September 12th
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| Marquis de Sade |
1858 – LDS Church historian's office notes discovery this
morning
of severed head of Provo woman who has been seen at U.S. military camp at Camp Floyd for a week.
Six weeks earlier another woman's head is discovered. These are earliest
verified examples of someone taking literally the repeated teachings of Mormon
leaders that apostates and adulterers should have their heads "cut
off" as "blood atonement" for their sins.
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| Camp Floyd |
 |
| 1st Methodist SLC |
1962- In connection with Brigham
Young University
“on the
question of homosexuals who might be a part of out student body”. They decided that the number of homosexuals
on campus was “a very small percentage of the whole” and
therefore
administrators “ought not to dignify it by meeting with the men and women of
the university in a public setting but handle each case on its own”. They then
worked out a plan whereby Mormon general authorities and other church
administrators would give BYU any information they obtained about homosexuality
on campus and BYU would give church administrators information about homosexual
church members. They decided as a
general policy that “no one will be admitted as a student at the BYU whom we
have convincing evidence is a homosexual.” Shortly afterward, as newly
appointed president of the West European Mission, Mark E. Petersen ruled that
missionaries there had to sleep in separate beds instead of the traditional
single bed. Both Peterson and Kimball were assigned by David O. McKay in 1959 to deal with homosexuality within the LDS Church.
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| Spencer W Kimball |
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| Mark E. Peterson |
1969-Friday Gay
Liberation Front protested at the offices of the Village Voice to oppose their
policy of allowing writers to refer to Gays as "fags." At 4:30 p.m.,
during the peak of the demonstration, a member of GLF submitted a classified ad
saying "The Gay Liberation Front sends love to all Gay men and women in
the homosexual community." The picture outside the Voice was characterized
by a chanting picket line, a supply of 5000 leaflets being rapidly exhausted,
and large numbers of people signing the petition charging the Voice with
discrimination. At this point,
Howard Smith emerged from the door of the Village Voice (to boos from the
crowd) and requested three representatives from GLF to "meet with Mr.
Fancher". Once inside and upstairs, the representatives encountered a cry
of outrage that GLF has chosen the Village Voice as a target. The suggestion was made that we negotiate the three points in dispute 1)
changing classified ads without knowledge or consent of purchaser, 2) use of
the words "Gay" and "homosexual" in classifieds, and 3) the
contemptuous attitude of the Village Voice toward the Gay Community. GLF
explained that the two issues involving classified ad policy were not
negotiable and that the substance of the paper should be of legitimate concern
to a responsible publisher. Ed Fancher replied that the Village Voice exercised
no censorship of its articles, and that if a writer wanted to say derogatory
things about faggots, he could not in good conscience stop him. Fancher also
said that we had no right to tamper with "freedom of the press." This GLF accepted
with the absolute understanding that Gay Power has the right to return and
oppose anything the Village Voice staff chooses to include in the paper. On the
Classified Ads policy he conceded completely. He said that not only would the
Voice not alter Ads after payment, but that in Classified Ads the words
"Gay" and "homosexual" per se were no longer issues. One of
the GLF representatives in the upstairs office stepped to the window facing
Seventh Avenue and flashed the V for Victory sign to the waiting crowd below.
WE HAD WON (memoirs of John Lauritsen)
 |
| Malcolm Boyd |
1976-Rev Malcolm
Boyd came out in an interview with the Chicago Sun Times. He later wrote
"Gay Priest." Boyd was a prominent white clergyman in the American Civil Rights Movement. He
participated as one of the Freedom riders in 1961. Later that year, he became
the Episcopal Chaplain at Wayne State University in Detroit. It was while he
was here that he attended an interfaith conference for racial integration in
Chicago. His presence at the event is mentioned by Malcolm X in his 1963 speech
"The Old Negro and the New Negro." Malcolm X references Boyd's
criticism of the speakers chosen for the conference. Boyd was also
active in the anti-Vietnam War movement, marching with Martin Luther King, Jr.
in 1968.
