This Day In Gay Utah History October 6

October 6th

Julian Eltinge

1917 AT THE ALHAMBRA. Julian Eltinge, the world's most famous female Impersonator, is showing at the Alhambra Theater today. The vehicle for this famous actor is the picturized version of "The Countess Charming" in which he made such a hit on Broadway. It is a remarkable picture and will cause one to rub his eyes and take a second look to really decide that Mr. Eltinge is really a man. He takes the dual roles of Saunders and Countess Raffelski and his impersonation of both characters is wonderful. On the same bill Fatty Arbuckle, one of Ogden's favorite comedians, is seen in "Oh, Doctor." It is a scream and well worth while for driving away the blues. An interesting story- is told about Mr. Eltinge, while he was at work at the Hollywood studios in California. In Hollywood, the Paramount studios have the distinction of being of a very modest and retiring disposition; consequently, when some of the neighbors saw a beautifully gowned young woman

smoking a large and very black cigar, leap into a run-about and dash up the street, the report got out that at last the well-behaved Paramount studios had succumbed to the epidemic of vulgarity. When it was finally explained, however, that the young "woman" was no other than Julian Eltinge, the famous feminine impersonator, matters were straightened out and the Women’s auxiliary resumed its knitting. Ogden Standard

•  The Alhambra Theater was located at 2429 Kiesel Avenue and opened its doors 17 March 1915.  For years the Alhambra Theater was the largest theater in Ogden.  It was torn down in January 1971 and many of the ornate decorations, chandeliers, and painted drops from the Alhambra were donated for use in the New Alhambra Theater, which opened on 29 January 1971 at 2550 Washington Blvd.

1928-The New York Times reported that George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells had protested the seizure of the lesbian novel "The Well of Loneliness" by English customs agents. The novel had been published in France and was being imported into England.

Joseph  F Smith

1946 LDS Church Patriarch Joseph F. Smith’s resignation letter is read in the church’s semi-annual conference. He claimed “an extended illness,” as reason for leaving his hereditary post. His cousin, LDS President George Albert Smith, learned that Joseph F. Smith had been in a homosexual relationship with a 21 year-old LDS sailor and allowed the resignation.

Ben Barr

1960 Ben-David Barr was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Early AIDS activist Director of both the Salt Lake AIDS Foundation and Utah AIDS Foundation. Ben-David Barr, MSW  is a third year doctoral student at the School of Social Welfare. He is a part-time hospice social worker, serving both terminally ill patients and their families. He has been involved with HIV/AIDS programs and services for more than 15 years in capacities that range from hell raiser to program manger. Past positions include serving as a founder and Executive Director of an HIV/AID service organization, an HIV/AIDS Program Manager for a county health department and as a Community Organizer within a gay-rights empowerment-oriented agency. He has co-authored several papers on HIV focused topics that discuss the challenges in reaching hidden/hard to work with populations including substance abusing gay men and women engaged in prostitution. His research focuses on topics related to social work community practice, including the development, management and evaluation of community-focused social work.

Troy Perry

1968-12 people in Los Angeles gathered for the first service of Metropolitan Community Church. Rev Troy Perry founded the church with a primary outreach to the  Gay community. Within four years a church would be established in Salt Lake City.

1970 National Columnist Dr. George W Crane wrote in his Worry Clinic column published in the Ogden Standard Examiner “In fact thousands of boys of high school age still think of sodomy as the method of physical union.” 

N Eldon Tanner

1974- N. Eldon Tanner, 1st Counselor in the First Presidency  "Why Is My Boy Wandering Tonight?", Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 84 "Many are in the wilderness because of following the poor example set by leaders in homes and communities. Traffic in this area is most congested and confusing. Pornography, fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are permitted and practiced in the world today to such an extent that we are truly following the ways of Sodom and Gomorrah. There is too much corruption in the world. We need strong leaders of good character in all places—leaders who are examples of integrity, dependability, and righteousness."

1979 Monday - The Lesbian and Gay Student Union at the University of Utah held “Conscious Raising” sessions every Monday at 7:30 P.m. in the Social Work Building Room 133. With beginning of new term  they began discussion of forming a Parents of Gays group.

Scott Stites

1985 The Royal Court of the Golden Spike’s Emperor Scott Stites organizes the first AIDS Awareness Week in Utah

1989- In reaction to a small, peaceful protest against federal neglect of people with AIDS, about 200 San Francisco police officers rioted in the Castro neighborhood, beating protesters and passersby, sweeping seven city blocks of all pedestrians, and placing thousands in homes and business under house arrest for the duration..

Boyd K Packer

1990 At the Mormon’s 160th semi annual general conference Boyd K. Packer attacked Gay people likening their love to incest and child molestation. He blasted those in the medical and psychiatric professions who justify homosexuality by saying “ these impulses are in born, cannot be over come and should not be resisted.” He continued to rant saying “They quote scripture to justify perverted acts between consenting adults. That same logic would justify incest or the molesting of little children of either gender.” Boyd K. Packer, Apostle October 1990, "Covenants", Ensign, November 1990, p. 85 After lengthy discussion of "Gay and Lesbian Rights", Packer said, "Why, they ask, does this happen to me?...They write that their bishop could not answer the ‘why'....We are sometimes told that leaders in the Church do not really understand these problems.  Perhaps we don't.  There are many ‘whys' for which we just do not have simple answers."

1990 Saturday David Sharpton organized a Utah Chapter of ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power). First meeting was held at 350 East 700 South at the club house. Homosexual men make up the largest percentage of Utah's AIDS population, according to figures compiled by the Utah Department of Health. Since 1983, 325 cases of AIDS have been reported; 188 of the victims have died.

