. Its purpose is to provide peer volunteers who support persons who are seeking highly personal care in an unfamiliar environment, and who may have been refused medical services in the past or avoided seeking them out of fear of being met with hostility.

Vanderbilt hospital agrees to pause gender-affirming surgery on minors, officials say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Vanderbilt University Medical Center has agreed to pause gender-affirming surgery on transgender youth following backlash from conservative commentators and politicians, according to state leaders.

“VUMC has agreed to pause gender transition surgeries on minors, as well as honor religious objectors,” State Representative Jason Zachary tweeted Friday afternoon.

“We are so pleased to hear that VUMC has made the right decision and has paused all surgeries for adolescents at their Pediatric Transgender Clinic,” Senator Marsha Blackburn added.

This decision to pause the surgeries comes after Vanderbilt University Medical Center came under fire on social media and in the political arena after a conservative commentator made disputed claims regarding its transgender health clinic.

Matt Walsh, a columnist with the Daily Wire, tweeted last month the clinic “chemically castrates minors,” as well as other claims hospital administrators said are false.

“(VUMC) is now the subject of social media posts and a video that misrepresent facts about the care the Medical Center provides to transgender patients,” a VUMC statement said last month. “VUMC began its Transgender Health Clinic because transgender individuals are a high-risk population for mental and physical health issues and have been consistently underserved by the U.S. health system.”

VUMC said it requires parental consent to treat a minor patient who is to be seen for issues related to transgender care and “never refuses parental involvement in the care of transgender youth who are under age 18,” according to the statement.

In a letter regarding their decision to pause the surgeries, VUMC said since 2018, an average of five minors per years have received gender-affirming surgical procedures, but none of them had “genital procedures.” All minors had parental consent and were at least 16 years old, VUMC said.

Last month, Gov. Bill Lee said the transgender health clinic needed to be investigated.

“The ‘pediatric transgender clinic’ at Vanderbilt University Medical Center raises serious moral, ethical and legal concerns,” Lee said in the statement. “We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children or policies that suppress religious liberties, all for the purpose of financial gain. We have to protect Tennessee children, and this warrants a thorough investigation.”

This is a developing story. Read the full letter below.

Please see Vanderbilt Medical’s response to the @tnhousegop . VUMC has agreed to pause gender transition surgeries on minors as well as honor religious objectors. https://t.co/xXlbSaAOMS pic.twitter.com/4G8laJfQfY — Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) October 7, 2022

Copyright 2022 WSMV. All rights reserved.

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Vanderbilt to review gender-affirming surgeries for minors

FILE - Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., is pictured on July 16, 2013. The medical center came under fierce scrutiny Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, after conservative political commentator Matt Walsh posted a series of tweets accusing the private hospital of opening its transgender health clinic because it was profitable, as well as criticizing some of the treatments VUMC provides to minors. Now, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is calling for an investigation into the clinic. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced Friday that they are pausing gender-affirming surgeries for minors in order to review their practices.

The news, delivered in a letter sent to a lawmaker who has demanded an end to the surgeries, was publicly released Friday afternoon. It comes amid mounting political pressure from Tennessee’s Republican leaders — many of whom are running for reelection — who called for an investigation into the private nonprofit hospital after videos surfaced on social media last month of a doctor touting that gender-affirming procedures are “huge money makers.” Another video showed a staffer saying anyone with a religious objection should quit.

None of the politicians could point to a specific law that the hospital had violated, and no agency to date has committed to an investigation. Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s office said they had passed their concerns to the Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, but his office has not commented on whether he is looking into the Nashville-based hospital.

“We are pausing gender affirmation surgeries on patients under age 18 while we complete this review, which may take several months,” wrote C. Wright Pinson, VUMC’s deputy CEO and chief health system officer.

The GOP-dominated Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in January, and many lawmakers have vowed to introduce legislation further limit gender-affirming treatments. If successful, it’s unclear if VUMC would be allowed to resume gender-affirming surgeries for minors, regardless of their internal review.

“We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children,” Lee tweeted late Friday. “With the partnership of the General Assembly, this practice should end in Tennessee.”

According to Pinson, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health recently changed its recommendations for transgender treatment, which helped prompt the need for a review.

On average, VUMC has provided five gender affirming surgeries to minors every year since its transgender clinic opened in 2018. All were over the age of 16 and had parental consent, and none received genital procedures.

“The revenues from this limited number of surgeries represent an immaterial percentage of VUMC’s net operating revenue,” Pinson wrote.

Emails provided to The Associated Press through a public records request show hundreds of Tennesseans reached out to the governor’s office in support of shutting down VUMC’s transgender youth health clinic, with some asking him to call a special legislative session to address the issue. Others asked if he could suspend the licenses of the doctors who work at the clinic.

A few criticized Lee for not taking harsher steps earlier when he signed legislation banning doctors from providing gender-confirming hormone treatment to prepubescent minors.

Only a handful defended the clinic’s services, with some saying the transgender health care they received had been life-saving.

Watch CBS News

Vanderbilt University Medical Center to pause gender-affirming surgeries for minors to review practices

October 10, 2022 / 11:32 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced Friday that they are pausing gender-affirming surgeries for minors in order to review their practices.

The news, delivered in a letter sent to a lawmaker who has demanded an end to the surgeries, was publicly released Friday afternoon. It comes amid mounting political pressure from Tennessee's Republican leaders — many of whom are running for reelection — who called for an investigation into the private nonprofit hospital after videos surfaced on social media last month of a doctor touting that gender-affirming procedures are "huge money makers." Another video showed a staffer saying anyone with a religious objection should quit.

None of the politicians could point to a specific law that the hospital had violated, and no agency to date has committed to an investigation. Republican Gov. Bill Lee's office said they had passed their concerns to the Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, but his office has not commented on whether he is looking into the Nashville-based hospital.

"We are pausing gender affirmation surgeries on patients under age 18 while we complete this review, which may take several months," wrote C. Wright Pinson, VUMC's deputy CEO and chief health system officer.

The GOP-dominated Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in January, and many lawmakers have vowed to introduce legislation further limit gender-affirming treatments. If successful, it's unclear if VUMC would be allowed to resume gender-affirming surgeries for minors, regardless of their internal review.

"We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children," Lee tweeted late Friday . "With the partnership of the General Assembly, this practice should end in Tennessee."

According to Pinson, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health recently changed its recommendations for transgender treatment, which helped prompt the need for a review. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics  recommends  "providing youth with access to comprehensive gender-affirming and developmentally appropriate health care." In a 2018 policy statement , the AAP also notes that the "supportive involvement of parents and family is associated with better mental and physical health outcomes."

On average, VUMC has provided five gender-affirming surgeries to minors every year since its transgender clinic opened in 2018. All were over the age of 16 and had parental consent, and none received genital procedures.

"The revenues from this limited number of surgeries represent an immaterial percentage of VUMC's net operating revenue," Pinson wrote.

Emails provided to The Associated Press through a public records request show hundreds of Tennesseans reached out to the governor's office in support of shutting down VUMC's transgender youth health clinic, with some asking him to call a special legislative session to address the issue. Others asked if he could suspend the licenses of the doctors who work at the clinic.

A few criticized Lee for not taking harsher steps earlier when he signed legislation banning doctors from providing gender-confirming hormone treatment to prepubescent minors.

Only a handful defended the clinic's services, with some saying the transgender health care they received had been life-saving.

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Vanderbilt was never doing genital surgeries on minors but agrees to ‘pause’ other gender-affirming procedures

October 7, 2022

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has agreed to pause gender-affirming surgeries performed by its pediatric transgender health clinic, which has been under fire from Republican lawmakers. Vanderbilt has now responded to a letter signed by 62 GOP members of the Tennessee House of Representatives who demanded the clinic stop surgeries on minors.

Since its founding in 2018, the clinic was doing about five surgeries a year and never on genitals, according to the one-page letter signed by deputy CEO Wright Pinson.

“None of these surgeries have been paid for by state or federal funds,” Pinson says, adding a response to video clips in which a Vanderbilt doctor says there is money to be made in gender-affirming care. “The revenues from this limited number of surgeries represent an immaterial percentage of VUMC’s net operating revenue.”