1977- The “State
Fair Committee Party and Pot Luck Dinner” was held at Metropolitan Community Church of Salt Lake with a ‘50's dress contest and Elvis Memorial Dance" . The State Fair Committee was organized to protest Anita Bryant singing at the Utah State Fair
1985-Fifteen
Chicago police who entered a gay bar with a warrant to arrest the bartender
stormed in with their guns drawn, ordered all the patrons on the floor,
searched them, photographed them, interrogated them about their personal lives,
beat one man, and detained them over three hours. After the ACLU filed suit
charging unreasonable search and seizure, violations of freedom of association,
and illegally obtaining personal information the police settled for $226,500 to
be divided among the men. Police also agreed to return all photographs and
items confiscated and to expunge the incident and all information collected
from their records.
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| Anthony Perkins and Tab Hunter |
1992-Actor Anthony Perkins, best known for his role as
Norman Bates in Psycho, died of complications from AIDS at age 60. Anthony Perkins had affairs with A-list male celebrities: Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter,
Troy Donahue, Rudolf Nureyev, Paul Newman, Leonard Bernstein, James Dean, and
Stephen Sondheim. The one that lasted, however, was with dancer/choreographer
Grover Dale, with whom Perkins had a six-year relationship before his 1973
marriage to photographer Berry Berenson, the sister of actress Marisa Berenson.
Dale, who had been Perkins’ understudy in the stage musical Greenwillow, also
married in 1973 . Perkins was
41 years old at the time of his marriage and said he had sex with a woman for
the first time just a year before that, at age 39, with his co-star Victoria
Principal during filming of The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. His widow Berry
Berenson Perkins, a photographer and eclectic fashion plate of the 1970's
before she settled into marriage with the actor Anthony Perkins, was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11, which was the first
jetliner to strike the World Trade Center, on September 11 2001.
1997 I am devastated. I went back to the Utah Stonewall Center like was agreed yesterday only to find that the entire archives was gone! It was packed up without my having to go through it and make sure all was safe. Even some of my personal writings I had been working on was gone. Ahtow must have cleared out the place before confronting me today and he was not around. I called Chuck Whyte and was furious, feeling betrayed. He said the Board decided to pack it all up and it would be stored in a ventilated storage unit but I had no access to it. I went home and bawled. It felt like a complete betrayal of our history. I will never trust others ever again with our cultural history. I wasn't even allowed to retrieve my personal effects I had left at the center. What a black day. The board just sees the archives as property not as the treasure it is. The library was decimated too. This is what happens when people with no connection to our history are given authority without knowledge. I am beyond devastated. I am heartbroken. No one knows what these fools did to our history. Locked up like the Lost Ark in some warehouse who knows where without any access. Journal of Ben Williams.
1997 I am devastated. I went back to the Utah Stonewall Center like was agreed yesterday only to find that the entire archives was gone! It was packed up without my having to go through it and make sure all was safe. Even some of my personal writings I had been working on was gone. Ahtow must have cleared out the place before confronting me today and he was not around. I called Chuck Whyte and was furious, feeling betrayed. He said the Board decided to pack it all up and it would be stored in a ventilated storage unit but I had no access to it. I went home and bawled. It felt like a complete betrayal of our history. I will never trust others ever again with our cultural history. I wasn't even allowed to retrieve my personal effects I had left at the center. What a black day. The board just sees the archives as property not as the treasure it is. The library was decimated too. This is what happens when people with no connection to our history are given authority without knowledge. I am beyond devastated. I am heartbroken. No one knows what these fools did to our history. Locked up like the Lost Ark in some warehouse who knows where without any access. Journal of Ben Williams.