1990-Sunday through Sunday--Photographer Cheri Piefke displayed a photo gallery of faces of People With AIDS at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

Ben Williams

1990 Saturday- It was so chancy for rain this evening that we decided to hold the Sacred Faerie Circle indoors at my apartment. Gillian was the Pillar in charge of the circle since he was the Pillar of the West-Autumn.  It was the first time he acted as a Pillar. Those who attended were Jon Schilds, Buffalo Song (Erick Meyers), Fuku (Jimmy Hamamoto), Gillian, Puck, and myself. It was a good circle. Powerful.  We did a rebirthing ritual for Fuku and Buffalo Song whose name actually came to him while in the circle. We drew lots to see who will be the new pillars for the new Turn of the Wheel or new Year which will begin November 1st.  I drew the East Pillar, Fuku drew the West Pillar, and Gillian drew the South.  No one else in the circle felt like they wanted to act as a Pillar yet . Fuku was a little nervous about taking on the responsibilities of a Pillar so soon but jump on in. Either you are spiritually prepared or you are not.  There's no Faerie 101 course at the University that I know of. Tonight is LDS General Priesthood Conference about 3 blocks from my home. We did an incantation and invoked the Goddesses to bring down Patriarchy and to protect us from the Patriarchal Priesthood. [Journal 1990 of Ben Williams]

Martina Navratilova

1993-Martina Navratilova withdrew from the suit challenging the constitutionality of Colorado's Amendment 2, which had been approved by voters and would have banned gay rights laws in Colorado. She said it was due to tennis commitments.

1994, "Making the Right Choices", Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 38.  [Also reprinted in Richard G. Scott, "Serious Questions, Serious Answers", New Era, Oct. 1995, p. 4] "Sexual immorality creates a barrier to the influence of the Holy Spirit

Richard G. Scott

with all its uplifting, enlightening, and empowering capabilities. It causes powerful physical and emotional stimulation. In time, that creates an unquenchable appetite that drives the offender to ever more serious sin. It engenders selfishness and can produce aggressive acts such as brutality, abortion, sexual abuse, and violent crime. Such stimulation can lead to acts of homosexuality, and they are evil and absolutely wrong."

1997-The US Supreme Court refused to hear a case filed by Sandy Nelson, a reporter who was demoted because she refused to stop her off-duty campaigning in support of a gay rights initiative in Washington. The Washington Supreme Court had ruled that a law barring discrimination in employment for political views did not apply to newspapers.

Matthew Shepard

1998-Twenty-one year old gay college student Matthew Shepard of Wyoming was pistol whipped and tied to a fence in a field. He would die of his injuries at a hospital in Ft Collins, Colorado.

Donna Brazile

1998-The Ford Foundation gave a $100,000 grant to the United Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches for its programs targeting at-risk gay and lesbian youth.

1999-Donna Brazile, an out lesbian, became Al Gore's campaign manager. She is also the first African-American woman to manage a presidential run.

1999- President Clinton signed an executive order amending the US military's criminal code to impose harsher penalties for bias crimes committed because of the victim's race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

2003 'Two Handy Women' making the cut Barbara and Debbie Clinard are self-employed. Not that they had much choice. People kept asking them to fix stuff -- leaky pipes, clogged toilets, cracked tile, unfortunate paneling. At first, doing odd jobs in their University Heights condominium complex seemed like a good way to put themselves through school. Eventually, they bought a business license and began managing their building. Then came the tornado. The freak twister tore through downtown Salt Lake City on Aug. 11, 1999, leaving behind $150 million worth of property damage. On a whim, Barb put up a few fliers offering repair discounts. Before long, the two were strapping plywood to the top of their Accord.     The couple never had the courage to go out and just start a business, Barb says. It just sort of sucked them in. Theirs is a success story, a love story, a study in shifting demographics, a formula for female empowerment, and an allegory of affirmative inaction. At its most basic, theirs is a tale of Two Handy Women and a truck named Butch. Reaching a crossroads:, Barb grew up in West Jordan and got out as soon as she could. She followed a boy to Florida, married him, and went to college. She earned a degree in chemistry and took a research job at Monsanto, makers of everything from NutraSweet to wear-dated carpet to weed killer. Her college adviser told her it was the best job she would ever get with a bachelor's degree. As a kid, Barb had always wanted to be a doctor. As a woman, she wanted to be happy. She ended up getting a divorce, and, one Memorial Day, met Deb at the beach. Deb was born in North Carolina, spent her teen years in Tennessee, and has since lived in California, Colorado, Nevada and Florida. But she is more apt to call the Appalachian Trail home. In 1989, Deb sold everything she had to hike the 2,000-mile trail from Georgia to Maine, a journey that took six months and required her family and friends to mail food and supplies. "I didn't want to come back," she says. "When I did, I spent the next three months sleeping outside on the porch. . . . I like being free, alone with nature. I like having low overhead and no ties." Somehow, sensible Barb and carefree Deb came up with the following plan: move to Utah -- a state not known for its tolerance of gays -- go back to school, and become nurses. Deb wanted to be near the mountains. Barb wanted to be near her family. "I had a great job with great pay, a 401(k), my own staff and a lab coat. I had it all," Barb says. "But it was just a big plant with nothing to stare at but concrete walls. I needed to do something with people." For the first time since high school, Barb was about to be unemployed. For the first time in her life, Deb was about to settle down.    Barb already knew how to do basic home improvement. She and her husband had renovated two houses. As for Deb, she used to stay up at night building miniature radios. She learned to be handy from her mother and grandmother, she says. When the toaster needed fixing, they just took it apart. Still, it didn't dawn on them to become handy ma'ams. And no wonder. Breaking the mold: In 2002, 91.9 percent of all registered nurses were women, compared with 2.5 percent of workers in the construction trades, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.  And yet, as the couple discovered, market conditions were ripe for Jills of All Trades. The U.S. homeownership rate for women-headed households climbed from 48 percent in the early 1980s to 53 percent in 2000, according to the National Association of Realtors. Fannie Mae estimates that by 2010, 31 million homes will be owned by women. And when it comes to single women -- the second-largest group of home buyers after married couples -- nearly 90 percent describe themselves as "do-it-yourselfers." Spurred on by the explosion of home-improvement shows and how-to classes, women now account for 55 percent of Home Depot's non-contractor business and 42 percent of Ace Hardware's customers, according to Business Journal. They also spend 30 percent to 40 percent more than men do per visit. So how does this translate into more business for the Clinards? It's pretty simple, says Barb. Women are sick of being talked down to. And the more they know about a skill or subject, the less likely they are to tolerate condescension. Women also think of themselves as "the fairer sex," albeit by a different definition. The Clinards say their clients, 80 percent of whom are women, just trust them not to overcharge, rob or cheat them. Women also find other women more meticulous, courteous and clean.  It is not unusual for female customers to just hand over the keys to the house and go to work, Deb says.  "For many, many years, women have been told what to do by men and gouged by men and now they don't have to put up with that crap," says Barb. "With us, they're not going to get the 'hey, little lady' attitude -- and they're not going to get the butt crack."   Adds Deb: "I've had a lot of women say, 'I'm uncomfortable with a man here. I can't let my guard down.' It's probably all based on stereotypes and it's a little unfair. But, hey, we'll take advantage of it."     Serving notice: The name Two Handy Women was Deb's idea. She came up with it years ago during one of those "if we ever start a band -- or a business -- we should call it 'X' " moments. It was catchy and to the point and, more important, it took a supposed handicap -- their gender -- and turned it into their best marketing tool. Of course, they didn't know this until they met Butch.  If Butch were a man, he would be Clint Eastwood -- hard outside, soft inside and handsome in a broken-in sort of way. Buying Butch was one of the best business decisions the pair has ever made; a more expensive truck would have put them too far in debt. From the moment Barb and Deb stenciled the company name to the doors of the aging Ford F-150, Two Handy Women has attracted almost too much business.     Would-be customers are always following Butch home. They flash their lights and wave the pickup to the side of the road. They pull up at stoplights and ask for a business card. Sometimes they just honk and give a big thumbs-up. Barb and Deb receive similar attention at the grocery store and the post office whenever they wear their matching knit shirts with the company name. What they haven't attracted is a lot of harassment. The fact that they're a couple rarely comes up in conversation, the women say, even though Barb changed her last name to match Deb's. The couple recently started advertising in The Little Lavender Book, a guide to gay-friendly businesses in Utah. And satisfied customers provide countless referrals. But for the most part, Butch is in charge of marketing. Kris Pierce saw Butch uptown and called for a bid. The Pierces found their East Millcreek hideaway while at an estate sale.