The clinical guidelines set internationally do allow for breast removal after age 16. Vanderbilt says everyone who has had surgery was at least that old. Clinical guidelines recommend waiting for adulthood on genital surgery, and Vanderbilt says it follows those guidelines.

Vanderbilt’s pause, even on the few surgeries a year, is not permanent. The clinic’s leaders say they will review new clinical guidelines with national experts for several months. But Vanderbilt also agrees to follow whatever laws the state legislature decides to pass.

The concerns expressed by Republicans were first raised by anti-trans activist Matt Walsh. The medical center is also commenting on video clips Walsh posted in which a physician says she has a problem with employees backing out of gender affirming care because of moral objections.

“Comments from videos posted on social media that are obtained at these kind of events should not be construed as statements of VUMC policy,” Pinson says.

Those who want to be excused from care they find morally objectionable are allowed to opt out, according to medical center policy.

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Vanderbilt's transgender health clinic pauses gender-affirming surgery for minors amid GOP pressure

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Amid intense pressure from Republicans, the Vanderbilt University Medical Center's transgender clinic has decided to suspend all gender-affirming surgeries for minors.

Dr. C. Wright Pinson, an executive at the Nashville, Tennessee, health center, sent a letter to Republican lawmakers in the state confirming they would be "pausing" gender-affirming procedures in order to "review recommendations."

In a statement sent to CNN , Vanderbilt confirmed the letter was real, but would not elaborate on the new policy.

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Gender-affirming surgeries are defined by the Cleveland Clinic as "procedures that help people transition to their self-identified gender," and Vanderbilt's decision comes despite a large majority of the medical community, including the American Medical Association , concluding that gender-affirming surgeries are safe, effective, and can help children with gender dysmorphia.

The decision to halt gender-affirming surgeries comes under a wave of criticism over the procedures, mostly from Republican politicians in GOP-led states such as Tennessee. The push for Vanderbilt to change its policy was led by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R), who told The Tennessean that the university's clinic raised "serious moral, ethical, and legal concerns," and added that their practices should be investigated.

As part of the anti-gender-affirming push, the state legislature also passed a 2021 law banning hormone therapy for children.

Vanderbilt's decision was heavily criticized by the medical and legal community, including the AMA and the ACLU . The latter said in a statement, "Parents, patients, and medical professionals, not politicians, should decide what medical care is in the best interest of any particular young person."

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 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.  

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Vanderbilt’s Decision to Turn Over Trans Patient Records to the State Sparks Backlash

V anderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) confirmed Tuesday that it turned over transgender patients’ medical records to the Tennessee attorney general as part of an investigation into medical billing—a move that stirred controversy and privacy concerns.

VUMC offers transgender-related health care for adults and minors in Tennessee and nearby states, where these services are increasingly limited amid polarizing debates and legal clashes over transgender issues across the U.S. Families whose underage children received gender-affirming care at the center felt particularly violated over the record sharing.

The scope of how many patients were affected and details about the investigation remain unclear, but the VUMC said it involved patients enrolled in TennCare insurance plans and that it was asked to submit medical records dating back to 2018, according to screenshots circulating from patients who received notice that they’d been affected.

“The Tennessee Attorney General has legal authority in an investigation to require that VUMC provide complete copies of patient medical records that are relevant to its investigation,” John Howser, VUMC’s chief communications officer, told TIME in a statement. “VUMC was obligated to comply and did so.”

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Much of the backlash on social media against VUMC this week expressed outrage over patient privacy and HIPAA rights, but under federal and state statutes, the medical center is legally required to comply with the attorney general’s investigation and hand over patient records.

“Do we believe that Vanderbilt Medical Center could have fought this and taken a bigger stand? Absolutely. But at the same time, we believe that it would have just prolonged the inevitable because the attorney general unfortunately, has the law on his side,” Lance Preston, executive director of the Rainbow Youth Project, a nonprofit that advocates for LQBTQIA+ young people, says.

Preston worries that months from now, the investigation might halt, but the attorney general’s office would still have a comprehensive list of transgender patients—an idea that’s sparking fear, particularly among transgender youth.

Growing fears

Following the news this week, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s chief of staff, Brandon Smith said, “We are surprised that VUMC has deliberately chosen to frighten its patients like this.” Smith said the attorney general had been investigating potential billing fraud since September and that VUMC began providing patient records in December. Smith emphasized that the investigation was directed toward VUMC and related providers, not patients.

Preston says between June 20 and June 21, Rainbow Youth Project’s crisis received hundreds of calls from both young people and parents that were frightened over the turning over of VUMC’s transgender patient records.

Callers were in varying degrees of mental health crisis over the news, including intense fear and suicidal ideation, Preston said. “Even though the numbers are high , and it’s hard for us to handle that call volume, we would much rather see them reaching out than not,” Preston says.

Rainbow Youth Project had a similar spike in calls last spring after Texas Governor Greg Abbott instructed child welfare agents to investigate child abuse among parents who provided their children gender-affirming care, a move that was later blocked. “People don’t understand that whether a new bill passes or it gets vetoed, just to talk about it creates fear and crisis,” Preston says.

Gender-affirming care uses medical procedures like hormone therapy and surgery to help a person transition from their assigned gender at birth to the one they identify as. Access to gender-affirming health care, especially for minors, is somewhat limited throughout the South following a myriad of restrictions over the past year.

Nashville, where VUMC is located, is a hub in the region for transgender-related health care. Neighboring states, Arkansas and Kentucky, each currently have under a dozen transgender-affirming providers, according to the Campaign for Southern Equality, a nonprofit.

VUMC said it started its Transgender Health Clinic in 2018 to address the heightened risk of mental and physical illness that transgender people face. Prominent medical associations, such as the American Medical Association , have researched and supported gender-affirming care for minors.

Last fall, right-wing political commentator Matt Walsh made a series of social media posts condemning VUMC’s gender-affirming surgeries for minors and hosted a “Rally to End Child Mutilation” in Nashville. VUMC stated that it followed standards of care set by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health, but after pressure from Republican lawmakers in September, urging the medical center to cease gender-affirming surgeries on minors, VUMC decided to halt all such surgeries temporarily.

VUMC noted that gender-affirming surgeries for minors have been rare at the center, at an average of five per year, and only with patients aged 16 and up.

In February, the Tennessee legislature overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 1, banning gender transition health care for minors, beginning July 1. The Justice Department filed a complaint in late April challenging the bill, but it has yet to move forward.

Cultural impact

Over the past year, just like the medical center, Vanderbilt University has been embroiled in controversy surrounding transgender issues.

The Vanderbilt College Republicans, a student organization, hosted a debate on campus in early April over whether it should be legal for minors to receive gender-affirming care. The debate was preceded by a protest and several other student groups criticized the event, arguing that it was offensive and told transgender students that their existence was up for debate.

Induja Kumar, a junior at Vanderbilt studying political science and climate studies, advocates for the university administration to do more to protect queer and transgender students. “You can find so many anonymous op-eds by trans students on campus,” she says, but publicly, “people are really afraid to speak out.” She says she’s witnessed peers who are vocal about being transgender or queer get doxed and harassed on the internet. Kumar worries that speaking with TIME could have similar consequences for her, but persists to vocalize her concerns.

“What happens when medical records are turned over to the attorney general in the next investigation?” Kumar says, anxious about future privacy breaches against transgender students as well as patients receiving reproductive health services. Abortion is extremely limited in Tennessee. “How many students are at risk of having their medical privacy violated, and then being criminalized because of that?” Kumar adds.

Preston notes that 77 teens who called Rainbow Youth Project over anxiety about the VUMC medical record dissemination reported that they didn’t want to receive or continue counseling in Tennessee. “They’re afraid if they go to mental health counseling, and they reveal their gender identity or sexual orientation, that’s going to lead to their records being turned over or their families being investigated,” Paxton says.

