SALT LAKE CITY — In a statement Monday, Utah's capital city said it "strongly opposes" a bill moving through the legislature that would limit the access of transgender people using public restrooms and locker rooms.
The statement comes after House Bill 257 passed in the Utah House of Representatives on Friday and moved onward to the Senate.
The bill, which would restrict public restroom and locker room access to sex designated at birth, unless someone has fully transitioned with gender formation surgery and a birth certificate modification, has caused outrage from many groups who claim if passed, it would discriminate against transgender women.
Salt Lake City joined the public outcry against the bill, saying in a statement that the city supports the transgender community throughout Utah.
"Salt Lake City strongly opposes H.B. 257. This bill sends a hostile and demeaning message to transgender and non-binary Utahns and creates greater division in our community by compromising the safety and dignity of certain groups of people over others," the statement reads. "This bill contradicts our commitment to being a safe and caring place for all and undermines our State’s ambition to welcome the world and all of its diversity."
Additionally, the city said it would do "all we can to continue to make Salt Lake City a bastion of safety and inclusion."
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson also issued a statement calling for a rejection of the bill, claiming the "send the wrong message about who we are as a state."
"I’m hopeful the Utah State Legislature will reject the harmful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and transgender message bills. They send the wrong message about who we are as a state. These bills only serve to divide us when what we should be doing is making sure everyone feels like they belong in Utah," the statement reads. "That’s the message we want to send as we are to be awarded the 2034 Olympic Games and continue to take pride in the strength of our economy largely due to individual and business expansion — not to mention our robust visitor economy."
Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, has said the goal of her bill is not to target any specific group, but instead create more private, unisex spaces in public facilities, FOX 13 News previously reported.
The bill passed in the House and now goes to the Senate.
