Sign the Open Letter of SC Faith Leaders Supporting Transgender Youth
Join the open letter from faith leaders who oppose anti-transgender legislation that would prohibit access to gender-affirming care for transgender young people. Add your name and share with other faith leaders in South Carolina.
As leaders of faith communities across South Carolina, we join together in opposition to legislation that would restrict healthcare access for transgender people – specifically S.627, S.274, S.243, H.3551, H.3730 and any bill like it.
While we represent a wide array of religious traditions and denominations, each of our faiths is rooted in an eternal principle that every person is a child of God – and as such, possesses an inherent dignity, worth, and value.
We welcome and embrace our transgender neighbors as an extension of our faith – not in spite of it. And we recognize our moral duty to advocate alongside a community that has long suffered from marginalization and mistreatment.
That’s why we are raising our voices together at this crucial moment, as South Carolina lawmakers consider legislation that would cause irreparable harm to transgender people across our state.
A slate of anti-transgender bills in South Carolina would take an unprecedented step of singling out a group of people to deny them medically necessary healthcare.
And at a time when transgender South Carolinians – particularly youth – are suffering from disproportionate rates of suicidal ideation, these bills would restrict the gender-affirming care that has been proven to reduce depression and anxiety among transgender people. We cannot turn a blind eye as the power of government is wielded to further oppress the marginalized, to make life harder for people who simply want to be treated with respect in the state we all call home.
Furthermore, while some may cite their faith as a reason to support these dangerous bills, we want to be very clear that they do not speak for all South Carolinians of faith.
67% of South Carolinians believe state lawmakers should be protecting – not discriminating against – LGBTQ people, and that majority includes many of the congregants who we worship alongside each week.
Our faith compels us to lead with love – and to extend that love to every soul who needs it.
We respectfully ask you to reject anti-transgender legislation and not inflict further harm on transgender people and their families.