EDITORIAL — In the aftermath of the tragic deaths of two Washington City residents, St. George News has received several inquiries about the use of female gender pronouns in reference to the alleged killer in our coverage of the case.
We think it’s important to inform the community of our thought process in this regard. However, before addressing this aspect of the case, we wish to express our condolences to the family of Joseph and Gail Bailey. The horrific nature of their senseless deaths is incomprehensible, and our thoughts are with the Baileys’ loved ones as they grieve. They deserve the utmost compassion, respect and support.
As we have reported on this case, some readers have expressed confusion about the use of “she/her” pronouns in reference to the person allegedly responsible for these murders. Mia Bailey, formerly Collin Bailey, is a transgender woman who has, by state law, formally transitioned from male to female.
Bailey, who faces multiple felony counts of aggravated murder, successfully petitioned for a name and gender change in Fifth District Court in St. George on Aug. 10, 2023.
Before being granted a legal gender change, Bailey was required to meet several strict criteria, according to Utah state law. This includes “clear and convincing evidence that the individual seeking the sex designation change… has outwardly expressed as the sex sought in the petition in a consistent and uniform manner for at least six months” and “evidence of medical history, care, or treatment related to sex transitioning.”
St. George News does not make nor hold an opinion on the law, but we do follow and respect all laws. We are legally obliged to refer to the individual by female pronouns, in the same way we respect all legal name changes.
As coverage of this case moves through the court system, readers should expect to continue to see “she/her” pronouns in reference to Bailey in all news reports in observance of established law as well as Associated Press Stylebook guidelines, which defers to the pronouns used by individuals.
We are also following the lead of local law enforcement agencies using female pronouns to refer to the suspect. We commend all police agencies involved in the dreadful half-day-long manhunt for putting public safety above all else. In every instance, police made clear that they were looking for an individual who was transitioning from male to female and clearly described the suspect’s physical features and manner of dress.
We can’t fully express in words our gratitude to the likes of Washington City Police Lt. Kory Klotz and St. George Police Officer Tiffany Mitchell for their tireless efforts in keeping the community informed, as well as the hundreds of other officers who worked around the clock to apprehend the suspect. This was a frightening situation that was made a little more bearable by the bravery of officers from multiple Southern Utah public safety agencies.
Unfortunately, we have observed some people use this case as an opportunity to demonize an entire demographic. Transgender individuals are no more prone to criminal conduct than the general population. We ask that the community not use our social media platforms to denigrate and delegitimize an entire group of people based on the bad actions of a single individual.
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