The Utah State Legislature has one of the shortest general legislative sessions in the country. Instead of using this valuable time to tackle the real issues Utahns face—the lack of affordable housing, saving the Great Salt Lake, and bringing down the cost of living, to name a few—the state Legislature has continued its attacks on our transgender community.
Trans Utahns have been targeted by our state leaders since HB11 in 2022, making this the fourth consecutive legislative session centered around anti-trans legislation. The Legislature has already restricted the rights of trans-Utahns to use bathrooms and locker rooms in public schools and buildings and for trans youth to access gender-affirming care or play high school sports with their peers. HB 269 is yet another bill in a years-long effort by the Legislature to marginalize the trans community and limit their access to public spaces under the guise of protecting privacy.
What Does HB269 Mean for college students in Utah?
If passed, HB 269 would require public universities and colleges to assign housing in sex-segregated student dormitories according to students’ biological sex at birth. This bill attacks our young adults at a time in their lives when they are particularly vulnerable. Pursuing higher education is a big life change meant to teach students how to problem solve and collaborate while being exposed to different points of view and lifestyles. Excluding trans students from student housing spaces hurts both trans and cis students alike and pushes trans students off campuses and potentially out of universities altogether.
History has shown us the dangers of restricting access to housing and services based on certain characteristics. In our country—and even here in Utah—Black students were segregated to “protect” white students, and religious -minorities were refused service. HB269 resurrects this discriminatory logic, targeting trans students in the name of control.
What Is the True Purpose of HB269?
Our state leaders tout their commitment to small government, yet HB269 is nothing but more unnecessary legislation to insert the government into our personal lives. Utah’s colleges and universities have always managed student housing efficiently, ensuring student needs are met without the government's help. Supporters of HB269 are not concerned with its practicality or necessity. They want to expand their attacks on trans Utahns, which will only serve to chip away at the rights of all of us.
On January 23, HB 269 was passed favorably out of the House Business and Labor Committee. When first introduced, the bill allowed for a narrow exception for those who have both amended their birth certificate to reflect their gender identity and undergone primary sex characteristic surgery. Lawmakers claim this bill protects women's privacy, but removing the exceptions reveals their true intent is to erase trans people from public life.
The Legislature’s continued barrage of anti-trans bills year after year has stoked fear and anxiety among our trans community members. Trans Utahns are your neighbors, colleagues, and friends who, like all people in Utah, simply want to live their authentic lives free from discrimination and government overreach imposed by these bills. They want to get a college degree, use the restroom, play sports, and access medical care and live openly and freely.
Protect Your Rights | Tell Utah Leaders “NO” on HB269
As Utahns, we must recognize that everyone’s rights are undermined when anyone’s rights are jeopardized. Elected officials are invading every facet of our lives under the guise of protecting us. This isn’t about protection—it’s about using coded language like ‘privacy’ as a weapon for othering and discrimination. Ultimately, these attacks harm trans people and anyone perceived as a threat by our state leaders, who are supposed to represent all of us. The erosion of trans individuals’ rights and dignity harms our entire community.
