Thread by @IAmNickReynolds

Packed committee room for today's hearing on South Carolina's "Save Women's Sports" bill.

We have a hard 10 a.m. stop time, and a full list of speakers.

The bill -- as seen in other states -- would require student athletes at public schools to declare their biological gender at-birth for intramural or interscholastic sports.

Females would be permitted to play male sports if those sports are not available to females.

Matthew Sharp, an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom, naming numerous incidents in which individuals who were born male broke NCAA records.

Argues males would displace females due to inherent physiological differences. Argues NCAA has failed to act.

"It's time to enact a clear, fair and scientifically based policy to guide schools throughout the state."

The conservative Christian organization has had a presence on similar debates in Michigan and Virginia.

McGee Moody, a former USC and US National Swim Coach, arguing the inherent physical advantage male athletes have over females.

"In a year where Title IX turns 50, we cannot allow this to happen," he said.

Asked by Rep. Michael Rivers if he was saying whether the best female swimmer could not beat the best male swimmer, Moody is blunt. "Yes."

Citing specific examples of female swimming records v. male records. In the 1500 freestyle, he said, the difference is more than one minute.

Lauren Everett, wearing a pride shirt beneath a blue blazer, says sports is more about winning. It's about learning leadership skills, and growing as a person.

"I didn't play for the competition. I played to have fun with my friends," she said.

Says playing on a team sport is like being a part of a family, and helping people learn to embrace their strengths and weaknesses.

"I am disappointed we're taking that opportunity away from other children," she added.

"At its core, sports are to bring people together."

Dylan Gunnels, of Columbia's Agape Table, says that many queer individuals across the country have been disregarded and turned into a political topic.

Said he wants to affirm people's humanity in this debate. Asks if they'd sat across from transgender individuals themselves.

Said that previous examples of the government getting involved in this issue led to increased violence against the LGBTQ community.

"Much like the bathroom bill in the past, you're trying to create a problem that doesn't exist. And you're going to create even more problems."

"I don't want to sit across the table from another 30-year-old who says they feel seen and heard for the first time in their life," he said. "Legislation like this leads to stories like that."

Rep. Lin Bennett says that she has gay and lesbian friends who would disagree with what he said.

Said that she finds the word "queer" offensive. "When did it become okay to be offensive when it fits you're agenda?" she asks.

Gunnels pushes back, calls it gaslighting.

"You're not in the community to determine what is and isn't offensive," Gunnels responds.

Pastor Tim Bupp, of Cola's Reformation Lutheran Church, says transgender individuals are misunderstood, and shared incidents where he'd counseled them. Including one, who had been beaten by a police officer.

Said this conversation has prevailed since Renee Richards in the 70s.

Says this bill will take the humanity out of the conversation.

"My fear is a bill like this just puts another target on the back of people that are struggling as it is," he said. "The reward it's going to be is not worth the damage it's going to cause."

Rep. Gil Gatch, who went to seminary before law school, asks if there's a way he could show a "humane response" without abdicating from the truth.

Bupp said he believes our common ground today is finding a way to care for society's most vulnerable.

Gatch asks again. "Is there a way for someone to come into your church you oppose [...] is there no way in your mind you can agree with them on this stance?"

[1/2]

"Is there a way to continue to show that person love, respect and humanity without abdicating this belief you hold as bedrock and still have common ground with each other?"

"I think it's love," replies Bupp.

[2/2]

Rev. Dr. Pippin Whitaker, executive director of the South Carolina Unitarian Universalist Justice Alliance, says this is a debate about two marginalized groups: women, and the LGBTQ community.

"We don't have to pit one against the other," she said.

"Let's talk about what's really at stake in this bill," she said. "We do not need to use one hurting group of kids against another."

Says when transgender kids get the support they need during their physical change, they won't have as disparate an advantage as some described.

"I am counting on you not to allow transgender kids to become a political tool or a scapegoat," she said.

Says the school districts themselves are already enacting "reasonable policies" to protect women's sports and kids. Urged them not to adopt a blanket law.

Alyssa Fuller, a membership manager for American Atheists, also opposing the bill.

Rep. Gatch: "You said you're an atheist, right?" he asks. "Are you a materialist?"

"Sure," she says.

Will also note, a few conservative lawmakers have slipped in to watch, including Oremus, Magnuson, May and Wooten.

Debbie Greenhouse, a Columbia pediatrician, says that more than 40% of transgender youth consider suicide, and that supportive adults reduce that risk.

Says some of her patients felt they didn't belong to their birth gender even before they had the language to describe it.

Regales numerous times where she'd sat and listened to patients cry as they told their stories.

Said their communities marginalize them and make them feel like outsiders already. This is just one other thing.

Also notes she had one patient who was intersex, which means she had features that were both male and female.

They were assigned male at birth, and said this bill would relegate her to playing male sports even though she identifies and lives as a female.

Said this bill will have real implications on that community.

"They don't want special treatment. They don't want to be marginalized or discriminated against. They just want to be treated like everyone else."

Gatch asks how she defines gender.

Gender, she said, is how they identify. A patient's sex, she says, is based on physical attributes.

Gatch asks if there are more than two genders. Greenhouse says it's complicated. "I don't honestly know," she said. It puts people in boxes.

Gatch is asking more questions regarding transitions, including puberty blockers. Greenhouse now walking through their use, how they're administered, how long they're doing it.

Says she doesn't know anyone in the state using hormone blockers on anyone under 16.

He's citing information from Abigail Shrier's book "Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters."

Note: LGBTQ organization GLAAD has claimed some of her points are inaccurate and in some cases, based on false premises. glaad.org/gap/abigail-sh…

Greenhouse says that there are some who would not disagree with regulations on college athletes. But in many cases, those people are transitioning in college.

Age matters, she says, and this impacts kids.

"A 6th grader is not the same thing as a college athlete."

We're adjourned.

Presser from LGBTQ advocates on the statehouse steps.

"Trans and queer people are strong. We're resilient. We're fierce."

"Let's lead with love."

Meanwhile, there's a competing presser in the statehouse lobby.

Not necessarily a partisan endeavor. Here's Rep. Cezar McKnight, a Democrat, explaining his support.

He's a father of daughters, and says he wants fair competition.