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OGDEN – As the Utah Senate passed three trans bills on to the House Friday, many in the LGBTQ community are worried these bills are unfairly targeting transgender youth and their families.
Sean Childers-Gray is a transgender man, and he's the president of Ogden Pride. He's been through some of this and said it's an already vulnerable time for youth in those situations.
Watching the debate on Utah's Capitol Hill Friday was tough on Childers-Gray. He can't help but be reminded of his own childhood.
"These are heavy. Even as young as 5, knowing I was different and not knowing how to say those words. I didn't have those words," he said.
He's worried those making these decisions for Utah families are not listening to the ones impacted by the proposed laws.
"You have parents who are advocating and actively advocating for their kids because they know as a parent, we should be in that arena. We should be able to make those decisions with our medical providers," he added.
He also said gender-affirming surgeries in teens largely aren't even happening, because there's already a high bar to reach for adults to get treatment. He feels it's addressing a problem that doesn't exist.
"The talking points are the ones that are tending. The care is not," Childers-Gray said.
He added those teen years are tough as it is and it feels to him and many in the LGBTQ community, like their lives are being legislated.
"I didn't have the ability of having care at the time when I needed it the most," Childers-Gray said. "And I survived suicide and daily that's a heavy toll to take, even in my 40s."
Sean Childers-Gray fought through the Utah Supreme Court to have his gender changed on his birth certificate. He pointed out that change is reversible and again feels that should be handled as a family.