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Vanderbilt University is committed to providing staff, faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars, and visitors with safe, inclusive, and healthy work and educational environments in which no member of the University community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any University program or activity based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Vanderbilt University prohibits discrimination based on any category protected by Vanderbilt policy, including sexual orientation and gender identity. Gender-based and sexual harassment, including sexual violence, are forms of sex discrimination in that they deny or limit an individual’s ability to participate in or benefit from University programs or activities. University policy also prohibits retaliation against individuals who raise issues of potential discrimination or who participate in an investigation of any claim of discrimination. These policies encompass Title VII of the United States Civil Rights Act, Executive Orders 13,087 and 13,672, and the decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. __ (2020).

As part of our commitment to providing a safe working environment for all, the University has developed these guidelines for employees who are transitioning or identify as transgender, genderqueer, or non-binary, as well as the managers who support them.  The following guidelines are informational and evolving. Accordingly, the provisions of applicable existing University policies or agreements are controlling.

CORE CONCEPTS

Gender identity: Gender identity is generally defined as a person’s own sense of identification as man, woman, both, or neither as distinguished from actual biological sex, i.e. it is one’s psychological sense of self.

Gender expression : Gender expression is everything we do that communicates our sense of identification to others.

Sexual orientation : Gender identity is distinct from sexual orientation, which describes to whom a person is romantically attracted.

Transgender : Transgender individuals are people whose gender identity, expression, and/or behavior are different from those typically associated with their assigned or presumed sex at birth. Someone who was assigned the male sex at birth but who identifies as a woman is a  transgender woman . Likewise, a person assigned the female sex at birth but who identifies as a man is a  transgender man . A person who has a gender identity other than “man” or “woman” might simply self-identify as transgender or use other terminology to define their identity, such as “non-binary.”Moreover, some individuals who would fit this definition of transgender do not identify themselves as such and identify simply as men and women, consistent with their gender identity. “Trans” is shorthand for “transgender.” This guidance applies whether or not a particular individual explicitly self-identifies as transgender.

Transgender is correctly used as an adjective , not a noun or verb.  “Transgender people” is appropriate, whereas the following terms are considered outdated, disrespectful, inappropriate, and often demeaning:

• Transgenders
• Transgendered
• Transvestite
• Tranny (this term is considered a slur)
• Transsexual
• Referring to an individual as “pre-op” or “post-op”
• Sexual reassignment surgery

Max is transgender.

Max is a transgender person.

  Incorrect :

Max is a transgender.

Max is transgender ed .

When referring to a transgender person, always use the person’s current pronouns, gender identity, and name, even when referring to the person’s past.

Gender non-conforming : A broad term used to refer to individuals whose gender expression is different from social expectations related to gender.

Transition : Some individuals will find it necessary to transition from living and working as one gender to another. Social role transition – that is, living full-time in the gender role that is consistent with an individual’s gender identity – is an important, and often the most important, aspect of a person’s gender transition. Transgender individuals may also seek some form of medical treatment such as counseling, hormone therapy, electrolysis, and surgical interventions as part of their transition. These treatments may be deemed medically necessary for many individuals, based on determinations of their medical providers. Some individuals will not pursue some (or any) forms of medical treatment because of their age, medical condition, lack of funds, or other personal circumstances, or because they may not feel the treatment is necessary for their well-being. However, this does not apply in all cases and others may require Family Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA). Members of our community should be aware that not all transgender individuals will follow the same pattern, and that decisions about which steps are necessary as part of an individual’s transition are highly personal ones made by the individual in consultation with appropriate health professionals. Whatever form a specific individual’s transition takes, like all members of the Vanderbilt community, they should be treated with dignity and respect. Moreover, the medical aspects of an individual’s transition will often be less apparent, and in some cases irrelevant from a personnel management perspective, than an individual’s social transition at the workplace. As used below, the term “transition” refers primarily to an individual’s social transition, as this is the point at which an employee will usually bring these issues to the attention of  their supervisor/manager.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY

An employee’s transition should be treated with as much sensitivity and confidentiality as any other employee’s private or highly-personal life experiences. Employees in transition often want as little publicity about their transition as possible. They might be concerned about safety and workplace issues if other people or their manager/supervisor becomes aware of the transition.

• Managers and supervisors should be sensitive to these concerns and should advise employees to respect the privacy and dignity of transgender employees. Other employees should be provided information about a transition only if they need to know the information in the performance of their duties. Personal information about the transitioning employee should not be released to anyone who does not have a need to know unless the employee has provided prior written consent to disclosure. Questions regarding the transitioning employee should be referred directly to the employee, if that is consistent with the employee’s wishes. All employees should understand, however, that questions regarding a coworker’s medical process, body, and sexuality are inappropriate. If it would be helpful and appropriate, managers/supervisors may have a trainer or presenter from EOA or the Office of LGBTQI Life meet with employees to answer general questions regarding gender identity. Issues that arise should be discussed confidentially as soon as possible between the employee and the employee’s manager(s) and supervisor(s).

NAMES AND PRONOUN USAGE

Gender identity is an integral part of a person’s identity. Avoid using language that makes light of, questions, belittles, or stigmatizes anyone’s identity, including those in the gender affirmation process. Pay attention to and use the language others use for themselves—when in doubt, respectfully ask how that person would like to be addressed.

It is important to use the name that an individual calls themselves by. Referring to someone’s old name (a.k.a deadname) is considered offensive and continued usage is harassment. Unless consented by a transgender person, someone’s deadname should under no circumstances ever be used.

We should all be encouraged to ask people what pronoun they use. If it is not possible to ask for the pronoun someone uses, use the person’s name in place of a pronoun. For example, if the person’s name is Susan, instead of saying “she has today off,” you can simply say, “Susan has today off.”

It is also appropriate to use they/them, which is generally considered a genderless pronoun. This should be used until someone verbally clarifies what pronouns they use or if it is in their signature.

UNIVERSITY SUPPORT, GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYEES

Vanderbilt has many resources to help address issues of equity and inclusion regarding sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, including Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA), Human Resources (HR), and the Office of LGBTQI Life.  EOA, HR, and LGBTQI Life each play integral roles in carrying out the University’s commitment to provide a positive working, learning, and teaching environments for the entire community.

The staff of each of these departments are specially trained resources and serve as your point(s) of contact for addressing questions or concerns and providing support and information in this area – both generally and regarding the topics referenced below. For example, a transgender employee who is undergoing a gender transition can work with EOA/HR/LGBTQI Life to create an individualized, carefully tailored “transition plan” to help ensure the employee is successful and supported at work. The development of these measures and supports, as well as the employee’s engagement with University resources, is driven by the individual employee. For example, a “transition plan” may focus on adjusting personnel and administrative records and developing a personalized communication plan to share the news with coworkers and clients, as appropriate and informed by the employee’s requests. Mangers, departmental HCM specialists and Vanderbilt IT could be essential partners in assisting with the transition plan. As appropriate during that process, EOA, HR, and LGBTQI Life can serve as a liaisons to other University resources to assist with potential issues such as healthcare/benefits and technology issues

Workplace Guidelines

EAO, HR, and LGBTQI Life are available to address these and other relevant topics on an individualized basis:

Privacy : Vanderbilt employees may choose to discuss their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression openly, or to keep that information private. The individual employee gets to decide when, with whom, and how much, if any, private information is shared. Medical records that contain information about an employee’s transgender status (such as the sex they were assigned at birth) are protected by federal and state privacy laws and should be treated as confidential in accordance with Vanderbilt policy.

Confidentiality : EOA/HR/LGBTQI Life might need to share certain pieces of information that are disclosed to them on a strictly need-to-know basis to take steps to address potential sexual or gender-based harassment. The staff of EOA/HR/LGBTQI Life are trained to take any appropriate next steps sensitively and discretely. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential resource, and additional confidential resources are listed below.

Names, Gender, and Pronouns : Individuals should be referred to by the names and pronouns with which they identify, both in communications to and about them (see above Terminology links for more information on pronouns). This is true regardless of whether an employee has requested or made any updates to their name or gender marker in University or external systems.

