Sexism in Utah
By JOANNA SMITH
I am a Utahn woman. I was born here, raised here, and though I lived out of state for a decade or so, I returned to raise my kids here. It’s a beautiful place with kind people and a fascinating history. My kids were born in the deep South, but they’re getting used to the quirks and things that those “locals” call normal.
Some of those things may be endearing (I mean, who doesn’t love getting homemade bread from a friendly neighbor when you move in? We never got that in Rhode Island!), others are odd or a bit annoying (please, for the love of Timpanogos, can we just give everyone in this entire state a quick lesson on round-a-bouts?), and some things are just universally special about living here (I’m looking at you, Capital Reef!). But, there are other things about Utah that break my heart in two.
According to WalletHub’s recently published story, Utah is in the bottom 3% for women-owned business in the country. The Bottom! Utah Ranks dead last in Women’s rights, last for income gap and, lucky us, we have the “largest educational attainment gap,” according to The Status of Women report. Utah is the worst place for women participating in politics and we got an F in the Work and Family section. I hate Utah getting an F in anything! We’re too spectacular. What is wrong with us? I’m a Utah Woman and I don’t feel like I see sexism everywhere I turn. Oh, wait… yes, I do. And you know what? It’s exhausting! We’re the worst. We earned those rankings fair and square. Despite living this reality of lower wages, less opportunity, less education, and my lived experiences of the challenges in starting my own business, I’m competitive. If I’m on a national list for something, I want it to be for TANGIBLE THINGS that actually make a difference to my children. A list like “smallest pay gap” or “most opportunities for everyone,” NOT “cutest place to live.” And these lists? They don’t take into account what it might be like to live in our state in a Trans body, or a non-binary identity. If it’s bad for cis women/girls, it’s only harder for those communities.
Two years ago, in the midst of some major life changes, I moved across the United States to come back to Utah. This state has my heart, and I have zero regrets about moving back. But, I also want my kids to love living here. I want them to come back and raise their kids with a love of mountains, too. How do we do that when it’s obvious that it might be hard to actually live here in a female identifying body? Within the first 6 months of being at home, a group of friends and I founded Utah Women Unite (UWU). A Utah-based non-profit dedicated to improving the social status of Utah’s women, as well as girls and non-binary members of our communities (a lofty goal, as evidenced by our F rating!). We also work on elevating the political status of women. That doesn’t mean just getting more women elected, is also means making sure that every bill that goes through the Capital building addresses equality. “Women’s issues” have been ignored for too long in Utah’s public policies. UWU works hard to make sure that elected officials know that they are being held accountable for their policies and that communities are aware of how to get involved and create a safe space to discuss the effect of these policies. With Utah being ranked so low for women’s equality, it’s hard to make headway on becoming ranked 30th, let alone 1st! The question I get most is, “can you do it?” My answer is always the same, “Not without everyone being involved.”
Together we can build the community that we all want to see. A community that is diverse and welcoming. One that doesn’t put women on pedestals, but works to navigate and eliminate the barriers that keep women down. So, what do you say, Utah?! Let’s get our act together and work to make UTAH GREAT FOR WOMEN, TOO. (And while we’re at it, can someone address the round-a-bout situation?)