I read the March 6 Salt Lake Tribune’s front section with a gimlet eye. The topics ranged from gay conversion therapy, to pedophilia in the Utah Catholic clergy, to House Bill 136′s backward fight for restrictions on abortion. I refer specifically to the articles “Advocates blast substitute for conversion therapy ban” and “Endowment keeps the name of a priest accused of sex abuse,” and the Public Forum letter “Lay off women’s bodies.” What do these articles and the Public Forum letter have in common, one asks? The answer is the negative consequences wrought by the egregious abuse of power of one group over another.
Gays, children and women are just three of the groups who struggle for their rights in this country, rights which are often dismissed or ignored. We liberal Utahns do have rights in this state, though it may not feel that way. Unfortunately, here in Utah, our rights are disrespected by our legislative body, by our churches’ powers, and, often, these entities refuse to listen to the minority voice.
Privacy, pride and honesty about our LGBTQ+ statuses are rights. The expectation that grants us power and safety over our own bodies, whether we are children or adults, is a right. Access to accurate and objective reproductive health care, whatever the choice, is a right. No one has the authority to lessen, compromise or remove our autonomy, no matter what type of external power they might wield. We all, conservative and liberal alike, have had to sit with discomfort; more and more of us are standing up to justify what we think Utah is all about.
Jody Brings, Salt Lake City