Published on: 4/1/22
Author: Alexis Krohn

Every year on March 31st, it’s the Transgender Day of Visibility! If you didn’t catch it last year, we did a video AMA with Linet interviewing me (Alexis) about some of my experiences as a trans woman. I also wrote three articles about it in the Calico Medium blog.

This year, it’s especially important to stay visible and to stay real, and human in the face of growing legislation seeking to criminalize trans-ness. Laws are being interpreted or enforced or created to define supporting transgender youth as “child abuse” - a ludicrous inversion of the truth, which is that supporting trans kids saves lives. There are even laws being passed to restrict trans students from playing on a team that matches their gender.

In better news, the governor of Utah recently vetoed a bill (unfortunately, already overridden by the state legislature) that made it illegal for trans kids to play on the team matching their own gender. His letter to veto wasn’t a full-throated support of trans folk, but it did, I think, highlight a strong compassion on his part, one that I wish more folk had. 

Cox wrote:

• Here are the numbers that have most impacted my decision:

• 75,000, 4, 1, 86 and 56.

• 75,000 high school kids participating in high school sports in Utah.

• 4 transgender kids playing high school sports in Utah.

• 1 transgender student playing girls sports.

• 86% of trans youth reporting suicidality.

• 56% of trans youth having attempted suicide.

Four kids and only one of them playing girls sports. That’s what all of this is about. Four kids who aren’t dominating or winning trophies or taking scholarships. Four kids who are just trying to find some friends and feel like they are a part of something. Four kids trying to get through each day. Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few. I don’t understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live. And all the research shows that even a little acceptance and connection can reduce suicidality significantly. For that reason, as much as any other, I have taken this action in the hope that we can continue to work together and find a better way. If a veto override occurs, I hope we can work to find ways to show these four kids that we love them and they have a place in our state.

I really hope that good, compassionate people continue to see past politics; and that Utah and others do find ways to show trans kids that we love them. And all you trans kids and adults out there? We also love you.