Kris went for the potato peeler; her husband went back for the big, creekside yard. The inside of the house was less enchanting.  "Everything was Barbie Doll pink," she says. The couple remodeled the kitchen and most of the bedrooms, but never got around to doing the living room. Kris, aware that the paneling around the fireplace wasn't getting any prettier, decided to take charge. Although she likes helping out underdogs, that's not why she hired Two Handy Women.  "They were concerned about what I really wanted, and they were the only ones who took pictures of the room before submitting a bid," she says. "I'm just glad I got to them before I was at the end of a six-month waiting list." Settling in: In the early days of the business, Barb and Deb never kept a waiting list. Nor did they turn down any jobs. At one point, says Deb, they worked 76 consecutive 16-hour days. The schedule affected the quality of their work and the quality of their relationship. They made a decision that probably saved both: no more weekends. They also knock off at 5 p.m. Customers don't seem to mind. They seem thrilled that the two show up at all, let alone on time. That was certainly true of their very first customer. The story goes like this: Deb went to the University Heights mailroom one day and saw water leaking from the light fixture. She called the fire department, which traced the leak to a valve in an upstairs condo that was being renovated. Barb contacted the owner and learned the contractor had taken the $3,000 deposit, worked for a week and walked off the job. As a favor, Barb offered to complete the project.    Word got out and the work orders started piling up. When they came across a job they didn't know how to do, they went to Home Depot and asked for instructions.     Today, says Barb, their biggest problem is keeping up with the flood of new business -- "and deciding who's boss."  The Two Handy Women say they would love to expand the payroll. But they can't afford to hire a drywall specialist, a tile expert and so forth. And they haven't had much luck finding women with a wide range of skills. They could hire men, but that might be tantamount to false advertising, they say. Besides, it would take some of the fun out of the job.     Like the day Deb and Barb took Butch to the hardware store to rent a chop saw that would cut through 4-inch concrete. The women promised to have it back in a few hours. The men running the store laughed.  "See you tomorrow," they said.     Later that same day, en route to return the saw, Barb and Deb couldn't help themselves. They made up a little song: "Two Handy Witches, Two Handy Witches," or something to that effect.  "Anybody can do it," Deb says of this so-called men's work. "All you need is time and a lack of fear."

2003 To launch the 19th annual AIDS Awareness Week, the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire over the weekend unveiled a temporary ribbon-shaped memorial made of 4,237 red paper makers, one for each Utahn who has died of AIDS or been diagnosed with HIV since 1983. The display designed by Chad Keller as displayed at Memory Grove in Salt Lake City.

2003 The Daily Utah Chronicle –Photo To launch the 19th annual AIDS Awareness Week, the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire over the weekend unveiled a temporary ribbon-shaped memorial made of 4,237 red paper makers, one for each Utahn who has died of AIDS or been diagnosed with HIV since 1983. The display is at Memory Grove in Salt Lake City.  U LGBT community ready for Pride Week By Sheena McFarland The U Pride celebration started with comedy and will end with music, but the focus is breaking down stereotypes. Organizers hope this year's theme, "Many myths-our truths," will increase understanding and bring the campus together. "People can come and understand, and this is a great chance for the LGBT community to start really developing an identity on campus," said Charles Milne, director of the U's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center, which is hosting the events. Organizers worried the unity they hoped for might not happen because Homecoming Week coincided with the event. They had already signed contracts with some of the performers and speakers, but organizers tried to schedule the events at times different from Homecoming events. "It's a lot in one week, but I think it will work out," Milne said. The timing inspired Pride organizers to host "The Homecoming You Never Had" dance on Saturday. "We wanted to create a safe space where people could dance with their partner and not have to worry. Most LGBT students didn't get to go to a dance in high school with their boyfriends or girlfriends, so this is kind of a make-up dance," Milne said. Activities such as the dance may create a secure feeling for LGBT students, but it can also divide the campus, Milne said. "It really gets dialogue on campus and allows students to realize how they feel and where they stand on the issue," Milne said. "That's part of why we host Pride Week, to open dialogues and discussions."

