Utah
Utah woman shares transition story to increase LGBTQIA+ visibility
Woods Cross, Utah (ABC4) – For a lot of members of the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood, Utah can typically really feel like a lonely place. Nevertheless, June is Satisfaction Month which celebrates that neighborhood.
Throughout Satisfaction Month, many Utahns are working to make the Beehive State extra inclusive for all. From 5,600 flags staked at households throughout northern Utah to a lifetime Utah resident sharing her transition story, there are lots of methods to have a good time and enhance visibility throughout June.
“My life would utterly collapse,” Bree Borrowman instructed ABC4 throughout an interview. She has lived her whole life in Utah. Borrowman was raised in Bountiful and now lives in Woods Cross. She instructed ABC4 that for many of her life, the guilt and disgrace she felt about her true id made her imagine that if she shared it, she’d lose all these she beloved.
“I simply felt off,” she said. “After I appeared within the mirror, I might see the face within the mirror and it wasn’t repulsive, it wasn’t disgusting, I didn’t suppose it was dangerous, I simply didn’t know who it was.”
Borrowman stated she remembers feeling completely different on the age of six. By the point she was a teen, she knew what was completely different.
About two years in the past, on the onset of the pandemic, Borrowman started her transition after spending six a long time as a male.
“Fortunately, my partner is my largest ally,” she stated. Borrowman paused as she swelled with emotion. She continued, “And once I knew my partner beloved me unconditionally, I knew that I may very well be my complete self.”
Borrowman quickly discovered that others supported her as properly. She teaches science at a faculty in Syracuse. She instructed ABC4 she anxious she would lose her job. Nevertheless, she stated employees and college students have been open and caring all through her transition.
Sadly, having an ally isn’t a actuality for all. “I feel for queer folks, particularly rising up in suburban Utah, the default is to suppose you don’t have help round you,” Lucas Horns said. Horns is the director of Mission Rainbow.
Mission Rainbow was based in 2018. Yearly throughout Satisfaction Week, households throughout Utah can request a satisfaction flag for a payment. Volunteers with this system then stake the flag exterior the house. Horns stated they do that to “present that queer folks and allies to queer folks actually do exist in each nook of the state, , it’s life-changing for lots of those youth and individuals who reside in these communities.”
The cash collected by means of the flag program is then used to assist different LGBTQIA+ organizations, neighborhood members, and packages within the type of grants.
Horns stated in 2018, this system positioned 500 flags. This previous weekend, 200 volunteers staked 5,600 flags throughout northern Utah. Horns defined that yearly, taking part households discover notes left on their doorsteps from nameless neighbors who’re glad to know they’ve a secure house close by.
As this system grows, so does the antagonistic response to it. Horns instructed ABC4 that Mission Rainbow loses about 10 p.c of its flags yearly to theft and vandalism. Whereas this may increasingly not appear sinister, it symbolizes a better drawback in Utah.
Based on knowledge from the Utah Division of Public Security, greater than 35 p.c of all reported hate crimes in Utah this yr have focused the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood.
Though these crimes happen extra ceaselessly than many individuals would love, members of the neighborhood are seeing a change in Utah’s tradition.
“If I am going again 5 years, however particularly 10 years, I couldn’t have achieved this,” Borrowman stated. She instructed ABC4 that she will be able to solely recount a handful of private experiences which have been destructive since she began her transition. The worst could be the closest to residence. Whereas Borrowman’s partner has remained by her aspect, she stated her youngsters have remained aloof the final two years. Nevertheless, she stated she’s hopeful that the space received’t final without end.
When a visitor walks into the Borrowman residence, they may rapidly discover their gaze skimming throughout many alternative items of artwork. Whether or not it’s work, prints, or sculptures, lots of the items in the home have non secular significance. That’s as a result of Borrowman is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Borrowman instructed ABC4 that her religion typically made her really feel guilt, disgrace, and even sinful for simply being. Nevertheless, she stated she finally got here to the conclusion that nothing is improper with being transgender.
She stays energetic within the church even as we speak. She stated she’s prepared to start sharing her story for a lot of causes. One purpose is that she needs to extend visibility for others like her. “All they’re attempting to do is be themselves, and be complete, and discover a secure house,” she added.