1997-Bernard Widmar and Henry Korn of Boise Idaho held a
party with 200 guests to celebrate their golden anniversary. They met in Chicago while they were
both in college on the G.I. bill. Widmar's Obitionary just calls his companion of 58 years "his friend". Obituary-Bernard
Widmar, 83, went home to his Lord and Savior Nov. 7, 2005. He was born in
Dyersville, IA. He passed with no pain and his friends were there with him. He
passed away from Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS.) After
his discharge from the Navy, where he served in the South Pacific, he attended
Loras College in Dubuque, IA. He then moved to Chicago, IL to attend The
Conservatory of Music to study voice. While working at Marshall Field and
Company he met Hank Korn, who was going to school in the same building and was
also employed by Fields. Together they decided to move to California where
Henry enrolled in a drama school. Bernard continued his vocal lessons and then
worked for Bank of America for over 20 years. Bernard later worked for
Gibraltar Savings, where he became a manager, and worked until retirement. Hank
started his own successful cosmetic company. California was growing and getting
crowded. They had visited Boise, ID several times and decided to move to Idaho
where they could enjoy their retirement close to open spaces and many national
parks. Bernard
leaves to mourn his sister and many nieces
and nephews throughout the United States, and his friend of 58 years, Hank. He
will be missed and always remembered. A
memorial service will be July 11, 2006 at the Veterans Cemetery in Boise. IDAHO
STATESMAN, 09/Jul/2006
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| Alan Ahtow |
2002 Tim Keller to Chad
Keller Subject Pride Day Merger: Go Chad ! You know my feelings in this
regard. Plus, I spoke with some others here tonight and they agree with me as
well. I wish I could do more to help you, but we both know that The Center is
really only interested in the opinions of those in Cache Valley
- Craig Miller to Chad Keller Subject Pride Day 2002: Hi, Chad,
Just recently I've had phone calls and received emails indicating that you are
extremely upset with the Pride Board and that you have made a lot of
speculations about what we have been up to in your absence. Now that I'm a
member of the EC, I can tell you without hesitation that we haven't been up to
a whole lot. Kathryn [Warner] has been
ill so Sherry [Booth] was out of touch with us for awhile and we have had only
one EC meeting when we discussed the payment of overdue bills, the time line
for approaching sponsors, and how to start making plans for 2003, etc. That's when we felt we needed to send you the
registered letter so we would know for sure that you knew a meeting was
planned. We've had no other meetings. Thanks for answering the registered
letter. I'm sorry; we don't feel we can
put the meeting off until the 24th. Instead, we are planning an open Pride
Board meeting for Monday, September 16 at the ACLU building at 7:00 PM. I am in sincere hopes this could be only an
hour in length. Basically we need to
begin making plans for Pride 2003 and we need to pick some dates when our task
force could meet with the Center's to negotiate terms for a possible merger. As
you know, we will also be discussing whether we can continue working with you
on the board level, and this will come up as a vote on Monday night.
- Chad Keller to Craig Miller: The following I would ask you share with the board immediately...... Craig I must say out of all of this how you keep from killing us all is amazing, but that is the dynamics of many personalities. While it is nice to know it does not really change my opinions of what pride should be doing, and what direction we should head. As I have always said I am just one voice....but we have sadly moved in a segregated direction where the voices are no longer welcome, where the vision of “who our community is” and “should be” lies in the control of the select few. Like I said yesterday when we will realize that we can disagree adamantly when dealing with the issues of Pride? What we must learn is that it is just business and that when we are done we can and are still friends. I have never criticized anyone personally, I was voicing concern for a direction that may not be the best, and try to make sure that some how it was heard. Often I had issued the concern quietly before in simple suggestions and options. They were brushed aside. We definitely took ownership, now it is time to take responsibility and ante up without compromising the integrity, spirit, and independence of Pride. Again as I said, I should not have to apologize for raising criticisms and confronting the issues. Personally in looking back I should have done more raising of the hard questions rather than just go along trying to fit in. As a board, committee aside, it was our job to raise the tough questions, and yes to even be quick to criticize what has been allowed to happen. The issue of the TIPS Cards are a prime example. Shane [Strands} should have been told to march right back there and get his check back. The Banners for the Vendor area where another prime example. It appeared that we were well funded and as Adam [Frost] had done such a great job, the EC let him order them. Both were luxuries, and real nice making it more visual and less trying for volunteers but was it necessary? But where was the