2003 Daily Utah Chronicle - News Interns help out gays on U campus By Sheena McFarland The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center may be more active than usual, but it's not just because of U Pride Week. For the first time, interns are working at the center, taking the load off of Director Charles Milne's shoulders. The four interns each focus on different areas of the center. "Interns have always been in the plan for the center," Milne said. "We're at an educational institution, and we wanted to help students develop skills and get working experience along with their educational experience." Milne says he enjoys having the interns because it frees him up to pursue more than just the day-to-day activities of the center. "The interns have allowed me to increase programming and focus on the vision and the mission of the center," he said. He also says more people in the office allows for more brainstorming and input about the various programs the center runs. The interns say they are happy to help out and are grateful for the opportunity to gain that experience. Alan Finch, a sophomore studying political science and modern dance, wanted to create a "more aware, accessible and accepting" community on campus, and he says he's been able to do so. Finch coordinates the resources at the center, which means he provides information to organizations, connects with other campuses and community groups and keeps the center's books and online information updated. "With what I'm in charge of, it's a ticket to freedom and understanding. I get to facilitate that and give back

Charles Milne

to the student community," he said. Lauren Littlefield, a sophomore studying gender studies and the co-president of the Lesbian Gay Student Union, focuses on lesbian programming, the center's Web site research and resources and a newsletter. "I decided to get involved because I wanted to see the center grow because it's necessary. People can be so afraid, but the center is a non-intimidating place to be," she said. Littlefield co-hosts "Thespian Thursday" with the Women's Resource Center every second Thursday of the month. The night features a film that deals with lesbian or bisexual issues. She says she also hopes to start a lesbian softball team in the spring. One of the projects Littlefield is working on that Milne is excited about is an online Frequently Asked Questions sheet.  The idea for the sheet came about because members of the center participate on in-class panels and often face the same questions. Milne and Littlefield says they hope the online page will help answer questions many students have.  In another attempt to reach more than the LGBT community, a periodic newsletter should publish its first edition this week. Jesse Seethaler, who graduated last December, focuses on the center's Queer Peers program. The program is a feature on the Web site where students can confidentially ask a question concerning LGBT issues. The question is then sent to a limited-access server, so a student's name and e-mail address is never revealed. A person from a group of about 20 people with a "broad range of experience" will answer the question, Seethaler said. "It helps people in a safe way," she said. "To the general public, the LGBT community is all the same, but people are totally different, and this helps everyone who is looking for information," she said. While these three interns receive a $500 stipend per semester, Creig Nielson volunteers his time to help the center write grants and raise funds. Though the interns started at the beginning of Fall Semester, Nielson has volunteered since the spring of 2001. The center receives funds from the U for the director's position, one work-study student and the rent for its space on the Union's third floor. However, the rest comes from private donations and grants. The center receives about $50,000 in grants and in-kind contributions a year, and much of the responsibility for securing money falls on Nielson, who is taking a break from school. "Being able to give back is nice. I get to do a little of everything, and I do enjoy the work," he said. For more information about the programs and resources the center provides, visit www.sa.utah.edu/lgbt. smcfarland@chronicle.utah.edu

2003 Monday, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Film Festival The festival schedule is as follows: University Olpin Union Theater 1 p.m.  Watching You (lesbian shorts), 103 minutes 3 p.m. Transgender Program   Junk Box Warrior , 5 minutes  Just Call Me Kade , 26 minutes   Unhung Heroes , 15 minutes 5 p.m.   Fight Back, Fight AIDS: 15 Years of ACT UP , 75 minutes Broadway Centre Cinema, located at 111 E. Broadway, in downtown Salt Lake City. Free, required tickets may be picked up from the box office.   7 p.m.  Babies Come from Paris, a film by University graduate student Michael J. Cox , 15 minutes  The Trip , 93 minutes.

Michael Aaron

2004  Michael Aaron wrote: Subject New Editor- I wanted you, our writers, photographers and designers, to know that a change of leadership has happened today at Salt Lake Metro. Jere Keys has joined the newspaper as editor, replacing Brandon. Jere is the former editor of Out Las Vegas, Las Vegas Bugle and QVegas magazines. He recently left Las Vegas to return to the state he was born in to help his family. Jere is 27 years old, has been an

Jere Keys

outspoken advocate for gay rights, regularly appearing in interviews about the Las Vegas gay community. Las Vegas Weekly declared him the "cheerleader for the gay community in Las Vegas." He has dedicated a lot of time to Las Vegas Pride, the Nevada Gay Rodeo Association, Equal Rights Nevada and many more gay organizations. He was born and raised in northern Utah, graduated cum laude from the University of Nevada, Reno with a BA in Theatre. He is "blissfully single" and loves to engage in "philosophical debates about Buffy and the Vampire Slayer. We will deeply miss Brandon and wish him well in where life next takes him. His professionalism and talent is in large part the reason Salt Lake Metro is what it is today. We are hopeful that he will contribute to the  

Brandon Burt

newspaper in the future. Writers Meeting We would like to have a long-overdue writers meeting to introduce Jere to all of you and to paint a picture of what we see as the future of this newspaper. Please join us Thursday, October 14 at 5pm at the office. Office Closed Friday  In support of the Boycott for Equality, the Salt Lake Metro offices will be closed on Friday, October 8. Staff Newsgroup I noticed that some of you on this list have not joined the SLMetro Staff  Thanks! -Michael Aaron

• From: Ben Edgar Williams Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 4:31 PMTo: Michael Aaron Subject: Re: Important news about Salt Lake Metro Sounds like you found yourself a cracker jack new editor. Hope you and Brandon parted amicably. I had sent Brandon an article for October. Don't know whether he saw it or not so I'll send it to you. Ben
• From Michael Aaron To: "'Edgar Williams'" Subject: RE: Important news about Salt Lake Metro  Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004  Thanks Ben. We/I still love Brandon and I hope he is alright through all of this. I wish things could have been different. Things won't be the same around here without him. I got your article and forwarded it to Jere. Thanks! -Michael

2004  Subject: RCGSE Presents "Jeffrey" at Club Heads UP Tonight at and Friday at 7:30pm  RCGSE Presents "Jeffrey" In Conjuction for RCSGSE AIDS AWARENESS WEEK When: Wednesday & Friday Night at 7:30pm Where: Heads Up Club on Pier Pont Ave across from Baci Restaurant Cost: $5.00 Donation going to RCGSE AIDS FUND Tell all your friends and help support the RCGSE and there AIDS FUND to help others this Christmas... Thanks, Mark Swonson

