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‘Utah Politics’ podcast: How one Utah dad formed a support group for fathers of transgender kids

Co-founder of ‘Dragon Dads’ says the law is a solution in search of a problem

(Isaac Hale | Special to The Tribune) Attendees march down 900 South near Liberty Park during the Rainbow March and Rally held in Salt Lake City as part of Utah Pride Week on Sunday, June 6, 2021.

(Isaac Hale | Special to The Tribune) Attendees march down 900 South near Liberty Park during the Rainbow March and Rally held in Salt Lake City as part of Utah Pride Week on Sunday, June 6, 2021.

A proposed bill to bar transgender athletes from participating in girl’s sports in Utah will come back for the second time in the 2022 Utah Legislature.

Drew Armstrong is the co-founder of “Dragon Dads,” a support group for fathers of transgender and non-binary children, is a Utah Republican delegate. He says the proposal is a solution in search of a problem.

“I’m frustrated with this because if we ran a bill that said we shouldn’t allow livestock in high school hallways, it would probably affect a larger portion of our student population,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong, who is the father of a transgender child, is only half-joking.

“I’ve heard stories about people bringing a cow into the school or something like that. I’ve heard no stories about their being a problem with transgender students playing in sports in high schools or junior high or on the college level in Utah,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong is our guest on the podcast, where he discusses the raft of anti-transgender bills that have popped up around the country in recent years. He also talks about the growing visibility of transgender and non-binary people in popular culture, and how he squares being a Utah Republican delegate with the GOP-led efforts to restrict transgender rights.

You can subscribe to the podcast for free here.


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