Another excuse to share her story is to vary the tradition in her neighborhood, together with the church.
Borrowman highlighted that she doesn’t need doctrine to vary. She simply hopes that the church can grow to be a secure house for many who could really feel as if they’re completely different. “We actually needs to be accepting and caring, and loving, and type, compassionate, particularly if it’s from a non secular standpoint.”
Utah
5th shutout against Utah HC prompts internal reflection
For the third time this month and fifth time this season, the Utah Hockey Club failed to score a single goal in a game. This time they fell 1-0 to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
The band 4 Non Blondes said it best: What’s going on?
“In the first period we had good momentum, we created good offense and then we started to get in the box way too much,” said head coach André Tourigny after the game. “That cost us momentum.”
The third period was full of chances for Utah HC, but they just couldn’t capitalize.
At one point, a give-and-go created a perfect opportunity for Maveric Lamoureux at the top of the crease, but his shot went off the underside of the crossbar and out.
On another occasion, a power play bid from Nick Schmaltz hit a body in front of the net and bounced just wide. UHC just couldn’t buy a goal.
The Bruins are glad to get a win in their first game under interim head coach Joe Sacco. Additionally, Elias Lindholm scored the game’s lone goal, breaking a 17-game personal goal drought.
It was a big step in the right direction for the Bruins.
Utah hockey for dummies
Before we get into the nitty gritty details of the game, let’s take a moment to appreciate Robert Bortuzzo and Mark Kastelic. You’d think a game with only one goal would be relatively boring, but these two ensured that was not the case.
Bortuzzo and Kastelic fought each other twice. They had been engaged in some confrontation in the previous game between the two teams on Oct. 19 and they got their opportunity to finish their business a month later.
On the first bout, Bortuzzo left the bench for the purpose of fighting. As Conor Geekie learned in the preseason, that’s not allowed. Geekie got a one-game suspension and I’d expect the same for Bortuzzo.
Utah hockey for casual fans
Karel Vejmelka was Utah HC’s best player Thursday, and it wasn’t even close. That’s a major positive point for Utah as Connor Ingram did not accompany the team on this road trip due to an upper-body injury.
Vejmelka will guard the net for the immediate future with Jaxson Stauber backing him up. Tourigny is not worried about giving Vejmelka the net.
“He’s played 50 games twice in his career, so it’s not like he’s a rookie goalie,” Tourigny said before the game. “He did it in the past and he’s capable of doing it again.”
It’s clear that Vejmelka thrives on high shot volume. He stopped all 15 shots he faced in the first period on Thursday, and then stopped 15 of the 16 that came in the ensuing periods.
Thursday’s performance comes after he made headlines against the Carolina Hurricanes last week when he stopped 49 of 50 shots.
Ingram’s injury is considered day-to-day. He should be back soon, but the net may belong to Vejmelka anyway. Vejmelka has been the much better goalie over the last handful of games.
Utah hockey for nerds
On their last 25 power plays, Utah HC has scored just one goal, and with the amount of penalties they’ve been taking, they’re not putting themselves in a position to succeed.
Let’s break this down, piece by piece, starting with the power play.
Utah HC seems to have no problem setting up in the zone on the power play. They move the puck well and they even get lots of high-quality shots. Why isn’t the puck going in?
Tourigny believes it’s a question of urgency.
“The guys have to realize (that) if we want to score goals, we have to get in the dirty areas,” he said. “We need to get there with passion. Not just get there — get there with burning desire to score goals.”
As far as the penalties go, they need to be more disciplined. Sure, there are necessary penalties and yes, accidents happen, but taking eight minor penalties in one game is a recipe for disaster.
“I don’t know,” Schmaltz said after the game when asked about accountability for how many penalties the guys were taking. “I feel like we’re beating a dead horse a little bit on that topic.”
The Bruins only had one power play goal, but keep in mind that spending almost an entire period shorthanded significantly limits the amount of scoring chances you get.
Schmaltz also pointed out that when the other team gets so many looks on the power play, their top players are extremely involved in the game while your top players sit on the bench.
What’s next?
Utah HC gets a day to regroup before visiting Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
As good as Crosby is, he hasn’t been enough to drag the Penguins into the fight. They’ve struggled in a number of areas on the ice, prompting all sorts of trade rumors — even some involving Crosby, who has been a Penguin since 2005.