Rocky Anderson

2005 SLC fires back at lawsuit on benefits for partners By Derek P. Jensen The Salt Lake Tribune One week after an independent state agency filed a lawsuit questioning whether offering domestic-partner benefits for city employees is legal, Salt Lake City has answered: Yes. In a separate lawsuit filed in 3rd District Court, city attorneys argue the benefits are not prohibited by state law. "The executive order does not affect the public at large in any way," the suit states. "It does not create any new form of domestic union, nor does it create any rights or obligations even remotely equivalent to the basket of rights and obligations that automatically attach to marriage under Utah law." The Public Employees Health Program (PEHP) had asked Judge Stephen L. Roth to offer a speedy ruling, since Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson wants to offer health and dental benefits to unmarried employees' partners - heterosexual or gay - by Nov. 1. The new suit reiterates the PEHP request, noting the city plans to offer enrollment to its employees during the 30-day period beginning next month. The city is blocked from offering the benefits until a judge rules, according to City Attorney Ed Rutan. Anderson, also an attorney, says there is absolutely no question the benefits are legal. In a separate case, Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative, religious group based in Arizona, filed suit claiming the move is illegal. At issue is whether the state's Marriage Recognition Policy, which defines marriage as only between a man and a woman, and the recently adopted Amendment 3 - the constitutional amendment also bans same-sex marriage - prohibits the city's plan. But the city lawsuit insists Anderson's offer does not violate either one, and addresses only the narrow area of employee benefits. "It does not even come close to affecting the full panoply of rights, benefits and obligations that together comprise the 'legal effect' of marriage," the suit states. Last month - flanked by a row of 10 gay advocates – Anderson signed an executive order to extend health benefits to employees' gay

and unmarried-heterosexual partners.

2005  Subject: Be a Part of Utah Pride 2006  jere keys  The time to get involved is now! We

Jere Keys

are in the process of putting together the committee that will plan and produce Utah Pride 2006. For anyone who has ever wanted to get more involved in the annual celebration, but didn't know how... this is how. Committee meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in The Center (355 N 300 W). Although we have some returning committee directors, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in areas such as logistics, entertainment, events and marketing. You don't need a lot of experience, just a willingness to work hard over several months. Utah Pride 2006 will be held in June of next year and includes popular events like the film festival, the dyke march, the interfaith service and more. Our parade is the second largest in the state, and our festival attracts more than 15,000 participants every year. If you need more information, please write to me. Better yet, if you want to get involved but don't know where, simply attend out first planning meeting: Utah Pride 2006 Committee Wednesday, October 12, 2005 6:30 p.m. The Center (355 N 300 W) Thanks, Jere Keys p.s. I am particularly on the lookout for candidates to run some of the programs in these areas: Logitics - these people are the nuts and bolts that hold the whole thing together. Specific responsibilities might include managing the exhibitors, filing for all the necessary permits, planning the site map and contracting event suppliers, or managing beverage sales. Perfect for the extremely organized type A personalities. Marketing - these folks are responsible for the look and feel of the festival and all publicity. Specific responsibilities range from designing environmental banners for the park to writing press releases or planning our branded merchandise. While much of this committee is focused on creative artistry, there's still a lot of hard work involved. Entertainment - it may sound glamorous (and it is) but planning the entertainment for Utah Pride takes a lot of organization and talent. Whether you're writing up contracts with out-of-town bands, planning out the technical aspects of stage management, or coordinating a dance area that will get attention, there's plenty to do in this high-profile committee. Events - While much of our attention gets spent on the festival, there are a plethora of other events connected with Utah Pride that need some TLC, too. This committee includes Parade, Dyke March, 5K Run, and more. Do you have an idea for a function you'd like to see included in Utah Pride 2006 - make it happen by getting involved with the Events team. Additional committees include finances and volunteers. These committees are by invitation only, but if you think your talents might fit well here, please let us know.

2008 National Coming Out Day Brunch to Honor Educators  Written by David Nelson To honor National Coming Out Day the Utah Pride Center will hold a special brunch to honor the men and women who so often have a positive impact on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth and young adults: educators.  “In years past Oct. 11 [National Coming Out Day] has fallen on weekday, so we’ve done a breakfast in morning before work, which has never allowed for educators to be in attendance usually,” said Marina Gomberg,

Marina Gomberg

Director of Development and Marketing at the Utah Pride Center. “So when we realized it was on a Saturday, we wanted to take time to celebrate our educators and impact they have on youth.” Indeed, the brunch will feature two Utahns who have worked hard to make the state’s schools safer and more inclusive places for gay and transgender students: Planned Parenthood’s Val Murdock and Barry Gomberg (Marina

Barry Gomberg

Gomberg’s father), who helped to develop Weber State University’s Matthew Shepard Scholarship for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and their allies. Murdock, an education consultant with Planned Parenthood, currently administers the organization’s Safe at School Program. Developed by Clayton Vetter in 2004 and implemented in 2006, this program teaches educators how to

Clayton Vetter

address anti-gay harassment and bullying in the classroom.  As Utah law prohibits public school teachers from “advocating homosexuality,” Murdock said educators are often confused about what they can legally do to keep gay and transgender students safe. “A lot of times educators assume they can’t do anything,” said Murdock. “I want people to understand that an educator has a lot of room to do something about harassment and bullying. [They] can do many things to create inviting and safe classrooms in schools and an affirming environment for all students, including LGBT students.” In her talk at the brunch—which she described as a “commercial about Safe at Schools”—Murdock said she will point out that Utah law prohibits educators from excluding students from participation in any programs based on a number of factors including: race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. This means that they are “obligated to stop student harassment” when it is based on a student’s actual or perceived sexuality.  To go beyond that [teachers can also] incorporate LGBT people from history, from art and science into their curriculum,” Murdock added. “That’s more acknowledging that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are part of our community and contribute in invaluable ways.” To date, Murdock said she has taken the program’s training to the University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Weber State University, conferences for middle and elementary school teachers, and various public and charter high schools.  “It’s quite an amazing process to see how many institutions of education are understanding the need for [this kind of] education,” she said. For the Utah Pride Center Weber State University Director of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Barry Gomberg’s contribution to Utah’s gay and transgender students’ safety and well-being is his work in creating the school’s Matthew Shepard Scholarship. Named for the University of Wyoming student whose brutal murder ten years ago this month shocked the nation and prompted calls for tougher hate crimes legislation, the scholarship was created in 2000. At the time, detractors—specifically from neoconservative group the Utah Eagle Forum—criticized the privately funded scholarship for promoting illegal activity: namely gay sex, which was illegal in Utah until 2003. Gomberg, who did some of the legal work for the scholarship, largely credited then-WSU President Paul