rainy day fund (no pun intended). And after the poor weather memorial day we should have been called to evaluate what has been spent, and see what we could cancel, just in case. I felt often we were living in a dreamland that Pride was always hot and sunny, and didn't come back to reality till it was too late. Long ago when I did my first event I was guided to look at every penny I spent as if it was coming right out of my pocket. It really was good advice, and yes has often has even where there was a lot of cash in other events I have participated in cause a lot more work to save money. And isn't that really what we as a board should have been doing? We have kept referring to the UAF [Utah AIDS Foundation]. But Robin Nelson taught me and continues to teach me the following...."why?" "is it necessary?" "does it fit the current plan?" and most importantly "what the plan to cover your butt when it all heads south?" As for the registered letter, I find it hard to believe. Calling people to a meeting of the "EC" it is because you have questioned or confronted Sherry [Booth] or Darien [Hobbs]. These sessions often end up turning into a strong arm session of “resign or we will remove you and ruin you”. They did it with Mel [Nimmer], and Mel was brave enough not to be strong armed and take it back to where the decisions belong at the board level. This is her M.O. and I was not going to again participate in them diagnosing and making statements that they had no right or room to make. I find it hard to believe that anyone member of the board is that afraid of, mad at, or intimidated by me to just make a phone call, or send an email. My criticisms were never against anyone personally. They were meant for them make people stand back and evaluate what they were doing and how it would effect Pride. I stood back wondered where exactly were the checks and balances that we promised the community? And I learned that depending on who you were- that your expenses were not questioned too seriously. I never felt we had anything to prove, except that Pride could be done without the establishment. Spend ,Spend was the motto, rather than where can I get creative and save money. Yes, I jumped on the band wagon, but why not, when in Rome. Weather aside had we been more fiducially responsible, then perhaps there would be no bills unpaid, and money in the bank. I honestly believe if we had not allowed a certain few to dictate what we were allowed to address, then perhaps we wouldn't have past due bills. This really is due to the fact that we have neglected the structure; and just did what we could do to hold it together with bailing wire and bubble gum. I, like every one else, really don't have time for long meetings. We all have enough to do. But contrary to what we want, we knew going in, based on the damaged structure, that we would need to participate in many long meeting. Based on thst structure we should have had more, and longer meetings. Sorry Darrin [Hobbs], I see your vision in this but the cart got put before the horse. When the committee is also the board the vision blurred, and was lost. Speaking of vision, the merger has never been fully discounted by me. Yes, it is an "option" but the message that is sent through "We are burnt out" "I don't have time anymore" "all I want to do is throw a party" sends a very different message. Again the cart is before the horse. Where was the task force to evaluate the structure? I have made it clear on several occasions that I personally spent a great deal of time and energy researching and producing five separate plans that would provide us the structure I would need. Yet I have been accused by Darrin [Hobbs], Sherry [Booth], and Geoff [Partain] that it was self serving to my agenda. Them saying "we all know who you want on and off" was so far from the truth. Fact is, do any of you know any one of the other options in their entirety? No, as the presentation has never been taken out of the box and sits in my office at home waiting for the time to be considered. Again, I guess it figures in to who you are on the committee. If any one is tired and doesn't have time, or just wants committee duties, really you should be honest with yourself and the rest of us. If you are burnt out or tired you should not be making decisions that will effect the direction and growth of Pride. I’m sorry, and I know it really make people mad to hear that. Your decision will not be clear and concise. This community will step forward. Each of us are easily replaceable. A couple things on the merger, which is really a take over...sorry for those of you who think differently should retake Business 101. The Center, while they strive to be the heart and "center" of the community, is far from being representative of the community. It is a clear fact. If you do not believe me, take a look at the make up of the board. It needs to address its own programming issues before it takes on someone else’s. When on that day it will stand up for each organization in this community, whether it upsets another one or not, and when it has created programming that benefits and includes every part of GLBT and include all incomes, and includes all thoughts, and organizations… then and only then would I without question say go for it. Right now many in the community see it still struggling to find itself, and many wonder exactly what its purpose is, let alone what the