What does it mean to support pro-family values, protect parental rights and strengthen the role of the family? It is unclear how one can strengthen the family by promoting policies that allow people to be fired and prevented from being employed based on their identity. This is the same ideology that once was used against blacks, the Chinese and other ethnic groups to starve them out. What is being protected is a specific and narrow definition of family. Families headed by transgender or gay parents are purposefully subjected to disenfranchisement from basic protections under the law.

The Utah Legislature sees our families as expendable.

As always, we will continue to raise and love our families and our growing numbers will continue to defy such attempts to subvert our existence.

Shannon Candice Metzler

Salt Lake City