Utahns swept up in bathroom panic are hurting the kids who need help
Hits & Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Punching Down
Just who are we protecting, and from what? That's a question parents and lawmakers need to answer before trouncing the rights of transgender teens, who are themselves being harassed and abused. It is the environment of fear and intimidation that has overtaken otherwise well-meaning parents, who are turning that fear into a malevolent blitzkrieg. This is what happened at a recent Jordan School Board meeting, where Alison—an 11-year-old trans girl at Fox Hollow Elementary—had to advocate for herself over the right to use a bathroom. There is no evidence that inclusive bathrooms lead to grooming or "gender-bending ideologies," as state school board member Natalie Cline suggested in a Salt Lake Tribune story. But the Harvard School of Public Heath notes that "trans teens with restricted bathroom access (are) at higher risk of sexual assault."
Run Away, Trains
If you've ever been stranded in a long line of cars waiting at a train crossing, you can feel the pain of Salt Lake's west-siders. While many would assume you'll wait for five or so minutes, that's not always the case as trains get longer and longer in an effort to lower costs and push up revenues, according to The Wall Street Journal, which recommends grabbing a book. Salt Lake City Council member Alexandro Puy doesn't want to wait anymore and wants some respect for the west-siders who have to endure seemingly endless trains. Puy started a photo essay showing some of the ways to deal with a blocked crossing—like playing board games or holding a cookout at the tracks—and is promoting signs and technology to help residents plan for delays. Join the campaign here: tinyurl.com/447xes3k.
Clean It Up
We're sorry, Utah, but saving our coal plants is not worth the lives and lungs of living beings. In a nutshell, that was the message from a federal appeals court that recently sided with the Biden administration over something called the "Good Neighbor Rule." That rule regulates the air pollution that 24 upwind states might create. Utah sued, not just because the state loves its coal, but also because it would cost millions to upgrade coal plants, according to The Hill. Indeed, coal is being replaced—however slowly—for power generation, the International Energy Agency says. But it does still generate over a third of global electricity, and energy is important. The takeaway here is that Utah, among other coal-producing states, needs to get serious about the health of its citizens while pursuing alternative power sources. And if we want to keep those coal plants running, they need to be cleaner. It's not all bad news. Southern Utah "will soon be home to the world's largest next-generation geothermal energy project," the St. George News reports.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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