Legal Name : An employee may request that their legal name be updated in Vanderbilt systems by submitting proof of an updated Social Security card (or other legally sufficient documentation). Their personal information can be updated in  Oracle Cloud  under the Personal Information module within the About Me section of the Navigator. Please reference the  quick guide . Upon request from the employee, the University will work to update aspects of an employee’s employment record to reflect a change in name or gender. *

Name : An employee may identify a name to be added to University-wide systems and to be used along with their legal name. Personal information can be updated in Oracle Cloud  under the Personal Information module within the About Me section of the Navigator. Please reference the  quick guide . In many instances, but not all, the employee’s name will be prioritized by those systems and used in lieu of the legal name. This means that an employee’s name will not be automatically updated in every University record. *

Vanderbilt ID Card : The name listed on an employee’s Vanderbilt ID card may be changed. Visit the Vanderbilt Card Services Office to request a new Vanderbilt ID card. Only names in the Oracle cloud system can be used on a Vanderbilt ID. Please note, however, that Vanderbilt ID cards of licensed professionals whose positions require them to be licensed must use the name that is on the license. *

Business Cards : An employee may request to edit the name and/or pronouns on their business cards.

Gender Marker : Vanderbilt is currently working on a process for employees to change their gender markers in Oracle, with an anticipated date within calendar year 2021. Please check back for updates. *

Benefits : Employees are subject to requirements outlined by their health plans. To find out coverage and copays under your health plan, contact  Human Resources  or visit their  webpage under “Benefits”  to find your specific representative. Examples of topics employees may wish to discuss with their local HR benefits team include:

• Health insurance coverage for gender-affirming health care
• Paid time off/leaves of absence
• Accessing family-related benefits (e.g., family leave and/or pension)

View the Transgender Services from Aetna here:

Workplace Attire : As a matter of best practice, expectations, rules, or policies around workplace attire should be applied equally and in a gender-neutral manner to all employees to whom they apply, and such expectations, rules, or policies should not be used to prevent any employee, including transgender or gender non-conforming employees, from living in the dress affirming of their gender identity and/or gender expression.  Questions regarding workplace attire should be directed to the EOA or HR.

Access to Restroom and Locker Room Facilities : An individual’s access to gender-segregated facilities (e.g., bathrooms, locker room facilities) is consistent with their gender identity.

In addition, Vanderbilt has single-use, all-gender restrooms in many of its buildings. These restrooms address the considerable stress people may face when having to guess which gendered restroom they should use in order to feel comfortable. However, no employee should be required to use a segregated facility apart from other employees because of their gender identity. Employees generally may not be limited to using facilities that are an unreasonable distance or travel time from their worksite. A list of current all-gender restrooms on campus can be found on the Office of LGBTQI Life’s Trans@VU website . 

* The card office, HR, and others are working towards a CY2021 go-live for these efforts

PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO GENDER HARASSMENT

Vanderbilt University values cultivating and fostering an environment where anyone can learn, work, and live safely and comfortably. As a community, we are committed to preventing and responding to gender harassment. The university offers several resources to help anyone learn about, prevent, and respond to situations involving gender harassment.

Those resources include :

• Equal Opportunity and Access : Responsible for implementing, administrating, and coordinating Vanderbilt’s nondiscrimination and antiharassment policies.
• Human Resources : Responsible for staff management, employee development, management and direction for people who work at Vanderbilt University . Find your HR consultant .
• Sexual Misconduct and Intimate Partner Violence Policy in the Student Handbook
• Campus SaVE Act Policy for Faculty, Staff, Postdoctoral Fellows or Trainees
• Human Resources Anti-Harassment Policy
• Human Resources Workplace Violence Policy
• Protection of Minors Policy
• Faculty Senate Responsible Employee guidelines
• Human Resources Relationships in the Workplace Policy
• Faculty Manual Policy on Nondiscrimination
• Faculty Manual Policy on Consenual and Familial Interpersonal Relationships

Re sources for Support 

• Project Safe Center for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response:  this center provides a broad array of resources and programs for faculty members on issues related to gender harassment, sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct including workshops on reporting and responding, trainings on how to identify students in distress, information on how to support survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence, customized programs and more.
• Office of LGBTQI Life : A cultural center and a place of affirmation for individuals of all identities, and a resource for information and support about gender and sexuality. The office offers resources, trainings (such as P.R.I.D.E. Trainings) and supportive staff to support employees.
• Vanderbilt Trans@VU website : A collection of resources on the LGBTQI Life website which provide information on navigating University systems for transgender, trans, gender-variant, non-binary, agender, other non-cisgender people and allies at Vanderbilt University. Relevant policies on name changes, health care coverage, as well as gender inclusive restrooms and additional VU resources are all included on the site. s
• Work/Life Connections-EAP:   this program provides counseling, as well as support for crises and critical incident stress management interventions.
• Vanderbilt’s University Chaplain and affiliated chaplains:   the chaplains offer pastoral counseling and spiritual care services. Call 615-322-2457 for more information.

Visit the Project Safe Center for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response’s advocacy webpage  for additional resources, and information on confidentiality regarding any of the resources listed above.

• VUMC Program for LGBTQ Health : Assists LGBTQI people in finding and connecting with healthcare providers who are educated and skilled at providing culturally competent care. Vanderbilt University Medical Center offers gender-affirming services, including /medical appointments and ER visits.
• Vanderbilt Clinic for Transgender Health : The Clinic for Transgender Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center brings together specially-trained experts to provide and coordinate comprehensive care for transgender and gender nonconforming adults. From physicals and health screenings to hormone therapy and transition-related surgeries, the team is committed to understanding patient goals and needs. No matter where one is on their journey, a welcoming and supportive environment awaits.
• Project Safe Support Hotline: 615-322-SAFE (7233)
• Vanderbilt University Police: 911 or615-421-1911
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center Emergency Services: 615-322-0160

• Equal Employment Opportunity: 615-343-9336
• Title IX and Student Discrimination: 615-343-9004
• Student Access Services: 615-343-9727
• Employee Assistance Program: 615-936-1327

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Vanderbilt transgender health clinic suspends gender-affirming surgery for minors

The ’pause’ in gender-affirming surgeries for under 18s came after political pressure from tennessee republicans, article bookmarked.

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Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has suspended gender-affirming surgeries for patients under the age of 18 while it reviews its practices, officials said.

The announcement was revealed in a letter from university executive C Wright Pinson to Tennessee Republican state lawmaker Jason Zachary who posted it on Twitter.

Calls for an investigation into the clinic intensified after video surfaced on social media last month of a doctor claiming the gender-affirming surgeries were “huge money-makers” for hospitals.

The videos, shared by right-wing political commentator Matt Walsh, showed a VUMC doctor saying in 2018 that those “types of surgeries bring in a lot of money”.

A staff member said anyone with religious objections to the treatment should quit, in another leaked clip.

Republicans in Tennessee had pressured the private nonprofit hospital to pause surgeries on minors who were transitioning genders while it investigated the claims, the Associated Press reported.

Dr Pinson said in the letter that the suspension was due to a review of new guidance on treating transgender patients from the World Professional Association of Transgender Health, adding that the review “may take several months”.

Please see Vanderbilt Medical’s response to the @tnhousegop . VUMC has agreed to pause gender transition surgeries on minors as well as honor religious objectors. https://t.co/xXlbSaAOMS pic.twitter.com/4G8laJfQfY — Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) October 7, 2022

Dr Pinson said the clinic had performed an average of five surgeries per year since it was established in 2018, and that all of the procedures were on children over 16.

The letter noted that new legal restrictions on gender-affirming care could be passed, and that it would comply fully with the law.

Gender-affirming care for minors have become a political lightning rod in conservative states.

In February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the state Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate use of treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers as child abuse. The order is being challenged in court.

Experts from the American Medical Association say that gender-affirming care, which helps a person transition from their designated gender at birth, is appropriate for minors who suffer gender dysphoria.

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Vanderbilt pauses gender affirmation surgeries on minors, says genital surgeries not performed

By: anita wadhwani - october 7, 2022 4:07 pm.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is temporarily halting gender affirming surgeries on patients under the age of 18 while it reviews new national recommendations on the treatment of transgender patients, the hospital’s deputy CEO and chief health system officer said in a letter to Tennessee Rep. Jason Zachary on Friday.