staff does. The Center rarely can or will answer their own phones. We are not LA, or NY...do we need a community center? Has its own current structure out lived its existence? In my eyes and the eyes of many their ain’t much community left in our own community center. Its focus is more youth and lesbian oriented. Of course that is my opinion. We need to listen to our community. Has anyone but me been out there asking? With that I close with this; I will be the same person tomorrow that I am today, and was in the past. I do not take kindly to mediocrity, nor do I feel that taking the convenient and easy option is the best. I took a position on the board not just to throw a parade or a grand marshal party. Those were just caveats. My intent was to participate in the correction of years of neglect. I guess I was misinformed, the fate of Pride had long been determined, I failed to see it in many of mine and Darrin’s conversations. I however will not sell Pride's independence for anything, including rest. Unfortunately Monday is not workable for me. Sorry guys, I can’t just change appointments at the drop of a hat. I personally feel as if it is again intentional. And it shows more of a "Boss" mentality rather than a "Leader" philosophy. I am happy to contribute to the building of Pride. I will carry more than my fair share. I would carry the share of those who needed a break. You all know that. You either want my contribution and expertise or you don't. I can be your greatest supporter or most vocal opponent. I play hard in life. Its short and their ain’t time for hurt feeling. Realize that there is always going to be someone that hurts your feelings. The difference is to determine if they are attacking you or are they attacking the concept. Call the Vote, and let me know later today, as I cannot afford the time at this point, nor can I afford to loose the cash from a consultation to change the schedule at this late date. It is not fair to my client. Besides you'll call the vote first anyway, as always, and then if voted out dismiss me as quick Pride has often dismissed the wishes of the community. It is truly better this way. I await your response. If I am to stay, and we are to be productive, then I will make arrangements to be in attendance. One way or the other I will always be there questioning very loudly. Sincerely, Chad Keller
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| Ben Williams |
2003 At the Utah State Historical Society's Conference I was the last presenter on
a session regarding "medical history". The room had about 15 people, mostly older
or retired people. It did sound dull. A few were obvious Mormons by being greeted as Brother so
and so, Sister so and so. The only thing which we three presenters had in common was that we all
graduated from BYU with various degrees. David Walden, a part time instructor
of history at SLCC, spoke on "A History of St. Marks Hospital" which was founded by the
Presbyterians in 1872 and is the oldest hospital still remaining. An interesting fact brought out by a retired nurse in the audience was that when St. Marks was
located on 3rd West across from Wasatch Springs Park in 1964, the Gypsy King
died in the hospital and all the gypsies of the world descended upon SLC and the
hospital to view the body and to elect a new Gypsy king. Thousands camped out
at the park. That was interesting I thought but was not a part of Walden's
talk. Next a BYU assistant professor (I think) spoke on "A History of
Children's Hospitals in Utah" I thought oh brother! I have to follow sick
children! I am doomed! She spoke about
the founding of Primary Childrens hospital in 1922 by the LDS Church, and the
Shriners Hospital in 1925. When I was introduced by the facilitator, he said, Ben
Williams, A Gay man, and on and on. I thought well I am out now. Well I told everyone how
brave I thought they were to come to hear a talk on such a controversial
subject. Then I gave my talk and afterwards all the questions were geared towards
me rather than the other panelists. Some asked whether there were there any AIDS service providers besides what was being
done in the Gay community and I told them no. Everything that is in place
originated with the grass root efforts of Gays and Lesbians due to the lack of
help from the Utah State Department of health. So there you have it… the first
presentation by an openly Gay man at the Utah State Historical Society Annual
Meeting on AIDS. Words like Safer Sex, Condoms, bath houses were bandied about
and The Royal Court, KRCL, Salt AIDS Foundation, AIDS Project Utah were all
mentioned to people who probably never knew they existed. Whew! I was so glad
to be done. [Memoir of Ben Williams]
