South Carolina governor signs transgender sports ban bill

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s governor has quietly signed into law a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls’ or women’s sports in public schools and colleges.

Gov. Henry McMaster’s signature means South Carolina joins about a dozen other states that have passed similar laws requiring transgender students to compete with the gender listed on their birth certificates.

McMaster didn’t issue a statement after signing the bill, but said earlier this month he thought “girls ought to play girls and the boys ought to play the boys. That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, condemned the governor for signing the bill into law.

“By passing this bill, Governor McMaster is blatantly ignoring his duty to stand up for all of his constituents, including transgender students,” the organization said.

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