Until now, the hospital’s Transgender Health Clinic had performed an annual average of five surgeries on minors who were at least 16 years old — none were genital procedures, the letter from Deputy CEO and Chief Health System Officer Dr. C. Wright Pinson said.

Pinson’s letter served as a response to demands last week from Zachary and 61 other members of the House Republican Caucus that medical center immediately halt permanent gender affirmation surgeries on minors. The lawmakers said they were “alarmed” by reports from far-right publication the Daily Wire that the clinic was performing “surgical mutilations” on minors.

“It is an egregious error of judgement that an institution as highly respected as Vanderbilt would condone (and promote) harmful and irreversible procedures for minor children in the name of profit,” the Sept. 28 letter sent by the Republicans said . The letter demanded a response from Vanderbilt within 10 days.

The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh first posted edited video clips last month of Vanderbilt staff discussing transgender surgery: one depicts a physician calling it a “big money maker,” although she does not mention minors; in another, a Vanderbilt plastic surgeon discussed “top surgeries” on 16- and 17-year- old patients who have been on testosterone and have parental permission. Another clip showed a Vanderbilt professor of law saying “conscientious objections” to gender affirming surgery were “problematic.”

Tennessee’s Republican leaders quickly expressed outrage, pledging to introduce legislation prohibiting gender affirming surgery for minors. Gov. Bill Lee said the claims warranted a “full investigation.”

Democrats pushed back, saying that “hate” was being used “for political purposes.”

“Parents should be able to make decisions in regard to their children’s health. That is something Republicans claim to fight for, but refuse to acknowledge when it comes to transition-related care,” Rep. Vincent Dixie, House Democratic Caucus Chair said.

Vanderbilt has been tight-lipped since the controversy emerged. Hospital officials simply noted the healthcare provided to transgender kids is “in compliance with state law and in line with professional proactive standards and guidance established by medical speciality societies,” but declined to answer specific questions.

The clinic’s website, which included photos and contact information for staff at the clinic, was immediately taken down.  STAT News reported that at least 20 children’s hospitals across the nation have been singled out by right-wing pundits and all but three modified or removed website information, in part to protect staff and doctors from threats.

Similar social media campaigns regarding transgender care for minors have led to threats of violence against staff and doctors. Earlier this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association and Children’s Hospital Association, writing on behalf of 220 children’s hospitals, urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to “investigate the organizations, individuals, and entities coordinating, provoking, and carrying out bomb threats and threats of personal violence against children’s hospitals and physicians across the U.S.”

On Friday, a VUMC spokesperson referred questions from the Lookout to Zachary’s Tweet of Pinson’s letter.

Please see Vanderbilt Medical’s response to the @tnhousegop . VUMC has agreed to pause gender transition surgeries on minors as well as honor religious objectors. https://t.co/xXlbSaAOMS pic.twitter.com/4G8laJfQfY — Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) October 7, 2022

The letter notes that Vanderbilt established its Transgender Health Clinic in 2018 “because transgender individuals are at high risk for mental and physical health issues, and have been consistently underserved by our nation’s healthcare systems.”

Pinson’s letter did not specify how many minors have been treated at the clinic, but notes that only a small number of surgeries are performed each year on minors — and all on adolescents at least 16 years of age. None of the surgeries were performed without parental consent, and no surgery involved genital procedures, the letter said.

Revenues from those surgeries constitute “an immaterial percentage of VUMC’s net operating revenue,” the letter said. Pinson noted that VUMC’s policies allow employees to be excluded from medical care they believe is morally objectionable.

Vanderbilt nevertheless is halting such surgeries while it reviews new recommendations from WPATH, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, issued Sept. 6, the letter said.

“We are pausing gender affirmation surgeries on patients under 18 while we complete this review, which may take several months,” the letter said.

The pause may become indefinite. Pinson acknowledged GOP lawmakers have plans to introduce legislation regarding transgender care, which could be taken up as soon as the Legislature reconvenes in January.

“As always, we will assure that VUMC’s programs comply with any new requirements which may be established as part of Tennessee law,” Pinson said

Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. AP and Getty images may not be republished. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics.

Anita Wadhwani

Anita Wadhwani is a senior reporter for the Tennessee Lookout. The Tennessee AP Broadcasters and Media (TAPME) named her Journalist of the Year in 2019 as well as giving her the Malcolm Law Award for Investigative Journalism. Wadhwani is formerly an investigative reporter with The Tennessean who focused on the impact of public policies on the people and places across Tennessee.

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom , the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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Vanderbilt's pediatric transgender care clinic is one of several under assault

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Some clinics paused gender-affirming surgeries for minors due to pushback from critics. Conservative activists say they want to protect kids. Parents of teen patients say the care is saving lives.

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Vanderbilt clarifies gender-affirming care policies amid conservative attacks

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is denying social media claims that employees were punished for objecting to its gender-affirming treatment program and some treatments were being used as money-making schemes after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other members of the state's GOP leadership blasted the clinic this week.

A number of Republican politicians and religious leaders posted on Twitter Tuesday and Wednesday to criticize Vanderbilt, one of the nation's leading health centers, and called for investigations and new legislation banning gender-affirming treatments for minors.

Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement to The Tennessean that Vanderbilt's "pediatric transgender clinic" raised "serious moral, ethical and legal concerns," adding an investigation into the clinic would be necessary.

Casey Sellers, Lee's communications director, said the governor's office had shared its concerns with state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

"We are aware of allegations of illegal conduct at the Clinic for Transgender Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center," a statement from Skrmetti's office read. "General Skrmetti will use the full scope of his authority to ensure compliance with Tennessee law."

In a statement Wednesday morning, Vanderbilt said employees are allowed to abstain from participating in medical care they find "morally objectionable," including treatments related to transgender care, and that parental consent is required to treat a minor "for issues related to transgender care."  

"VUMC began its Transgender Health Clinic because transgender individuals are a high-risk population for mental and physical health issues and have been consistently underserved by the U.S. health system," the statement reads, in part. "We have been and will continue to be committed to providing family-centered care to all adolescents in compliance with state law and in line with professional practice standards and guidance established by medical specialty societies."

Vanderbilt was responding to a number of claims and videos posted on Twitter by Matt Walsh, a contributor to The Daily Wire.

Vanderbilt's transgender health clinic and gender-affirming surgery web pages were down Wednesday and contained no information. Hospital representatives did not immediately respond to questions about its standards of care for providing gender-affirming care to minors.

Medical associations, such as the American Medical Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), have set standards for such care, which include parental consent and a comprehensive psychological evaluation. There must also be a well-documented history of gender dysphoria.

The AMA has cautioned states against banning gender-affirming procedures involving minors, saying: "We believe this legislation represents a dangerous governmental intrusion into the practice of medicine and will be detrimental to the health of transgender children across the country."

Boston Children's Hospital has faced similar criticism of its gender-affirming program. The result has been protests and threats of violence against the hospital and its staff. Federal authorities last week arrested a woman who allegedly called in a bomb threat against the institution, according to USA TODAY .

Tennessean reporter Adam Friedman contributed to this report.

Frank Gluck is the health care reporter for The Tennessean. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at  @FrankGluck .

Want to read more stories like this?  A subscription  to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest political news, plus newsletters, a personalized mobile experience, and the ability to tap into stories, photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network's daily sites.

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Vanderbilt University clinic responds to claims of unethical transgender surgery on minors

Tennessee gov. bill lee and sen. marsha blackburn are seeking an investigation into the clinic.

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Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) rejected claims that it performs unethical transgender surgeries on minors Wednesday, saying it requires parental consent for anyone under the age of 18.

The statement comes in relation to calls from Tennessee lawmakers to investigate the clinic following a report from conservative activist Matt Walsh. The VUMC denied any wrongdoing in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying it conducts all of its care "in compliance with state law and in line with professional practice standards."