Paul Thompson

Thompson with the scholarship’s creation, as well as a number of WSU employees who were” outraged by the murder” and “galvanized … into action.” “Eventually to the university’s credit and the administration’s credit, they were willing to embrace the scholarship and say we don’t care [about the criticism against it],” said Gomberg. “There are some issues that are so important that they demand action, and you can’t always be looking over your shoulder to see how others are going to react even if it’s going to make your life more difficult.” Additionally, Gomberg’s office, over which he has presided since 1988, has been involved in the university’s gay-straight alliance and responds to “incidents of homophobia on campus.” In addition to these two speakers, the Utah Pride Center will also present three annual awards during the brunch: for volunteer of the year, organization of the year and lifetime achievement. The Utah Pride Center’s board of directors chooses the recipients of the first two awards. John Johnson will receive the volunteer of the year award for his contributions to the 2008 Utah Pride Festival, at which he served as logistics director. “He donated hundreds if not thousands of volunteer hours to making this the most success pride in Utah history,” said Gomberg. The Utah Cyber Sluts, a camp drag group, will receive the award for organization of the year for their tireless efforts in raising money for local charities, including the Utah AIDS Foundation, domestic violence shelter South Valley Sanctuary, Amigos of Honduras and Utah’s annual MS Walk. The winner of the lifetime achievement award is chosen from a group of previous winners. As the award is only two years old, however, the “group” currently consists of last year’s winner—Utah Stonewall Democrats leader Nikki Boyer. Boyer chose The Trapp’s owner, former political hopeful, early gay pride organizer and occasional K-TALK radio host Joe Redburn to be this year’s recipient. “In future as this group grows they will decide future award winners,” said Gomberg. The National Coming Out Day Brunch will be held Oct. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at the Salt Lake City University Park Marriott (480 Wakara Way). Tickets cost $25 per person or $250 for a table of ten. Sponsorships of $350 or more are also available. At press time, the event has almost entirely sold out, but a few tickets are still available. To purchase tickets or register for a sponsorship, visit utahpridecenter.org or call Marina Gomberg at (801) 539-8800 x 20.

David Daniels

2006 INVENIO a program from Utah AIDS Foundation A Question on Health “Are you healthy?” Yes or no.  Actually, a yes or no question isn’t the best way to determine one’s health.   This October 6th to 8th , Salt Lake City will play host to Invenio—Utah Gay Men’s Health Summit.  I have had the chance to attend for the last four years and each time I walk away with the understanding that Gay Men’s Health is anything but simple.  Online “dating.”  HIV.  Dating.  Loneliness.  Sex. Fitness.  Internalized homophobia.  Stereotypes.   These are just a few of the topics we will cover at this year’s summit.  Although the summit can’t be everything to everyone – we hope to provide a welcoming environment to meet new people and discuss topics relevant to most.  Will we achieve world peace – probably not, but maybe we can help you find a starting point in your life where you can find meaning and direction.  I hope to see you at our summit.  By the way, my answer to “Am I healthy?” It is a definite maybe. --David Daniels (David is a member of the Invenio Planning Group and swims with QUAC.) Proudly Presents Invenio Utah's Gay Men's Health Summit October 6-8, 2006 Salt Lake City Radisson Hotel Registration fee is only $25 Come experience the magic again.  Be a part of the good that can happen when gay men gather together to consider our individual health and how our community health. This year's Invenio will feature many interesting and provocative workshops.  Some of the session titles include: "Sex, Sex, Sex, and More Sex" "What's Love Got To Do With it?" "Committed Relationships Are Built, Not Found" "Gay Teen Suicide" "Manhunt:  An Honest Look at On-line Cruising" "The Devil Wears Plus Sizes: Male Body Image & Healthy Living"  ...And many more Invenio is a program of the Utah AIDS Foundation Utah AIDS Foundation empowers people living in the Intermountain Region who are affected by or living with HIV/AIDS to live healthier and more fulfilling lives David Ferguson, MSW CSW Programming Director Utah AIDS Foundation

Gary Herbert

2009 Gov. Gary Herbert is meeting with gay rights advocacy groups for the first time since saying he is opposed to providing legal protections for gay and transgender people. Herbert took office in mid-August following the resignation of Jon Huntsman Jr. to become U.S. ambassador to China. Within weeks of his inauguration, Herbert said he doesn't think it should be illegal to discriminate against someone for being gay or transgender. It's currently legal in Utah to fire someone or evict them from housing for being gay. Herbert contends that discriminating against gay people is wrong, but says there's no need for a law to prevent it. Gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah plans to tell Herbert Tuesday why it thinks current laws are inadequate. Herbert also will meet with the Foundation for Reconciliation.

• Daily Herald Newspaper Utah Gov. Herbert meets with gay rights group  The Associated Press: Tuesday, October 6, 2009 ..SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has met with a gay rights advocacy group for the first time since saying he opposes providing legal protections for gay and transgender people. Herbert took office in mid-August after Jon Huntsman resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China. Within weeks of his inauguration, Herbert said he doesn't think it should be illegal to discriminate against someone for being gay or transgender. In Utah, it's currently legal to fire someone or evict them from housing for being gay. Herbert contends that discriminating against gay people is wrong -- but says there's no need for a law to prevent it. Leaders of the gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah say Herbert told them Tuesday he's open to having a dialogue about stopping discrimination.

Dottie S. Dixon

2009 'Dottie S. Dixon' is delightful, but show runs slightly too long By Erica Hansen Deseret News  "THE PASSION OF SISTER DOTTIE S. DIXON — Second Helpings," Pygmalion Theatre Company, through Oct. 25, Rose Wagner Center running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (one intermission) With an exuberant, "Oh my heck! Look at ya!" Sister Dottie S. Dixon takes the stage again, returning in a slightly revised "The Passion of Sister Dottie S. Dixon — Second Helpings." "You remind me of a bunch of people at Golden Corral going back for second helpings." Fresh off of winning three of City Weekly's Arty Awards, Dottie thanked the crowd for their votes and dubbed herself "one of the most famous Mormons on the planet." The crowd at Saturday night's show was happy to take the credit. Sister Dixon passed out doughnut holes and "bum cushions" to the folks on the front row, and it felt very much like settling down with an old friend. When Dottie performed in the spring, it was the most successful show Pygmalion Theatre Company has ever produced. With a regular show on KRCL, she already has a built-in audience and is clearly building a wider appeal. In case you missed it, the character of Sister Dixon is based on the real-life mother of actor and co-creator Charles Lynn Frost, who, along with writing partner Troy Williams, created a one-woman show about Dottie's relationship with the church she loves and the confusion it causes when she finds out the son she loves is gay. Dottie is delightful — full of warmth and acceptance, and her cultural idiosyncrasies make her endearing. With frequent mispronunciations ("hairy Christians" instead of "Hari Krishnas," etc) she keeps you on your

