ALPINE, Utah, April 22, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Vandals this week targeted the home of the Utah lawmaker who sponsored a bill banning gender-affirming surgeries and stopping hormone treatments for transgender minors.
Sen. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, shared a photo on his Facebook page Friday showing his Utah County home with “THESE TRANNIES BASH BACK” among words spray-painted in red on the garage and driveway.
“To those who seek to use violence, vandalism, and intimidation to deter me from standing up for what is right, let me be clear: you will not succeed. I will not be deterred by your cowardly actions,” Kennedy states in the post.
“The recent vandalism to my family’s home was not just an attack on me, but on the very principles our state stands for. We will not let fear and violence control our destiny.
“As Utahns, we will always stand up and push back against radicals who seek to push their agenda in our state. I am more determined than ever to work with the good people of Utah to make our state a better place for all, especially our children, and I won’t back down.”
Kennedy’s Senate Bill 16 was approved during the 2023 legislative session in January and later signed into law by Gov. Spencer Cox.
“All of our intent is not to harm but to help,” Kennedy said on the Senate floor prior to the Jan. 27 vote. “And with great compassion, love and desire to help, all of this is focused on the fact that we’re trying to help children and families, even though I deeply respect that there are many that are not in agreement with that sentiment.”
Equality Utah, which advocates for equal rights for LGBTQ Utahns, has called SB16 “misguided policy” that threatens the rights of transgender children and their families.
The organization responded to the vandalism by condemning the action “in the absolute strongest terms.”
“As LGBTQ Americans, we know what it is like to be on the receiving end of violence. We know what it is like to fear for our own safety,” the Equality Utah statement says.
“It is never acceptable to replicate the violent or threatening tactics we have had to endure and target those with whom we have disagreements. These heinous acts do not help LGBTQ Utahns. They do not advance a climate of equality. In fact, they harm our efforts to build bridges and create deeper understanding with our fellow Utahns.
“We understand that many in our community are frightened by the unprecedented number of bills introduced across the country that directly impact LGBTQ youth. We work tirelessly with lawmakers to help them understand the complexity of these issues and to have compassion and empathy for our community. … We will never achieve equality unless we continue to actively build bridges of understanding through mutual respect.”
In addition to stopping gender-affirming surgeries and new hormone treatments for transgender minors, SB16 also requires the Utah Department of Health and Human Services to “conduct a systematic review of the medical evidence regarding hormonal transgender treatments and provide recommendations to the Legislature.”
It also creates licensing certification for providing hormonal transgender treatments and addresses medical malpractice related to such procedures and treatments.