- I was the last presenter on a session regarding medical history. The room had about 15 people, mostly older or retired people. A few were obvious Mormons by being greeted as Brother so and so. The only thing which the three presenters had in common was that we all graduated from BYU with various degrees. David Walden, a part time instructor of history at SLCC, spoke on "A History of St. Marks Hospital" which was founded by the Presbyterians in 1872 and is the oldest hospital still remaining. An interested fact brought out by a retired nurse in the audience was that when St. Marks was located on 3rd West across from Wasatch Springs Park in 1964, the Gypsy King died in the hospital and all the gypsies of the world descended on SLC and the hospital to view the body and to elect a new Gypsy king. Thousands camped out at the park. That was interesting I thought but was not a part of Walden's talk. Next a BYU assistant professor (I think) spoke on "A History of Children's Hospitals in Utah" I thought oh brother! I have to follow sick children! I am doomed. She spoke about the founding of Primary Childrens hospital in 1922 by the LDS Church, and the Shriners Hospital in 1925. When I was introduced, the facilitator said, Ben Williams, A Gay Man, on and on. I thought well I am out now. Told everyone how brave I thought they were to come to hear a talk on such a controversial subject. I gave my talk and afterwards, all the questions were geared towards me. Some asked were there any AIDS service providers besides what was being done in the Gay community and I told them no..everything that is in place originated with the grass root efforts of Gays and Lesbians due to the lack of help from the Utah State Department of health. So there you have it.. they first presentation by an openly Gay man at the Utah State Historical Society Annual Meeting on AIDS. Words like Safer Sex, Condoms, bath houses were bantied about and The Royal Court, KRCL, Salt AIDS Foundation, AIDS Project Utah were all mentioned to people who probably never knew they existed. Whew! I was so glad to be done. PS (I almost peed my pants I was so nervous)
2015 Don't miss Queer Continuum! 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Rowland Hall Utah's 1 to 5 Club is joining the ranks of
Because and other B+ focused conferences. We are so proud to bring you, 10
years after the 1 to 5 Club was officially launched in 2005, our very first
B+/Sexually Fluid Conference. Focusing on issues that range from People of
Color in the community to how gender and sexual fluidity intersect to a really
great sexually fluid 101 conversation, this conference is a chance to expand
your knowledge of who we are and what we want as a community. We are honored to have Dr. Lisa Diamond of
the University of Utah as our keynote speaker. Workshop presenters include
leaders and community members.
2017 Utah Clergy Respond to Nashville
Statement: We celebrate that all people are created in the image of God and that the diversity
seen in the broad spectrum of sexualities reflects a diversity inherent in God’s
creation. On August 29, a group of notable
evangelical Christians put out a statement in Nashville, laying out what they see as
the Christian attitude toward people who are gay, lesbian, transgender or
bisexual. We, the undersigned, are clergy of many
faiths, including Christian, who disagree in the strongest of terms. We want to
state emphatically that we renounce the bigotry and homophobia that is at the
heart of the “Nashville
Statement” and want to make clear that they do not speak for all
people of faith, nor Christianity. We each celebrate that all people are
created in the image of God and that the diversity seen in the broad spectrum
of sexualities reflects a diversity inherent in God’s creation. We rejoice in
unions that honor God’s greatest gift of love, regardless of the orientation of
the parties involved, and we see absolutely no inconsistencies with either
tradition or scripture in accepting LGBTQ people as God made them. We see the Nashville
statement as an attack on LGBTQ people of faith and also on people of faith who
have the moral courage and integrity necessary to stand with them. We want it
understood that this is not a fight between people who are LGBTQ and people of
faith but that we are compelled by our faith to fight for inclusion. One need
not make a choice between who they know themselves to be and their faith. We confess that our communities of
faith have at times been the source of harm and we admit that we serve
congregations and faith communities that are still striving to be fully
inclusive and welcoming. We here now renounce the sinful practices of
exclusion, abuse and condemnation of the LGBTQ community in the hope of leading
those who agree with the Nashville Statement to also repent and turn toward
inclusion. We pledge ourselves to stand with you
as you fight for inclusion and equality. We pledge to work tirelessly to
continue to create safe space within our houses of worship and within the
larger society. We pledge to confront homophobia and bigotry until it is a
thing of the past. Our
determination to remain faithful to these brothers and sisters is simply a part
of what we believe it means to aspire to the highest faith born values of love,
equity, acceptance and inclusion.
Rev. Jerrod Lowry, pastor, Community of Grace Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Curtis L. Price, pastor, First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City.
Rev. Scott Dalgarno, pastor, Wasatch Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Steven A. Klemz, pastor, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Rev. Monica Dobbins, assistant minister, First Unitarian Church, Salt Lake City.
Rev. Mary Janda, vicar St. Steven’s Episcopal Church.
Rev. Patty Willis, pastor of South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society.
Rev. Vinnetta Golphin-Wilkerson, pastor, Granger Community Christian Church.
Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman, Congregation Kol Ami.
High Priest Blair White, pastor, Salt Lake City Community of Christ.