Charles Frost

listening toes so as not to miss anything funny.  The trick with settling down with an old friend is that, as they begin to tell us our favorite story, it tends to get a little bit longer. And that's what happened with Dottie. As the two men revisited the script, to tweak and adjust it — common with original works — they created 20 more minutes of material. The one-person show now clocks in at 2 hours and 30 minutes … which just feels too long to watch one person — even one as colorful as Dottie. Also in the new mix, I noticed a couple of zingers toward Mormons that I don't remember from last time. It's never mean … but I'm not so sure they're necessary. One minor note: Poor Dottie fidgeted with her wig and bra this time around. Granted, not the normal attire for actor Frost, but the actions just didn't seem to fit as well this time. Sister Dartsey Foxmoreland (Kent Frogley), Dottie's longtime friend, is back, as well as the vocalizations of The Divine

Kent  Frogley

Feminine (Lisa Giacoletto). Both are great. Dottie's message is still a good one. And the more personal moments — when Dottie talks with her son, or faces her church — are quite tender and beautifully done. Sensitivity rating: Mild language, brief sexual discussions about Dottie's wedding night. City Weekly Review

2014 Same-sex marriage now legal in Utah By Dennis Romboy , Deseret News Kate Call and plaintiffs in the Amendment 3 case gather Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Kate Call and plaintiffs in the Amendment 3 case gather Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)   SALT LAKE CITY — Same-sex marriage became legal in Utah after the U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear the state's appeal of a lower court ruling allowing gays and lesbians to marry. Within hours of the decision, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the stay on gay marriage in Utah and five other states in its jurisdiction. County clerks in Utah started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and overseeing weddings. Meantime, Gov. Gary Herbert and Attorney General Sean Reyes acknowledged the cultural and legal shift in Utah and the need to uphold the law. "This is historical. This is groundbreaking. This of great significance to our culture and to the laws of the land. It's different than what we've had for the last 227 years," the governor said. "We don't know all the questions let alone the answers, but that's going to be part of the process of coming together and working together for the good of the whole."  Amendment 3 case plaintiffs Derek Kitchen, Laurie Wood and Kody Partridge leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Amendment 3 case plaintiffs Derek Kitchen, Laurie Wood and Kody Partridge leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)   Herbert's comments came in reaction to the Supreme Court's decision to deny petitions from Utah, Oklahoma, Indiana, Virginia and Wisconsin. Each of those states argued their cases were the best vehicles for the justices to decide the same-sex marriage question nationwide once and for all. The court did not state a reason for rejecting the cases. Last month, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said it might not take on the issue at this point because there was no disagreement among the lower courts. The 10th Circuit Court lifted the hold it had placed on same-sex marriages in Utah Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming and Kansas shortly after the high court's denial. The other state in the 10th Circuit, New Mexico, has allowed same-sex marriages since December 2013. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill promptly advised Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen that she could issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and couples began showing up at the courthouse. Other counties followed suit.     Derek Kitchen picks up Laurie Wood as Amendment 3 case plaintiffs leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Derek Kitchen picks up Laurie Wood as Amendment 3 case plaintiffs leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)   We are thrilled with the decision today. We were caught off guard. We weren't expecting a decision so soon from the Supreme Court," said Derek Kitchen, one of six plaintiffs in the case that bears his name. "We can't wait to plan our wedding," he said as his partner, Moudy Sbeity, stood behind him with a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to have big, gay, farmer's market wedding." Herbert and Reyes said at a news conference that the state would abide by the law. The governor advised state agencies in a letter to immediately recognize legally performed same-sex marriages. Still, Herbert said he was surprised and disappointed that the Supreme Court did not take up the issue. He also reiterated his position that states should decide their own marriage laws. "While I continue to believe that the states do have the right to define marriage and create laws regarding marriage, ultimately we are a nation of laws and we here in Utah will uphold the law," the governor said.   Derek Kitchen gives a thumbs-up from inside an elevator as plaintiffs in the Amendment 3 case leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Derek Kitchen gives a thumbs-up from inside an elevator as plaintiffs in the Amendment 3 case leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)   Herbert called on Utahns to treat each other with kindness and respect regardless of their personal beliefs about same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court decision appears to have ended the state's appeal in the same-sex marriage recognition case, Evans v. Utah, moot. Reyes' office is reviewing the impact on other cases, but he said he's inclined to believe that many of those issues are moot. The 10th Circuit in June upheld U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby's ruling that struck down Utah's voter-approved 2004 law defining marriage as between a man and a woman. The courts held that marriage is a fundamental right under the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law. It was widely expected that the Supreme Court would take up at least one gay marriage case in its term that started Monday. Cases in other states continue to work their way through the court system, though it seems unlikely the high court would take one unless an appellate court sides with a state's gay marriage ban. Kate Call, Kody Partridge, Laurie Wood, Moudi Sbeity and Derek Kitchen gather Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Kate Call, Kody Partridge, Laurie Wood, Moudi Sbeity and Derek Kitchen gather Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)   Bill Duncan, Sutherland Institute’s director of the Center for Family and Society, said he was "deeply disappointed" that the high court failed to "correct the lawlessness" of lower courts that have deprived people in Utah and other states of their ability to protect their belief that children are entitled to be raised by a married mother and father. "While it appears that Utah is being forced by the federal courts to recognize same-sex marriages, there are still other states whose laws the courts have not yet disrupted. We will provide whatever support we can to those states and hope the Supreme Court will reconsider this unwise action in a future case," Duncan said. Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Byron Babione said the court’s decision not to take up the issue means that the marriage battle will continue. Several federal courts — including those in the 5th, 6th, 8th, and 11th circuits — still have cases working their way to the Supreme Court, he said.   Derek Kitchen picks up Laurie Wood as they leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of attorney Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Derek Kitchen picks up Laurie Wood as they leave their press conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in the office of attorney Peggy Tomsic in Salt Lake City, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)   eggy Tomsic, lead attorney for three gay and lesbian couples in the Utah case, said it would be hard for other courts to "put the toothpaste back in the tube." "From a constitutional perspective, it would be very difficult to say that some circuits can hold it constitutional under the 14th Amendment and others can say it's not. The 14th Amendment is the 14th Amendment. It applies to every state in this union," she said. Tomsic, who married her partner after Shelby's ruling last December, became emotional talking about the Supreme Court decision. She said she looks forward to moving ahead with the second-parent adoption of her son. "It's an incredible thing that we've done," she said. "For us, what this really means is families in Utah and the 10th Circuit finally have the dignity, the fairness and the equality that the Constitution guarantees to them and that we all fought so hard for."   Plaintiffs, from left, Moudi Sbeity, his partner Derek Kitchen, Kody Partridge and her wife, Laurie Wood, celebrate following a news conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in Salt Lake City. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Utah and four other states that had sought to bar weddings between gay couples. (Rick Bowmer, Associated Press) Plaintiffs, from left, Moudi Sbeity, his partner Derek Kitchen, Kody Partridge and her wife, Laurie Wood, celebrate following a news conference Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in Salt Lake City. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Utah and four other states that had sought to bar weddings between gay couples. (Rick Bowmer, Associated Press)   Mary Summerhays, president of Celebration of Marriage, issued a statement saying the court has turned a blind eye to a child's need for both a father and mother. "The credibility of the judicial system is permanently damaged when it concludes that adult relationships are so important that children must give up their relationships with their own mother or father when it comes into conflict with gay marriage," she said. "Although the lower courts have been allowed to redefine marriage in Utah, Utahns who stand with children will continue to vigorously support policy that prioritizes children’s most important relationships above other considerations." Utah's case, Kitchen v. Herbert, addressed both the right to marry and recognition of gay and lesbian marriages performed in other states. Unlike in some cases, the governor and attorney general continued to defend the state's marriage law.

