West High School students walked out of class on Wednesday, Apr. 6, 2022, to protest the state's ban on transgender athletes approved last month. Photo creidt: Lindsay Aerts, KSL NewsRadio.
SALT LAKE CITY — According to a new poll conducted by Deseret News and the Hinckley Institute of Politics, more than half of Utahns supported a new law banning transgender girls from competing in female school sports, but men opposed it more than women.
The poll surveyed 804 registered Utah voters from April 5 to April 12, after Gov. Spencer Cox’s veto on the H.B. 11 was overturned. According to poll results, 51% of men polled strongly supported the bill, while only 37% of women felt the same.
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family, and education at the Utah Pride Center, told Deseret News that the poll showed less than half of surveyed women support the ban.
“With only 37% strongly supporting the ban, it is clear that this is not in the best interest of women,” Darrow said in an interview with Deseret News. “I feel that as women we want all girls to play and compete in sports. This includes our transgender girls.”
The survey shows that “very active” members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are among the highest levels of support for the ban of on transgender girls from school at 59%.
Those that identify as “very conservative” also strongly supported the ban at 76%.
83% of individuals who identified as “very liberal” opposed the law.
Final survey results show that 54% of Utahns supported the ban, 39% of Utahns opposed it, and 7% did not know their stance.