"VUMC requires parental consent to treat a minor patient who is to be seen for issues related to transgender care and never refuses parental involvement in the care of transgender youth who are under age 18," the statement read. "Our policies allow employees to decline to participate in care they find morally objectionable and do not permit discrimination against employees who choose to do so. This includes employees whose personal or religious beliefs do not support gender-affirming care for transgender persons."

Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and others called for an investigation after a Tuesday report from Walsh claimed that VUMC "drugs, chemically castrates and performs double mastectomies on minors."

PEDIATRICIAN GROUP SLAMS ITS OWN MEMBERS OVER TRANSGENDER TEEN PUBERTY BLOCKER CRITICISM: ‘DISINFORMATION’

Nashville, Tennessee - October 9, 2017: Sign at the entrance to Vanderbilt University (iStock)

Walsh's report references a series of videos from Vanderbilt staff indicating the university "has given irreversible hormone drugs to children as young as 13."

In one such video, Assistant Professor Dr. Shayne Taylor can be heard in a 2018 video apparently discussing "top surgery." It is not clear at the time of this report if Taylor was referring to surgery on minors in the referenced 2018 video.

"Some of our VUMC financial folks in October of 2016 put down some costs of how much money we think each patient would bring in. And this is only including top surgery, this isn't including any bottom surgery, and it's a lot of money," Taylor said in the video.

"Top surgery" in this context for a female would be a double mastectomy.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, shown here in January delivering his delivering his State of the State address in Nashville, called the Hope Clinic attack an act of "terrorism."  (AP/Mark Zaleski)

Dr. Taylor's employee page on the VUMC website is no longer available, and the organization did not immediately respond to questions about her employment status.

The page for the transgender pediatric clinic was also unavailable on the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital website, despite being live as recently as August 31. Vanderbilt Health's "Gender-Affirming Surgery" page was unavailable as of Wednesday, but was live as recently as July 2.

Vanderbilt University denied involvement in the VUMC in a statement to Fox.

"Vanderbilt University Medical Center is a fully independent nonprofit and has been a separate legal entity from Vanderbilt University since 2016. As such, Vanderbilt University has no role in medical decisions and patient care," university spokesman John O'Brien told Fox.

Lee released a statement calling for an investigation soon after the report's release.

"The ‘pediatric transgender clinic’ at Vanderbilt University Medical Center [VUMC] raises serious moral, ethical and legal concerns," Lee said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children or policies that suppress religious liberties, all for the purpose of financial gain. We have to protect Tennessee children, and this warrants a thorough investigation."

"Agreed, we are with you," Blackburn wrote in a tweet referencing Lee's comments.

PARENT GROUPS REACT TO BIDEN ADMIN'S UPCOMING TITLE IX CHANGES: ‘BLURRING AND IN EFFECT ERASING WOMEN’

UNITED STATES - MARCH 21: Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., listens to senators opening statements during the confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Bidens nominee for Associate Justice to the Supreme Court, on Monday, March 21, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Lee spokeswoman Casey Sellers told Fox that the governor's office has "shared concerns with the Attorney General."

Tennessee state Rep. William Lamberth joined Lee and Blackburn in condemning the University on Wednesday, saying he hopes to go beyond just an investigation.

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"I'm deeply troubled by what Matt Walsh uncovered about the Pediatric Transgender Clinic at VUMC," Lamberth said. "Gov. Bill Lee is right to call for an investigation, and we will support that investigation 100%. This type of child mutilation should be illegal and soon will be in TN."

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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No, Biden Didn't Say Kids Should Be Allowed to Get 'Transgender Surgery'

"if you can make sense out of this please let me know," the may 2024 viral post read., anna rascouët-paz, published may 23, 2024.

About this rating

U.S. President Joe Biden did not express support for gender-affirming surgery for children. He expressed support for ending discrimination against trans children.

In May 2024, social media posts claimed U.S. President Joe Biden spoke out in favor of sex-change surgery for young children. This example was posted on X on May 21:

The post had gained about 1 million views, 5,300 likes and had been reshared 3,400 times, as of this writing. Other X users replied to it expressing disgust and outrage. "How did satan get to be president," asked one. "Sick s.o.b.," another said. 

The post included a 47-second video clip in which Biden says the following:

The idea that an eight year old child and a 10 year old child decides, you know, "I decided I want to be transgender. That's what I think I'd like to do make make my life a lot easier." There should be zero discrimination. And what's happening is too many transgender women of colour are being murdered. They're being murdered. I mean, I think it's up to now 17, don't hold me to that number but it's... it's higher now? And that's just this year. And so I promise you, there is no reason to suggest that there should be any right denied your daughter — or daughters, whichever, one or two... One — your daughter... that your other daughter has a right to be in do. None. Zero.

Several claims have circulated since 2020 based on this video. That year, social media posts using the same clip spread the rumor that Biden supported the right of children to transition, which Reuters  swiftly debunked .

What Biden Actually Said

We found this clip was taken from a town hall Biden held in 2020, during his first presidential campaign, for the television network ABC. Here's the full clip, which includes a question regarding several civil rights rollbacks  enacted against trans people during the administration of then-President Donald Trump, which Biden then addressed:

Here is the transcript of Biden's reply:

Flat out just change the law. Every... Eliminate those executive orders, number one. You may recall, I'm the guy who said I was raised by a man who... I remember I was being dropped off. My dad was a high-school educated, well-read man who was a really decent guy. And I was being dropped off to get an application in the center of our city, Wilmington, Delaware — the corporate capital of the world at the time. And these two men... I'm getting out to get a an application to be a lifeguard in the African-American community because there was a big swimming pool complex. And, uh... and these two men — well-dressed — leaned up and hugged one another and kissed one another. I'm getting out of the car at the light and I turned to my dad. My dad looked at me said "Joey, it's simple. They love each other." The idea that an eight year old child and a 10 year old child decides, you know, "I decided I want to be transgender. That's what I think I'd like to do make make my life a lot easier." There should be zero discrimination. And what's happening is too many transgender women of color are being murdered. They're being murdered. I mean, I think it's up to now 17, don't hold me to that number but it's... it's higher now? And that's just this year. And so I promise you, there is no reason to suggest that there should be any right denied your daughter — or daughters, whichever, one or two... One — your daughter... that your other daughter has a right to be in do. None. Zero. And by the way, my son Beau who passed away, was the attorney general in the state of Delaware. He was the guy who got the first transgender law passed in the state of Delaware and because of a young man who became a woman who worked for him in the Attorney General's Office.

At no point in his answer did Biden advocate or even mention "transgender surgery" — gender-affirming surgery — for children or anyone. For this reason, we have rated the claim as "False." 

What Experts Recommend

The claim is an extrapolation on what Biden called for, which was an end to discrimination against children and adults who do not conform to gender expectations associated with their biological sex. One of the pillars in the fight against discrimination is to allow trans people to access evidence-based care.

Surgical treatment of " gender incongruence " — in the words of the World Health Organization (WHO) — is the object of guidelines established and revised by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). WPATH is an international, multidisciplinary group of around  3,000 specialists  in medicine, psychology, social sciences, religion, law, ethics and other disciplines, dedicated to trans health and to promoting evidence-based standard of care for trans people of all ages. The group is widely recognized as the most authoritative organization on the matter; it sets the bar for professional and ethical trans health care worldwide.

Taking into account the fact that puberty blockers can lower bone density if taken too long, the WPATH's eighth version of the standards of care  advise that children take them for as short a time as possible. As a result, WPATH recommended in 2022 that children start sex hormones (estrogen or testosterone) around age 14 (the recommendation was 16 prior to 2022). The effects of puberty blockers are reversible, while those of sex hormones are partially reversible.

WPATH also cautioned against launching too quickly into irreversible treatment. "Gender-affirming treatments that are irreversible should be avoided until clarity about long-term goals and outcomes is achieved," the experts wrote in the standards of care document (p. 43).

For trans boys, WPATH does not recommend so-called "top surgery" (the removal of breasts to masculinize the chest) before the age of 15. In addition, WPATH does not recommend "phalloplasties" (multi-stage surgical creation of a penis) for minors, due to how complex and prone to complications they are.

