Dear President Taylor Randall,

As you are surely aware, the Utah Board of Higher Education approved a resolution recently that mandates public institutions to establish policies which, among other things, protect institutional neutrality, free speech on campus, and those students who exercise that right. The resolution itself was non-specific in regards to what qualifies as “neutrality;” however, political commentary regarding the resolution is deeply worrying. When asked about whether universities should acknowledge things such as LGBTQ pride month, House Speaker Mike Schultz made his position abundantly clear by saying, “No, they shouldn’t. That should be left up to the students.”

As a transgender student at the University of Utah, I must warn you that to take such a restrictive view of the university’s neutrality would not only lead to the inevitable silencing of protected speech, but also undermine the core mission of the university. The U has, both legally and morally, a responsibility to protect free speech on its campus. This, despite my disgust in those participating, includes the anti-trans hate speech disseminated by the Young Americans for Freedom. Several members of Mecha have been criminally charged — including counts of Class B misdemeanors and infractions — after police said they stormed and protested a YAF event where they planned to screen the movie “Damaged.” The trans community and its allies will uphold their responsibility to MECHA, its leadership, and all others who make sacrifices for our safety. We will support them in their fight against campus leadership and against prosecution suffered in our defense.

What troubles me most is not which actions the university took in these matters, nor the hateful rhetoric of YAF; it is that the U continues to grievously fail in its responsibility to the trans community. In my three plus years as a student at this university, I cannot speak to any period during which I felt safe or supported on campus. Recent episodes paint trans hate on campus as a transient phenomenon — it isn’t, nor is the university’s utter disregard for trans safety. The trans community remains alienated both on and off campus — constantly afraid of harassment, discrimination, and violence. When the university does indicate support for the trans community, it almost always feels performative or incentivized by PR interests. It doesn’t matter how many times you decorate the Block U with the pride flag — if you won’t stand up for the safety of marginalized students on campus, then you are failing in your role. The university’s mandate regarding YAF is clear, but so too is its mandate regarding the trans community.

The U’s mission statement (the very same found on your website) claims to “[F]oster student success by preparing students from diverse backgrounds for lives of impact as leaders and citizens.” Part of that mission is to make sure that these “diverse” students feel safe enough to use the bathrooms, go to class, walk across campus, and ride Trax. In fact, the very resolution from UBHE commands you to “provide a process for an institution to publicly address, condemn, or prohibit expression … that is directly incompatible with our institutions’ ability to achieve their primary missions or pedagogical objectives.” We are a part of that primary mission. Considering the record the U has on public safety in recent years, it’s frankly shocking that you seem to have forgotten that.

I understand that you are required to protect YAF’s right to speak hatefully, but you are also required to protect this university’s students, including trans students. You don’t have to silence YAF to do so, nor would it really be prudent to. Instead, make as clear a statement about student safety as you have about free speech. Counter hateful posters with forceful, far-reaching, and genuine reaffirmation of trans students’ right to be here. Make it clear that, whatever YAF may believe, we’re allowed in public bathrooms, we’re allowed on this campus and that the university will protect and support us no matter what. You may try to claim that the U is already doing so. My answer: I can’t hear you! How will you know when you’ve succeeded in that messaging? I’ll tell you. The trans community will tell you.

-U student Eliza Diggins