Rev. Gage Church, pastor, Ogden Congregational United Church of Christ.
Rev. Cindy Solomon-Klebba, pastor, Wasatch Metropolitan Community Church.
Rev. Anna Zumwalt Soto, Zen Buddhist priest.
Rev. Dr. David Henry, retired Presbyterian pastor.
Rev. Monica Hall, pastor, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Ogden.
Father Robert Trujillo, pastor, Glory to God Old Catholic Church.
Fred Smullin, lay pastor, Morgan Valley Christian Church.
Carla Long, bishop, Community of Christ.
Rev. Trace Browning, rector, All Saints Episcopal Church.
Rev. Kim James, Ogden First United Methodist Church.
Rev. Genny Rowley, Alliance of Baptists.
2017 SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A gay couple denied the chance to have a baby using a surrogate challenged a Utah law's reference to heterosexual parents Tuesday in a case that illustrates the legal complications LGBT couples can face when starting families amid a national patchwork of surrogacy laws. The case came before the Utah Supreme Court after a judge refused to approve the couple's surrogacy agreement. The judge in southern Utah cited references to a mother in the law's requirement that prospective parents prove a woman can't have children without health serious risk before they turn to surrogacy. That discriminates against male same-sex couples who want to start a family, said Edwin Wall, an attorney for the two men who want to remain anonymous. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes won't stand in the couple's way. State lawyers didn't appear before the high court and said in court documents that the law should be read as gender-neutral. Some state Supreme Court justices, though, questioned whether that is enough or part of the law should be struck down. "It seems to me we have to resolve this on constitutional grounds," Justice John Pearce said. The panel did not immediately rule following the Tuesday hearing. While gay couples still face legal challenges on parenthood,
the Utah case appears unique in barring a pregnancy before it begins, said
Susan Sommer with the national gay-rights group Lambda Legal. Nationwide,
surrogacy laws are a patchwork even for heterosexual couples, she said. "Really,
the situation is crying out for better, current up-to-date statues that reflect
the reality that people are using gestational carriers," she said. The
case from southern Utah's Washington County was first reported by The Salt Lake
Tribune. It isn't the first high-profile case involving lesbian, gay, bisexual
or transgender parents in Utah. A lesbian couple successfully sued after the
state refused to put both their names on their child's birth certificate in
2015, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Later
that year, a judge briefly ordered a baby girl removed from another lesbian
couple's foster home so the child could be placed with a heterosexual couple
for her well-being. He reversed the decision after a national outcry.
2017 Edith Windsor, the
gay-rights activist whose landmark case led the Supreme Court to grant same-sex
married couples federal recognition for the first time and rights to a host of
federal benefits that until then only married heterosexuals had enjoyed, died
on Tuesday in Manhattan. She was 88. Her wife, Judith
Kasen-Windsor, confirmed the death, at a hospital, but did not specify a cause.
They were married in 2016. Four decades after
the Stonewall Inn uprising fueled the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender rights in America, Ms. Windsor, the widow of a woman with whom she
had lived much of her life, became the lead plaintiff in what is widely
regarded as the second most important Supreme Court ruling in the national
battle over same-sex marriage rights. The Windsor decision,
handed down in 2013, was limited to 13 states and the District of Columbia. But
in a more expansive ruling in 2015, in Obergefell v. Hodges and three related
cases, the Supreme Court held that same-sex couples had a constitutional right
to marry anywhere in the nation, with all the protections and privileges of
heterosexual couples. Its historic significance was likened to that of Lawrence
v. Texas in 2003, which decriminalized gay sex in the United States.
2018 Come share memories of Cliff Johnson who died 26 August. If you have any photos of Cliff, please print and frame them, and bring them with you. They will be returned at the end of the evening. We will have a mike set up to share memories out on the patio. If you're able to donate anything toward cremation costs, we will also be accepting donations there. A big thank you to the Zion Curtain Sisters, which Cliff was a member of as Sister Loki for your willing participation. And to Michael and Michael of the Sun Trapp for the space and such great willingness to help. Hope to see you all there! His position in the Zion Curtain Sisters was Br Loki A Bear Asguard - Captain of the Guard
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| Cliff Johnson |
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