Despite opposition from the ACLU and the state’s NBA team, the Utah legislature over-rode the governor’s veto of a law banning males from competing on female sports teams. LGBT sympathizers immediately raised the possibility of punishing the state for what the legislature did.
Earlier last week, Gov. Spencer Cox vetoed House Bill 11. The legislature promptly over-rode the veto -- 21-8 in the Senate and 56-18 in the House. Eight lawmakers changed their votes after initially opposing the bill.
The governor’s veto letter to the lawmakers surprisingly claimed the science on transgenderism is “conflicting” (no, it’s not; men are men and women are women) and said, in part:
Utah has a history of trying to approach complicated issues in ways that bring collaboration and fairness. From immigration and criminal justice reform to LGBTQ protections and religious freedom, Utah has often shown an unusual willingness to find new and compassionate ways to solve the most toxic debates of our time …
Wouldn’t you know it, the NBA’s local social justice “chapter,” the Utah Jazz, quickly spoke out against the new law.:
The Utah Jazz oppose discriminatory legislation. We are committed to our values of inclusivity, mutual respect and fair play. Beyond basketball, we hope for an equitable solution that shows love and compassion for all our youth.
If the Jazz were truly for fair play, they would have commended the legislature’s actions.
Next year’s NBA All-Star game is slated for Salt Lake City, and trans advocates are already questioning whether the league should let that stand or remove the game from the state.
The NBA social justice warriors removed a previous All-Star game from Charlotte after North Carolina passed a state law in 2016 that prohibited males from using women’s restrooms.
The sue-happy ACLU also jumped in with the threat of a lawsuit against the Beehive State. The same organization sued Idaho when it previously passed a similar law and is threatening to do the same in Utah.:
“We are deeply disappointed and saddened at today’s votes by the Utah Legislature to discriminate against transgender youth to exclude them from participating fully on sports teams. Litigation to stop HB11 from taking effect is now both necessary and inevitable to ensure Constitutional promises of equal protection for all Utahns.”
ABC Good Morning America ran a one-sided report against the law (see photo above).
Utah public schools are already protected from the cost of potential litigation, by HB3001, which will indemnify them from any legal liability. Pending the ACLU’s legal ugliness, the law will take effect July 1.
