Social Issues Archives – The Daily Utah Chronicle

Dalley: Utah Legislators Should Start Representing Average Utahns

February 19, 2020

Utah legislators have been making it more and more clear how little respect they hold for the average Utahn. On Jan. 31, 2020, state Senator Lyle Hillyard tweeted, “A person working at a job that does not pay a livable wage really only has a hobby.” Compounded with the state legislature�...

Christopherson: The SLC Womxn’s March Was A Great Start, but There’s Work Left to Do

By Nain Christopherson, Opinion Writer

February 13, 2020

On Jan. 18, hundreds of Utahns passed up their weekly opportunity to sleep in in favor of attending what has become the annual Salt Lake City Womxn’s March, and I was lucky — with my mom, two younger sisters and a close friend — to be among them. We bundled up and walked from Washington...

Starr: The Utah Way of Ignorance and Disease

By Kennedie Starr, Opinion Writer

February 8, 2020

Earlier this month, an HIV awareness campaign was brought to a standstill by Governor Herbert. “Suggestive” condom wrappers appeared to be the hardline that the Department of Health crossed in their efforts to promote better sexual health in the state. Recalling Utah-themed condoms is not ...

Barron: Proposed Gun Reform Bills Promote Accountability and Must Be Passed

By Morgan Barron, Opinion Writer

February 7, 2020

There were 33 mass shootings in 2019, nine of which occurred in public places. Just a few weeks into the new year, a Grantsville teen shot and killed his mother and three siblings in one of the largest mass shootings in Utah since the 2007 Trolley Square shooting. After all the vigils we’ve witnessed, America’s increased...

Scott: The U Is Losing Its Opportunity to Repair Its Relationship With Students

By Elise Scott, Opinion Editor

February 6, 2020

Like many senior students within sprinting distance of graduation, my final semesters have been cobbled together with whatever classes remain between me and my degree. It can be challenging to create a realistic schedule of stragglers, but I am lucky my schedule is only inconvenient in that...

Barron: Pass Abortion Bills that Help Women, Not Shame Them

By Morgan Barron, Opinion Writer

February 5, 2020

Content Warning: This article discusses sexual violence and abortion. Reader discretion is advised. When announcing S.B. 67, a proposed ban on disposing of fetal remains with other medical waste, Senator Curt Bramble explained how he, an advocate for deregulation, could endorse such a meas...

Barron: Referendum Efforts Send a Signal to State Representatives

By Morgan Barron, Opinion Writer

February 2, 2020

Last December, Governor Gary Herbert called a special legislative session to debate massive reform to Utah’s tax system. The proposed bill would have hiked the sales tax on groceries from 1.75% to 4.85% while cutting the income tax and increasing per child exemptions. The legislature passed...

Mismash: Utah’s Shifting Religious Demographics Are An Opportunity, Not A Problem

By Sarah Mismash

February 1, 2020

Salt Lake County is experiencing some shifts within its religious demographics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ growth within Salt Lake has slowed for several years, even as Utah’s overall population continues to grow. In 2018, the percentage of members in Salt Lake County d...

Maxfield: The Porn Crisis No One Is Talking About

By Lynda Maxfield

January 25, 2020

Many states are following Utah’s lead and declaring pornography to be a public health crisis. Certainly, porn consumption is linked to a host of societal breakdowns, including the illegal, wrongful exploitation of adults and many children. Although Utah’s 2016 resolution blames porn for...

Christopherson: Star Wars Doesn’t Deserve Any Credit for Queer Representation

By Nain Christopherson, Opinion Writer

January 15, 2020

If you live in America and have friends, it’s safe to bet that you saw "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" over winter break, regardless of whether you’re a fan of the franchise. Frankly, it was hard to avoid. I got roped into spending a whole $13 to see it in 3D (the regular showing was...