For trans girls, WPATH says that in some cases, someone as young as 15 may be able to obtain a vaginoplasty (the surgery that constructs a vagina). The person should have the maturity to understand the importance of post-operative care, and they should be well-supported. Failing certain conditions, the recommended age is 17.

In reality, gender transition for anyone requires several stages, and it is especially long for children. Evidence-based care did not, as of 2024, recommend irreversible gender-affirming surgery as early as 8 or 10 years old. An ethical approach as outlined by WPATH includes both medical and psychological support and the need to ascertain a person's maturity every step of the way.

In 2023, the Biden administration's Health and Human Services agency published an " Evidence-Based Roadmap for Supporting and Affirming LGBTQI+ Youth ," which underscored all these principles.

Coleman, E., et al. 'Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8'. International Journal of Transgender Health , vol. 23, no. sup1, Aug. 2022, pp. S1–259. DOI.org (Crossref) , https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644.

ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics . https://icd.who.int/browse/2024-01/mms/en#90875286. Accessed 23 May 2024.

'Trump Administration Civil and Human Rights Rollbacks'. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , https://civilrights.org/trump-rollbacks/. Accessed 23 May 2024.

WPATH World Professional Association for Transgender Health . https://www.wpath.org/member/search/results?showAll=1. Accessed 23 May 2024.

By Anna Rascouët-Paz

Anna Rascouët-Paz is based in Brooklyn, fluent in numerous languages and specializes in science and economic topics.

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Study Finds Gender-Transition Surgeries Drastically Increase Suicide Risk

S.A. McCarthy / @pipesmoknpapist / May 21, 2024

A new study shows gender-transition surgeries increase the risk of patient suicide, a finding consistent with previous research. Pictured: Adm. Rachel L. Levine, center, assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is flanked onstage Oct. 21 by Jesse Ehrenfeld, president of the American Medical Association, and Charlotte Clymer, a transgender activist and military veteran, during PFLAG's national convention in Washington. (Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

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While some in the U.S. health community continue to claim that gender-transition procedures save lives, a new study shows that these surgeries increase the risk of suicide.

A study  published  last month entitled “Risk of Suicide and Self-Harm Following Gender-Affirmation Surgery” evaluated patient data from nearly 60 U.S. health care organizations, comprising millions of patients.

Over 1,500 patients, called “Cohort A,” were described as “adults aged 18-60 who had gender-affirming surgery and an emergency visit”; nearly 16 million patients, called “Cohort B,” who were a “control group of adults with emergency visits but no gender-affirming surgery.”

Almost 150,000 patients, “Cohort C,” were described as “adults with emergency visits, tubal ligation or vasectomy, but no gender-affirming surgery.” A fourth group, “Cohort D,” was examined to “validate the results from Cohort C.”

Data analyzed covered 20 years, from Feb. 4, 2003, to Feb. 4, 2023. The study concluded: “Individuals who underwent gender-affirming surgery had a 12.12-fold higher suicide attempt risk than those who did not.”

Those who had undergone gender-transition surgeries were nearly five times more likely to attempt suicide than those who had undergone tubal ligations or vasectomies, the study found. It warned: “Gender-affirming surgery is significantly associated with elevated suicide attempt risks, underlining the necessity for comprehensive post-procedure psychiatric support.”

The findings are in line with the conclusions of numerous other studies. For example, research published in the journal BMJ Mental Health earlier this year  found  that gender-transition procedures such as hormone drugs and surgeries have “not been shown to reduce even suicidal ideation, and suicidal ideation is not equal to actual suicide risk.”

And in Sweden, an extensive 30-year-long study  concluded  that suicide rates increase after gender-transition surgeries, rising to at least 20 times the suicide rate of the general population.

A report from the U.K. last year  found  that over a third of children who were prescribed puberty blockers and hormone drugs suffered worsened mental health. And a study from Finland  discovered  that those who identify as transgender typically manifest “many more common psychiatric needs” than the general population, but that gender-transition procedures don’t alleviate or cure those mental health issues.

Countless other studies have shown that gender-transition procedures are harmful, especially to children. A study published in March  suggested  that puberty blockers have numerous harmful effects on children, including an increased risk of cancer in boys.

As it turns out, transgenderism activists have been aware of the “debilitating” effects of gender-transition procedures for years. Leaked internal files from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, or WPATH,  demonstrated  that members of the organization were acutely aware of the “debilitating” and “potentially fatal” effects of gender-transition procedures, which they also implied they didn’t “fully understand.”

This was further confirmed earlier this year with publication of a series of video presentations from WPATH’s 2022 Global Education Institute .

In those videos, WPATH “experts”  discussed how they know little about the long-term effects of hormone drugs, other than the permanent damage done to fertility.

The organization’s experts also discussed how puberty blockers are irreversible and may have devastating impacts on both future fertility and current brain development; how gender-transition procedures don’t alleviate mental health issues and may make them worse; and the dangers associated with surgical interventions, including high complication rates, severe damage to healthy tissue, and potential side effects such as healing delays or necrosis.

Lately, experts outside the U.S. have sounded the alarm over the potential and largely unstudied dangers of gender-transition procedures, especially for children.

Both  England  and  Scotland  have halted the prescription of puberty blockers and hormone drugs to minors, with England’s National Health Service warning that “there is not enough evidence of safety and clinical effectiveness” to support their use.

Some leading clinical psychologists publicly apologized  for their profession’s role in promoting “gender-affirming care” and called for a thorough review and possible reform of the psychological and psychiatric profession’s standards. And the NHS  revised  its official constitution to declare sex a “biological” reality, instead of giving preference to “gender identity.”

The U.K. is 1 of 5 European countries that have put the brakes on gender-transition procedures for minors. France, Sweden, Finland, and Norway all also  warned  that there is insufficient evidence to support puberty blockers, hormone drugs, and surgeries for children; the U.S. has become an “outlier” by continuing to endorse the practice.

Last year, Assistant Health and Human Services Secretary Rachel Levine, a man who identifies as a woman,  declared : “We often say that gender-affirming care is health care, gender-affirming care is mental health care, and gender-affirming care is literally suicide prevention care.”

However, when pressed to provide evidence supporting the claim, Levine could produce  only a single, two-page PDF document citing one study conducted by an LGBTQ activist group.

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Authorities pounced on a group allegedly responsible for kidnapping at least 14 men to get money for its members' sex reassignment surgery. 

The group is composed of transwomen and their partners. Its leader, identified as a certain "Mikey," 24, and her 23-year-old male partner, were arrested in Zamboanga City. 

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said the "Warla" criminal group has kidnapped foreign nationals from Asia, POGO employees, and business owners to get ransom money that its members can use for sex reassignment surgery in Thailand. 

They would allegedly hurt their victims so they can demand for money. After they get the money, they would leave their victims anywhere in Metro Manila.

Mikey and her partner will be brought back to Parañaque City from Zamboanga City to face charges for kidnap for ransom with serious illegal detention, which is a non-bailable offense.

“Base sa report, sinasaktan nila para i-force ang biktima na magbigay ng pera. After nila makuha ang pera, ibababa na lang nila kung saang lugar sa Metro Manila. Ibabalik namin sya kung saan nya ginawa ang krimen—sa Metro Manila, nakikipag-coordinate kami sa issuing court,” CIDG Regional Field Unit-9 Officer-in-Charge, Lt. Col. Romulo Dimaya Jr., said.

The group reportedly has 13 members, all transwomen and their partners. Five of them remain at large.

CIDG said the group started its operation in 2018. By 2022, at least 14 men fell victim and the group was able to accumulate P4.2 million.

Mikey refused to comment. 

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South Carolina Gov. McMaster signs bill outlawing transgender care for trans youth

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill banning certain medical care for transgender youth on Tuesday.

House Bill 4624, called the “Help not Harm” bill by legislators, prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from receiving gender reassignment surgery or any form of puberty-blocking or hormone therapy. The bill became effective immediately.

The bill also makes it a felony to perform gender reassignment surgery on those under the age of 18.

McMaster said a ceremonial bill signing with legislators would take place in the Upstate next week.

Under the new bill, minors can still be prescribed puberty blockers or hormone therapy to treat certain conditions like precocious puberty or endometriosis.

