Congressional candidates debate supporting trans children in final debate in Utah

In the Utah Debate Commission’s final debate before Election Day, candidates for Utah’s 4th Congressional District clashed over LGBTQ+ issues.

Candidates were asked on social media how they plan to protect LGBTQ+ children in the face of “vicious attacks from politicians across the country.”

Democratic candidate Katrina Fallick-Wang is a queer single mother who works as a digital marketer. She was staunchly supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly queer youth.

“I wanted to run to show them that even though there are some legislators in our state who behave in very hateful ways, most Utahns love them and support them,” Fallick-Wang said.

Several anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been passed in recent years, including SB 16, which restricted gender-confirming health care for trans youth, and HB 257, which limited trans people’s ability to use the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity.

Burgess Owens, the Republican incumbent who works as a nonprofit executive, said that while he has no problem with gays, his support stops with transgender people.

“Let’s not force something that’s so incomprehensible on the rest of us and think we’re going to put up with it,” Owens said. “Ultimately, I believe men belong in men’s toilets, women believe they belong in women’s toilets. It’s XY, XX. Depending on who you are, that’s where you belong.”

In particular, there are a number of chromosomal abnormalities such as triple X syndrome, which means that men may not have XY chromosomes and women may not have XX chromosomes. Chromosomes are also not the only factors that play a role in sex assignment at birth, and some people are intersex, meaning they do not fit into the male/female gender pairing.

Fallick-Wang was allowed to refute Owens’ comments. She said that while she understands that sports is a high-level conversation, banning trans kids from sports will only affect their future.

“I am the mother of a transgender child and it hurts me and him so much,” Fallick-Wang said. “He’s in sixth grade right now and all he wants to do is run track.”

Owens, who was a professional football player for 10 years, argued that allowing trans women and girls, whom he described as “young men,” to participate in women’s sports was not fair to cis women and girls.

“Recognize what women go through, what girls go through when they compete, do everything they can and a young man stands up and takes away their honor, their opportunities,” Owens said. “That’s why we have to be sure we’re being fair.”

Both candidates are running for Utah’s 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, along with United Utah Party candidate Vaughn Cook and nonpartisan candidate M. Evan Bullard.

Election day is Tuesday, November 5th.