Hundreds celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility after Utah bans pride flags in government buildings, public schools

Despite the rainy March weather, hundreds of people flocked to the Utah Capitol on Saturday afternoon in a bright display of visibility — and celebration.

To celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), local LGBTQ+ nonprofits the Utah Pride Center and The Glitter Foundation partnered to unfurl what they are calling the largest transgender pride flag in the world, measuring 200 feet long.

The flag, rain splattered and billowing in the wind, was carried by people from the Capitol down State Street, all the way to Washington Square Park. Just as the celebrations were set to start, the steady patter of rain trickled into a light sprinkle. Behind the gray clouds, the sun made a small appearance, providing a moment of respite.

Many attendees draped pride flags on their backs like superhero capes. They held signs that said things like “People Over Politics” and “We won’t be erased.” Chants bellowed in the harsh wind: “Trans rights are human rights” and “Trans lives matter.”

An LGBTQ+ brass collective, the Lavender Menaces, kept the crowd engaged through rainfall, before the event kicked off. Several transgender speakers like Joselyn Romero, Ashton Markowski, Audry Cevering, Jay Tatay and Alyssa Le all took to the microphone.

Romero, the first speaker, reminded the crowd that transgender people are “not going anywhere.” They also encouraged the crowd to remain steadfast in their identities as their ancestors did, no matter what is happening in the political sphere.

Visibility, Romero said, does not just mean being seen, but being valued too.

“Here’s the thing, even though this is f–ing painful and frustrating, we won’t be silenced. We won’t be erased, and we won’t stop fighting,” Romero said. “In fact, the more they try to erase us, the more visible we will become.”

Chad Call, the executive director of UPC, said they wanted to do something “really visible” for the transgender community.

“About halfway through this session, was the real catalyst behind it, when we thought, ‘Hey, we should produce another flag that’s the same format as our six color flag, in the trans flag,’” Call said.

The new trans pride flag was completed in time for Transgender Day Of Visibility, Call said, and doing this now is “especially meaningful” in wake of recent legislation.

Call is referring to HB77, sponsored by Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, which will become law without Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature. The bill bans pride flags from public schools and government property in Utah.

It makes the Beehive state the first in the nation to do so, though the law won’t go into effect until May 7. In response to Cox letting the bill become law, UPC put out a statement Friday, stating they were “deeply saddened.”

“Laws like HB77, and several more passed this session, do not reflect the love, resilience, and authenticity that our community is known for, and particularly our transgender and nonbinary siblings who are so often the targets of legislation like this,” UPC wrote.

When Lee first introduced the bill, he said on the social media platform X that his goal was to ban pride flags in schools. ”Our schools should be a place for children to learn, to not feel like they are being pushed or seen as agendas in one way other another as it pertains to political beliefs,” he said, when presenting an earlier version of the bill to a committee in February.

UPC invited Cox to come to the rally on Saturday as a “commitment to recognizing your gratitude that we are part of your state. This moment calls for leaders to stand with— not apart from —those they serve.”

Cox wasn’t present at the rally. But Utah’s only openly LGBTQ+ lawmaker, Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Salt Lake, was.

Dallas Rivas is a co-founder of The Glitter Foundation. He’s been celebrating and hosting rallies for TDOV for more than 10 years. TDOV is celebrated annually on March 31 and was created in 2010 by advocate Rachel Crandall.

Unveiling the new 200-foot flag on TDOV, Rivas said, represents” visibility.”

“It’s a happy day. It’s not a sad day like Trans Day of Remembrance,” Rivas said. “[It’s] to celebrate trans lives and accomplishments and all the great things trans people do, and who the trans people are.”

The Transgender Day of Visibility rally comes at a time where the transgender community — locally and nationally — has faced increased scrutiny.

In Utah, transgender rights have been a topic of discussion at the past few legislative sessions, from college dorms, bathroom usage and minor health care access to high school sports participation. The Utah National Guard began encouraging transgender troops to leave the force after President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning transgender individuals from the military.

Amanda Ford, an attendee of the rally, said she was in attendance because she was upset about Cox’s approach to the bill, calling it “a really chicken maneuver.”

“I just think that we’re kind of on our own. The people have to watch over the people,” Ford said.

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