GOP politicians punish state school board member for being too anti-trans

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) has taken the unusual step of condemning and censuring a state school board member via a resolution passed by the Republican-dominated legislature. The board of education also voted to strip her of her official powers and asked for her resignation. Instead, the woman doubled down and refused to quit.

Natalie Cline posted a photo of a school basketball team on social media and implied one of the girls was transgender. She is not.

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A resolution, the “House Concurrent Resolution Condemning and Censuring State School Board Member Natalie Cline,” signed by Cox, condemns Cline for her post that “reprehensibly questioned the student’s gender publicly and without evidence” that has led to “relentless harassment and bullying, including threats of violence.”

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“The vast majority of Utahns agree that Natalie Cline’s behavior was unacceptable,” Cox said in a statement announcing he had signed the resolution. “I’ve spoken with the student’s parents and I’m heartbroken for this family. We agree with the actions of both the State Board of Education and Legislature, and we hope the voters will hold her equally accountable this fall.”

“She does have a larger build, like her parents,” Cline wrote in a separate post after taking down the initial one. “We live in strange times when it is normal to pause and wonder if people are what they say they are because of the push to normalize transgenderism in our society.”

But that’s as far as Cline is willing to admit her fault.

Instead, she told local news, “You can’t step into this arena without making mistakes, and there is not a single person who has gotten into office that has done everything perfectly. But I have done my very best. I say make your decision at the ballot box and I am fine with whatever way the voter decides.”