SC governor signs bill to protect children, define sex
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp, director of the ADF Center for Public Policy, regarding South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s signing Tuesday of H. 4624, a law that protects children from the administration of life-altering sex-related surgeries, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones and affirms the biological reality of sex as male and female:
“There are only two sexes—male and female—and denying this basic truth hurts vulnerable children. Now and always, our kids deserve the loving embrace of family members who guide them toward this truth, along with access to safe and effective counseling. Most minors wrestling with gender dysphoria who receive this grow into comfort with their bodies by adulthood. Children shouldn’t be subjected to harmful, often irreversible drugs and surgeries that block healthy puberty, alter hormonal balances, and remove healthy organs and body parts. This radical agenda has devastated countless lives, which is why several countries—including Sweden, England, and Finland—have changed course, and now a growing number of states have enacted similar protections. We applaud Gov. McMaster and the South Carolina Legislature for joining this growing movement of 24 other states by enacting this critical bill, fulfilling their right—and duty—to protect children.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Matt Sharp
Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF's team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life. Since joining ADF in 2010, Sharp has authored federal and state legislation, regularly provides testimony and legal analysis on how proposed legislation will impact constitutional freedoms, and advises governors, legislators, and state and national policy organizations on the importance of laws and policies that protect First Amendment rights. He has twice testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of protecting free speech and religious liberty in federal law. Sharp also authored an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of nearly 9,000 students, parents, and community members asking the court to uphold students’ right to privacy against government intrusion. Sharp earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.