'Time and again, our lawmakers’ actions reveal they support lobbyists and outdated beliefs, not the people of Utah,' writes Tamara Davies.
This is especially true following the recent vote in a special legislative session to override Gov. Spencer Cox’s veto of HB11, a bill that aimed to ban transgender girls from high school athletics. While I wasn’t surprised by the prejudiced behavior and language from that session, I was disgusted.
I believe this legislation lacks fundamental understanding of gender identity and respect for marginalized groups in Utah. To be clear, the Utah Legislature does not care about the LGBTQIA+ community. It also does not care about women.• Do things to support and advocate for women outside of girls’ high school athletics. For instance, they could do something to narrow the gender pay gap in Utah. The way women are paid in this state needs to be rectified.
• Offer an alternate solution to promote inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community. To be fair, I am not an expert on gender identity and sexuality. I do not have all the answers. But, I do know what it means to respect, love and accept others for who they are. This ban flies in the face of tolerance, respect and love.
Finally, I believe it is time for the Legislature to update its vocabulary. Trans girls are girls. Period. Full stop. Banning them from high school sports won’t make them go away. The Legislature should treat all people, especially trans youth, with dignity, empathy and respect. They can do better. While I am the mother of a young child who may seem to be unaffected by this issue, I am disgusted by the intolerance and discrimination that is unapologetically and openly displayed in our communities. It must stop. We can all do better. As leaders of one of the bodies of state government, the Utah Legislature can set a better example.
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