A Republican lawmaker’s home in Utah has been vandalized after he sponsored a bill to stop sex-change operations and hormone therapy for transgender minors – as far-left gay rights groups are calling for him to step down.
Senator Mike Kennedy’s Alpine garage doors and driveway were plastered with red paint that read, “Fash…
Kennedy was part of the controversial Senate Bill 16 that barred young people from seeking gender confirmation sponsorships starting in January.
The lawmaker condemned the vigilantes behind the law on Friday as it drew support from LGBTQ+ groups.
Sen. Mike Kennedy’s home in Utah was vandalized by a troubled gay supporter months after he sponsored a “Gender Affirmation Care” bill.
Kennedy was part of the controversial Senate Bill 16 that barred young people from seeking gender affirmation sponsorships from January
To those who seek to use violence, vandalism, and intimidation to deter me from standing up for what’s right, let me be clear: It won’t work. I will not be deterred by your cowardly actions, Kennedy wrote on Facebook.
The recent vandalism of my family 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 Utah, we will always stand up and push back against extremists who seek to advance 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 everyone, especially our children, and I will not back down.”
An LGBTQ+ group, Equality Utah, has supported Kennedy and claimed that “extreme” measures do not help the fight for what the group believes in.
As LGBTQ Americans, we know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of violence. “We know what it feels like to fear for our safety,” the group wrote in a statement.
It is never okay to repeat the violent or threatening tactics we have had to endure and target those we disagree with.
These heinous acts do not help LGBTQ Utahns. They do not develop a climate of equality. In fact, they are harming our efforts to build bridges and create a deeper understanding with our fellow Utahs.
The statement added that he did not know who committed these acts. But as the group calls out Republican radicals, they felt the need to call out extremists who align with their beliefs.
“We are now calling out and condemning extremists who may sympathize with our side, and who deploy tactics to intimidate and intimidate political opponents.”
“Culture wars are now escalating into real-world violence, and we all have an obligation to take a stand and condemn extremism wherever it appears – whether it be vandalism or political violence.”
In January, Utah joined other such states to ban fostering transgender minors, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida and Texas.
This map shows the percentage of children ages 13-17 who identify as transgender by country. Darker colors indicate a higher percentage of youth. In New York and New Mexico, it’s as high as three percent
This map shows the percentage of the population who identifies as transgender by country. Those with a darker color have approximately one percent of their population in this category
Senate Bill 16, enacted in January, completely banned sex-change operations on anyone under the age of 18.
The bill also prohibited children from starting hormone therapy — including puberty blockers — without a formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
The estimated number of teens in Utah between the ages of 13 and 17 is 2,100, according to a Report from the University of California, Los Angeles (University of California).
They make up 0.83 percent of the states’ teens, which makes Utah the ninth lowest rate of teens of any US state.
The same UCLA report found that the number of Americans who identify as trans has nearly doubled from 2017 to 2020, with 300,000 now identifying as trans.
About 1.5 percent of American teens identify as trans, the highest percentage of any age group.
Other states with similar bans on Utah include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida and Texas.
