Capitol rally unites supporters of transgender youth against Legislature
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- People wave transgender flags while attending a rally in support of transgender youth at the Utah State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.
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- People attend a rally in support of transgender youth at the Utah State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.
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- Oskar speaks during a rally in support of transgender youth at the Utah State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.
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- People attend a rally in support of transgender youth at the Utah State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.
To Heather Kester, the decision to protest Utah’s elected officials was a simple one. Kester, president of PFLAG Utah and an Eagle Mountain resident, was joined by dozens on the steps of the Utah State Capitol on Thursday to voice their disapproval of the Utah Legislature’s actions regarding transgender people.
“We have trans youth here that have now been cut off from medical care and we wanted to make sure that they knew they were still respected and loved,” Kester said. “We didn’t want to show anger, we wanted to show those kids that they’re important.”
On Jan. 28, Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law Senate Bill 16, a bill banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Originally sponsored by state Sen. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, the bill passed both chambers of the Legislature with veto-proof majorities.
With Cox signing the bill, Utah became the first state in the country to ban transgender health care options in 2023. Being the first state to pass such a ban, Kester says, reflects poorly on the Beehive State.
“It makes us look worse and it has shown a precedent across the country with other bills coming up, like, ‘Oh, Utah did it so we can do it too.’ So it makes the fight a little harder for us,” she said.
Similar bills are currently being considered in the state legislatures of Oklahoma, Nebraska and South Dakota while judges have temporarily blocked bans in Alabama and Arkansas.
The protest itself was straightforward and quiet. A portion of the attendees stood on the Capitol steps, waving transgender flags and giving short speeches as supporters stood below, listening to every word while adding applause and the occasional words of encouragement.
“My heart breaks for the trans youth that are being deeply affected by the new bill and I couldn’t imagine the pain and anger they are all feeling,” said Jack, a transgender teenager. “I will still fight for those who need to be fought for. I encourage everyone to do the same whether you’re trans or not.”
Each speaker told their personal stories of realizing their gender and by building community with other LGBTQ people.
When Oskar, another of Thursday’s speakers, told their father they were transgender he reacted negatively.
“My dad told me my transgender friends are not my true friends, that they at my school were responsible for turning me transgender — even though I felt the most support I’ve ever felt in my entire life through my school faculty and my closest friends,” Oskar said.
Standing near the front of the crowd with a transgender flag was Murray’s Jon Lewis. A father of two transgender children, Lewis made a point to stand in support with an issue that’s close to home.
“They’re pointing this toward the youth because it’s in the name of protecting against, what, medical malpractice or something? It’s a little confusing ’cause in the past we’ve trusted the doctors and the therapists and the parents to collectively make these decisions and it’s not an easy thing,” Lewis said. “It’s something that they think really deeply and long about, so I think the problem is they’re just not trusting that. They just make a lot of assumptions and it doesn’t feel like there’s any research or data behind it. It just feels like an emotional decision on the part of the legislators.”
Protests like the one held Thursday were commonplace in 2022 as lawmakers promoted bills banning transgender children from participating in girls’ sports and prohibiting minors from receiving gender-affirming medical procedures.
In the end, lawmakers passed the sports ban, which was then vetoed by Cox. Legislators overrode Cox’s veto and the bill became law before a judge halted its implementation in August.
Kester said she expects S.B. 16 to also make its way through the court system, adding that PFLAG plans on fighting the bill alongside the ACLU of Utah, calling it “unconstitutional” because it is “targeting” transgender children.
“I had shown up to all the committee hearings and was hoping that by hearing the voices of parents that it mattered. It didn’t, so I’m going to continue to show up and hopefully the experiences of the kids and the parents (are) what’s going to change their mind next time,” Kester said.
