As the father of a transgender child, I am writing to encourage S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster to veto House bill 4624.

H.4624 will take away lifesaving health care from LGBTQ+ South Carolinians. The bill is discriminatory against transgender youth and families and will result in additional depression and anxiety and increased suicide rates for gender non-conforming children.

H.4624 adds another burden on teachers and administrators to “out” children who want to use a different name or pronouns at school with their friends. The bill will increase bullying and targeting of these youth in the public school system.

H.4624 removes the ability of state employees on the state health plan to continue gender-affirming care, no matter their age.

It also removes my child’s medical autonomy and my God-given right as a parent to make medical decisions for my child.

I recently read that the governor is personally against gender-affirming surgeries on children. As many medical professionals testified in the S.C. House and Senate committee hearings, there are no surgeries for gender-affirming care occurring on minors in this state. However, hundreds of vanity plastic surgeries occur on minors in this state, and this bill does not address that topic.

As I attended every hearing and testified against this bill at every opportunity provided, the legislators endorsing the bill continually used outdated studies and information to justify passing this hateful legislation.

I testified as to how gender-affirming care saved my child’s life and resulted in a happy, content teenager with great grades and hope for the future and a positive outlook on life. My child was hospitalized twice for suicidal ideations before receiving gender-affirming care, had poor grades and had a hard time making friends. Since beginning gender-affirming care, my teenager has grown in self-respect and self-confidence, has improved grades and now has a strong circle of friends. The suicidal ideations have not returned since beginning what we view as lifesaving gender-affirming care. 

Like many people who have not raised a child who is gender non-conforming, I struggled with understanding what my child was going through. I even grieved for the child who existed before gender-affirming care. But as I have matured, watched my child’s growth and been a very involved father, I now fully understand how important gender-affirming care has been to my child’s future.

Please do not take away my child’s future and my right as a parent to provide what is best for my child. 

David Bell is a Charleston resident and a retired Navy chief petty officer.