State Superintendent Molly Spearman Urges SC Subcommittee to Reject H3477

Written By Adam Polaski

Today, during the South Carolina Special Laws subcommittee hearing on H3477, a bill that would prohibit transgender youth in middle and high school from participating in student athletics, powerful testimony was heard from supporters of transgender equality from all walks of life. Parents, medical providers, advocates, and transgender students directly impacted spoke virtually against the bill. Dozens of opponents of H3477 also submitted written testimony. 

The opposition to H3477 was bipartisan: At the end of the hearing, South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, a Republican, called the subcommittee to express strong opposition to the bill. She said:

“My responsibility as State Superintendent is to make sure that every child – every child – feels protected when they are in school and when they are on the athletic field. And I believe that this bill does damage to that. The High School League has handled this situation. It’s a very sensitive, personal situation that needs to be handled individually. And this is not something that we need to legislate from Columbia. I ask you to please not pass this legislation.

Watch and listen to Superintendent Spearman opposing H3477 in this video:

Adam Polaski
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Dozens of South Carolinians Testify in Support of Transgender Youth and Urge Subcommittee to Reject Discriminatory Bill