Wynston Cornelius

Wynston Cornelius, Program Coordinator of Gender Benders and Southern Equality Fund Organizer at the Campaign for Southern Equality, based in Greenville, submitted this testimony opposing H3477 to the South Carolina House Special Laws Committee on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

Hi, my name is Wynston Sanders, I use he/him and they/them pronouns, and I’m a proud Black man of trans experience born and raised in South Carolina. I serve as the Program Coordinator of Gender Benders, a non-profit that serves trans people in our state and across the Southeast.

The work that I have done has allowed me the pleasure of meeting all kinds of wonderful trans people across this state and many others, but I’m most truly inspired by the young people I have encountered and their awareness of what is going on in the world – and more so, what is happening in their community. 

I identified as a tomboy and played sports throughout my middle school and high school career. Upon entering high school, I made the basketball team. During that time, we would do conditioning workouts with the boys team as well as practice with them. I always felt elated when we would condition and practice with them, not knowing that in the future, I would make the decision to medically transition. 

Being able to play sports in school taught me about teamwork. It taught me about self discipline. It taught me about leadership. It taught me about winning, and losing, and moving forward together as a team no matter what the outcome was. The ability to engage in sports is not only good for young people’s physical health, but mental health as well. I know school athletics benefited me significantly, and they would benefit any student, including trans students.

I cannot in good conscience see legislation like this that would remove that opportunity – which was so impactful for me – from these young people who I’ve come to know, love, and respect so much without doing everything I can to stop this shameful legislation. I’m here today to ask you to please vote no on H3477.