Utah HC’s job going into Pittsburgh is to get back on track. They need to find ways to score (especially on the power play) and they need to be disciplined away from the puck. If they do this and continue to get solid goaltending, they could receive a much-needed confidence boost.
The game starts at 5 p.m. MDT and will be streamed on Utah HC+ and Utah 16.
Utah
Jazz Silver Lining Revealed by ESPN
While it hasn’t been the most pleasant start for the Utah Jazz during their 2024-25 campaign, amounting to a 3-11 record through their first 14 games, there are still a few glaring signs of optimism to takeaway that shine through in the mix through the beginning of this season, largely thanks to the reps and development opportunities given to the young talent on the roster so far.
Of those young players having a solid role in the rotation to start this season, one of the most appealing in the small sample size has been first-round rookie Isaiah Collier, who’s made an eye-catching first impression since arriving in Salt Lake City.
During ESPN’s most recent batch of power rankings, the Jazz didn’t see much increase from last week, jumping from only 29th to 28th. Still, writer Tim MacMahon gave fans some reason to be excited about this roster moving forward– that being Utah’s rookie point guard.
“Rookie guard Isaiah Collier is only 1-of-12 from 3-point range, but he’s providing evidence that he can make a positive impact,” MacMahon said. “Collier, whose debut was delayed two weeks due to a hamstring injury, has a plus-10 rating in 108 minutes over his first six games. His tenacious, tough defense has made a favorable impression. Entering Tuesday, the Jazz were allowing only 104.5 points per 100 possessions with the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Collier on the court, the lowest defensive rating among Utah players.”
In ESPN’s rankings, the Jazz placed ahead of two teams in the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards, and are right on the heels of the New Orleans Pelicans at 27th, who, like Utah, have also struggled in the Western Conference this year with a 4-11 regular season record.
Collier was limited to start this season as he suffered a hamstring injury during training camp, but since his return, he’s begun to show some impressive traits on both sides of the ball during his first seven games on the floor. In 18 minutes a night, the USC product is averaging 4.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals.
As mentioned by MacMahon, the offensive side of the ball still has some distance to make up in order to be an effective and consistent two-way threat. At just a. 8.3% clip from long range, he’s not much of a threat beyond the arc just yet, but with a long season ahead, there’s a ton of room to recover those shooting splits.
In the meantime, Collier has emerged as a solid contributor as an offensive facilitator and perimeter defender in the backcourt– two areas which this roster can definitely benefit from.
Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and Twitter/X.
Subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!
Utah
Utah’s Senior Day has deeper meaning with this year’s class
Senior Day at the University of Utah is always a poignant occasion, but this year’s ceremony carries even greater emotional weight as the program honors not only its current senior class but also the memories of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe. Both would have been seniors this year, and their absence looms large as Utah prepares to host Iowa State in the final home game of the season at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Over 25 seniors, including key contributors like Junior Tafuna, Micah Bernard, and Money Parks, will be recognized for their contributions on and off the field. For many, their time at Utah has been marked by both triumph and adversity. As head coach Kyle Whittingham noted, these seniors were instrumental in the Utes’ back-to-back Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022, despite the challenges the team has faced in recent years. He praised their resilience, character, and dedication, both on the field and in the classroom, as all are either graduates or on track to graduate.
Utah reveals tribute uniforms with ‘Malama Lahaina’ helmets for Iowa State
A special part of the ceremony will honor Jordan and Lowe, two players whose lives were tragically cut short in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Their families will be present as the team remembers their immense impact on the program. Utah has consistently kept their memories alive through traditions like retiring their No. 22 jersey, creating a memorial scholarship, and the “Moment of Loudness,” a powerful tribute held before the fourth quarter at every home game.
For all Utes seniors, the bittersweet nature of Saturday will be amplified by the remembrance of their late teammates. The legacy of Jordan and Lowe will continue to inspire the program, reminding everyone of the deeper connections that transcend the game.
-
Business1 week ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health1 week ago
Bird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business5 days ago
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
World1 week ago
Sarah Palin, NY Times Have Explored Settlement, as Judge Sets Defamation Retrial
-
Politics4 days ago
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
Science2 days ago
Trump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Technology4 days ago
Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle5 days ago
Some in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs