As the mother of a transgender woman living in Utah, I am alarmed and distressed at the amount of false information and fear mongering surrounding this vulnerable population. Furthermore, in a nation of diverse peoples, fear-based legislation focused on a single population, such as transgender peoples or other marginalized groups, does harm to all.
The role of the Legislature is to create laws that benefit the represented population. The Legislature fails at this task when it endorses and enforces fear-based laws that demonstrate ignorance, and/or do not provide substantial fact-based evidence that said fear poses a threat to society.
Scientific studies have shown that gender and sex assigned at birth do not always correspond. Furthermore, this variation is normal and shows fluidity. Gender is based on complexities, both inherited and environmental. A 2024 article in National Geographic does an excellent job of explaining this for the general population.
Laws requiring people to conform to a false construct that is not backed by factual science are harmful and divisive — as is creating fear-based legislation built on such ignorance.
Consider the recent public facilities ban, HB257, and the current dorm room bill, HB269, which Gov. Spencer Cox recently signed. Both cases demonstrated zero factual evidence that a transgender person in said situation has caused harm to a cisgender individual in the state of Utah. In fact, an accredited study from UCLA Williams Institute, released in August of 2024 demonstrates that transgender people, when using a public facility that corresponds to their gender, do not pose a risk to the cisgender population. Conversely, this study shows that transgender individuals are at risk when forced to use public facilities that correspond with “sex assigned at birth.”
Laws such as HB257 and HB269 do not protect people. These laws do not protect women, and transgender women are women.
It is noteworthy to mention that following the ratification of bill HB257 in Utah, cisgender women have been traumatized, including a high school athlete who was incorrectly accused of being transgender.
Once again, these fear-based laws do not protect women or anyone.
Instead of proposing divisive laws based solely on fear, the Legislature should seek to bring communities together through backing laws that demonstrate a sound, fact-based education, and which endorse reason over reaction; thus, allaying rather than provoking the fears of the people. This in turn will encourage understanding towards cooperative, constructive solutions.
An example would be to focus a bill, like HB257, on the creation of additional single-use public facilities for the use of any individual who feels vulnerable, as opposed to creating and promoting the factually untrue fear that trans women are a problem in these spaces.
It is a normal reaction to feel uneasy around something that is not familiar. Because transgender people make up less than 1% of the total population, it makes sense that many people feel some confusion when confronted with issues surrounding these people. Unfortunately, this leaves the uniformed susceptible to maligning and misleading propaganda. It is imperative to research what it means to be transgender from scientifically vetted sources which are not polemicized.
Most important of all, I encourage the citizens of Utah to reach out to this community of beautiful human beings in a personal way. Familiarity and connection fosters understanding.
Unity can only occur when we protect and respect each other despite our differences, be they inherited or ideological.
When we choose to create laws that are based on facts over fears, we foster safety and guarantee the protection of all.
(Jennifer Smith) Jennifer Smith is an advocate for LGBTQIA+ community and a member of Mother Dragons.
Jennifer Smith has lived in Utah for more than 25 years. She is the mother of two beautiful daughters, one transgender and one cisgender. Jennifer is an advocate for LGBTQIA+ community, a member of Mother Dragons, a yoga facilitator — certified in both trauma informed and traditional Ashtanga yoga — and a small business owner.
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