The new law also bans the South Carolina Medicaid program from providing coverage for gender reassignment surgery or hormone therapy to adults and minors.

The bill passed on the last day of the legislative session after the House agreed to accept the Senate’s changes to the law. The Senate's major change was an amendment requiring public school principals and vice principals to report students to parents if their child informed officials that they were identifying as a different gender from their assigned sex or using different pronouns.

More: As SC legislature winds down, bill banning transgender youth medical care returns to House

Opponents of the amendment argued the measure would be a forced outing and worried it could put a child in an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situation if their parent or guardian were not accepting. Supporters of the amendment said parents have a right to know if their children are identifying as transgender or requesting to change their pronouns.

Dr. Elizabeth Mack, president of the South Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics testified against the bill during a Senate medical affairs subcommittee in February, noting there are “less than 2,000 trans kids in the state.”

Still, supporters of the bill pushed for it, saying its intention was to protect children, while others say it does the opposite.

“We stand in grief and solidarity with LGBTQ South Carolinians, who are increasingly under attack by our own government,” Executive Director of ACLU South Carolina Jace Woodrum said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We can put to rest the notion that the government cares about limited government and personal freedom. With a stroke of a pen, he (McMaster) has chosen to insert the will of politicians into healthcare decisions, trample on the liberties of trans South Carolinians, and deny the rights of the parents of trans minors.”

South Carolina joins 25 states to outlaw transgender care for minors. It was also one of the only states that did not have a ban on transgender care in the South, with Virginia now being the lone Southern state with access.

Savannah Moss covers politics for the Greenville News. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X @Savmoss.

Federal judge upholds California law that lets males in female prisons

By Zachary Stieber  

Contributing Writer  

A U.S. judge has thrown out a legal challenge to a California law that enables males, even if they haven’t undergone gender reassignment surgery, to be housed with females in prisons. 

Senate Bill 132, which took effect in 2021, lets males who self-identify as women, non-binary, or gender fluid serve their sentences in women’s correctional facilities. Some women sued state officials, arguing the law violates their constitutional rights, including their right to free exercise of religion, and subjects them to cruel and unusual punishment. 

In the May 14 ruling, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston dismissed the suit. 

Arguments based on California’s Constitution need to be dismissed under court precedent, Thurston, an appointee of President Joe Biden, wrote. As to the federal claims, despite neither party raising the 11th Amendment, the court decided the amendment’s immunity means the rest of the claims must be tossed. 

“As a state agency, it is a long-established principle that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is immune from suit in federal court under the 11th Amendment,” Thurston said, citing a 2009 decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and other rulings. “While not fully briefed by CDCR the court cannot conclude that CDCR has unequivocally waived immunity and consented to federal jurisdiction. Though CDCR has appeared and defended this action through the filing of a motion to dismiss, these actions do not constitute unequivocally expressing a waiver of immunity or consent to suit.” 

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not respond to a request for comment. 

Before the law was enacted, some males could serve their sentences in women’s prisons, but only if they were designated by medical personnel as displaying symptoms of gender dysphoria. Supporters said the law was needed to protect men who identify as women. 

The judge also addressed other arguments, including the plaintiffs’ argument that the state’s position on people being able to change their sex and being based in part on thoughts and feelings constituted “a government-sanctioned religious doctrine that is not based in material reality.” 

“As a matter of law, the court cannot plausibly determine that transgenderism is a religion,” the judge said. 

She barred plaintiffs from filing an updated complaint against CDCR, but said they may within 21 days file an amended action against state officials who were also named as defendants. 

Women’s Liberation Front, which brought the suit, highlighted how recently prosecutors in Madera County charged Tremaine Carroll, a male being housed with women, with two counts of forcible rape and dissuading a witness from testifying. Carroll had told federal court in a sworn declaration in the case that he could “sympathize with the plaintiffs” and was “not a threat to them.” 

California’s Office of the Inspector General has previously acknowledged that some pregnancies could occur in California prisons since men are being housed with women. It said that state officials confirmed “numerous allegations of consensual sexual misconduct” between recently transferred male and female inmates. And, according to Women’s Liberation Front, officials began handing out condoms shortly after the law was enacted. 

The suit was brought on behalf of inmates Janine Chandler, Tomiekia Johnson, Krystal Gonzalez, and Nadia Romero. 

“We have already seen the devastating result of these policies in the two years it took to get a response from the court: rape, pregnancy, and repeated violation of women’s constitutional rights. This is not the end of our fight,” the group said in a statement. “We will continue pursuing every avenue of justice for Janine, Tomiekia, Krystal, Nadia, and all incarcerated women in California.” 

Lambda Legal, among the intervenors in the case, cheered the ruling. 

“We are relieved that the court saw through this legally flawed challenge, and rejected its distorted arguments,” Nora Huppert, an attorney with the organization, said in a statement. “In dismissing this challenge, the court recognized that California has an obligation to protect the safety of incarcerated transgender people.” 

The post Federal judge upholds California law that lets males in female prisons  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal .

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on Tuesday signed into law a gender-affirming healthcare ban for transgender minors.

House Bill (HB) 4624, known as the Help Not Harm bill, prohibits physicians, mental health providers and other healthcare professionals from “knowingly” providing gender-transition procedures to individuals under eighteen years of age. HB 4624 defines “gender transition procedures” as puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones or gender reassignment surgery “provided or performed for the purpose of assisting an individual with a physical gender transition.”

Healthcare professionals can continue to temporarily provide hormone treatments and puberty blockers to minors who are prescribed such treatment before August 1, 2024. The professional must determine and document that immediate termination of the treatment “would cause harm” to that individual, and the period for continued treatment must end by January 31, 2025.

The law further requires schools to notify the parents or guardians of minor students if the child has told a school employee that their gender is “inconsistent with” their sex or asks a school employee to address them by “a pronoun or title that does not align with the minor’s sex.”

House Representative Sylleste Davis stated in January that HB 4624 protects children by “ensuring they are not exposed to irreversible medical procedures at an age when they are most vulnerable.” McMaster offered a similar sentiment in January, stating the bill was “a good idea to keep our young people healthy and safe.”

Critics of HB 4624, however, emphasize the harm that the law will impose on transgender youth. Director of Communications for the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network Kelli Parker stated , “Rather than prioritizing the real issues facing South Carolinians, our lawmakers shamefully chose to promote hate, fear, and discrimination under the guise of ‘protecting kids.'” Parker added, “Laws that block essential healthcare violate human rights and are a major setback for equality.”

The ACLU of South Carolina announced its opposition to the bill earlier this year, stating that gender-affirming care “is a best practice backed by scientific evidence and endorsed by leading medical organizations.” The organization also noted that such care is “life-saving” and “is the only effective treatment for trans youth to prevent self-harm and suicidal ideation.”

Critics have further emphasized that doctors and patients testified before the legislative committees that gender-transition surgeries are currently unavailable to minors in South Carolina and that patients can only begin hormone treatments after “extensive consultation with health professionals” and the consent of parents or legal guardians.

South Carolina is now the 25th state to restrict or ban gender-affirming treatment for minors. Similar legislation has been introduced in states such as West Virginia , Ohio , and Louisiana in the past few years, representing a spike in legislation that targets the LGBTQ+ community. Last month, the US Supreme Court allowed a gender-affirming care ban for minors in Idaho to go into effect, while the governor of Kansas vetoed a state ban on such care.

The ACLU is currently tracking 515 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the US. Other types of bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth include policies that restrict personal pronoun usage in schools, prohibit transgender athletes from participating on sports teams that do not correspond with their sex assigned at birth, and limit transgender students’ access to bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

Captain Kidd hanged for piracy

On May 23, 1701, Captain William Kidd, convicted of piracy and murder, was hanged in London. His body was later tarred and hung up in a gibbet - an iron cage - at the mouth of the River Thames as a warning to others. Learn more about Captain Kidd.

South Carolina becomes eighth U.S. state

On May 23, 1788, South Carolina ratified the US Constitution , becoming the eighth American state. Learn more about the history of South Carolina.