Charlie Kirk Boulevard Proposal Faces Opposition – The Daily Utah Chronicle

Utah Lawmaker’s Proposal to Rename Harvey Milk Boulevard Sparks Controversy

A new legislative proposal in Utah has ignited debate over public representation and LGBTQ+ recognition. State Representative Trevor Lee has introduced House Bill 196, which seeks to rename Harvey Milk Boulevard to Charlie Kirk Boulevard, a move critics describe as an attempt to erase LGBTQ+ history in the state.

The bill targets a street named after Harvey Milk, a pioneering gay rights activist who served as one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States before his 1978 assassination in San Francisco. Milk is widely regarded as a significant figure in the equal rights movement for LGBTQ+ Americans.

Charlie Kirk, the proposed new namesake, is a controversial conservative political commentator and founder of Turning Point USA. Critics of the bill argue that Kirk’s platform often includes rhetoric that has been characterized as hostile toward the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and people of color.

The proposal comes amid growing tensions around LGBTQ+ representation in public spaces across the country. According to research by GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization, exposure to LGBTQ+ representation significantly increases acceptance among non-LGBTQ+ people, with studies showing that 80% of those exposed to such representation reported greater acceptance.

Opponents of the bill view it as part of a broader pattern of conservative efforts to diminish LGBTQ+ visibility. They point to recent national developments, including executive actions under the Trump administration that renamed various national institutions and landmarks.

In early 2025, an executive order titled “RESTORING NAMES THAT HONOR AMERICAN GREATNESS” called for changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Other changes included rebranding the U.S. Institute of Peace as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace and altering the National Park Service’s America the Beautiful Pass to feature the former president’s image.

The National Park Service change prompted particular public outcry, with some pass holders creating stickers to cover Trump’s image. In response, the Park Service enforced a policy that altered passes would be considered void, effectively canceling users’ $80 annual memberships.

Media literacy experts have raised concerns about what they describe as increasing political propaganda in public spaces. The University of Illinois defines propaganda as “the management of collective attitudes by the manipulation of significant symbols,” a definition that critics say applies to efforts to rename public spaces after politically divisive figures.

This debate in Utah unfolds against the backdrop of what some educators describe as declining media literacy rates nationwide, potentially making the public more susceptible to propaganda tactics.

The bill also enters a national conversation about broader initiatives like Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that includes provisions to remove gender-affirming language from federal documents and restrict gender-affirming care.

For Utah’s LGBTQ+ community, the proposed street name change represents more than simple municipal administration. Advocates argue that maintaining Harvey Milk Boulevard provides important visibility and acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ history, particularly as the state navigates complex discussions around identity and representation.

The future of HB 196 remains uncertain as it moves through Utah’s legislative process. However, the debate surrounding the bill highlights the ongoing national conversation about how public spaces reflect—or fail to reflect—diverse histories and communities, particularly those of marginalized groups.

As this legislation progresses, it will likely continue to serve as a focal point for discussions about LGBTQ+ visibility, political symbolism, and the meaning of public commemorations in Utah and beyond.