2014 Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Attorney General Sean Reyes speak Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, to members of the media at the state Capitol after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Attorney General Sean Reyes speak Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, to members of the media at the state Capitol after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on lower court rulings that allowed same-sex marriages, making them legal in Utah and other states. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)  The case proceeded rapidly since Kitchen and Sbeity, Laurie Wood and Kody Partridge, and Karen Archer and Kate Call challenged Utah's Amendment 3 in a federal lawsuit in March 2013. Archer and Call married in Iowa and claimed the law kept them from being treated as heterosexual couples because it does not recognize their marriage. In December 2013, Shelby ruled that the law violates equal protection guarantees in the 14th Amendment. The state appealed Shelby's decision to the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and obtained a stay from the Supreme Court, but not before about 1,300 same-sex couples married in the state. The 10th Circuit upheld Shelby's ruling in June. "I was getting tired of saying we'd only been married for 17 days," Wood said referring to the period after Shelby's ruling. "I am really, really excited to move on." Reyes said the state made strong arguments for the high court to hear the case and he doesn't regret the team Utah assembled to defend its marriage law. The state spent about $600,000 on the case, Herbert said. But with Monday's decision, Reyes said, it's time for Utahns to come together and heal any rifts that have occurred. "We are all Utahns and I hope that we will exercise a great deal of kindness, caring and understanding one towards each other," he said. One legal expert says that the Supreme Court may hold off on weighing in on the legality gay marriage or might not weigh in at all. "I think the Supreme Court has decided to let the issue percolate a little more among the lower courts. And maybe they’re thinking that the lower courts will never be divided, that they will all say that same-sex marriage is required by the Constitution," said Paul Cassell, University of Utah law professor and a former federal judge. "And if there's no conflict in the lower courts, there’s no reason for the Supreme Court to step in.”    It is always possible that a lower court may rule differently than the recent rulings, he said, but if not, there may be no reason for the Supreme Court to make a ruling. “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court leaves in force five favorable marriage rulings reached in three federal appellate courts, ensuring the freedom to marry for millions more Americans around the country," Evan Wolfson, president and found of the advocacy group Freedom to Marry, said in a statement. In total, 41 federal and state courts in the past year have ruled in favor of same-sex marriage with only one federal and one state ruling going the other way. A federal judge in Louisiana upheld that state's gay marriage ban. An appeal is pending before the 5th Circuit Court. "The court’s letting stand these victories means that gay couples will soon share in the freedom to marry in 30 states, representing 60 percent of the American people," Wolfson said.

2014 Utah clerks issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples BY MARISSA LANG THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen announces the decision by the 10th District court to lift the stay for same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review all five pending same-sex marriage cases on Monday, Oct. 6, 2014 effectively legalizing gay and lesbian unions, clearing the way for such marriages to proceed in 11 new states - including Utah. Same-sex marriages in Utah began again Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from five states trying to revive their same-sex marriage bans, effectively legalizing gay and lesbian unions in 11 new states. A mandate from the 10th Circuit issued about 10:10 a.m. Monday lifted a hold the court had put in place on any movement toward the legalization of gay and lesbian unions as a way to allow Utah time to appeal its case and attempt to reinstate a voter-approved ban on such marriages. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said marriage licenses would be immediately issued to same-sex couples. “Not to issue one would be a violation of the 10th Circuit’s mandate and a violation of these couples’ constitutional rights,” Gill told The Salt Lake Tribune. “We’ve given the go-ahead to begin issuing [marriage] licenses right away.” Gov. Gary Herbert said at a news conference that he sent a letter to his cabinet members ordering them to recognize all legally performed marriages, and that gay couples can follow the same process as everyone else to get benefits. “We are a nation of laws and we here in Utah, we’ll uphold the law,” Herbert said. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said he hadn’t had chance to “review the impact of this case” but says it lends clarity to issues of adoption and marriage recognition. “It’s time for people of goodwill on both sides of the issue to come together now and heal any rifts. We are all Utahns,” Reyes said. Gill later issued a statement saying he had conferred with Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen, advising her she may immediately begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. “We are excited and pleased that we now have clarity from the courts and the fundamental rights of all Utahns are honored and protected,” Gill said. “The legal analysis of Judge [Robert] Shelby has been affirmed to the benefit of all.” “We will now begin issuing licenses to same-sex couples,” Swensen said at about 10:20 a.m. “Definitely it’s historic.” At 11 a.m., the first same-sex couple arrived to obtain a license, Kelli Frame and Suzanne Marelius. “I’m gonna be the groom?” Frame asked. “Growing up, I never thought it would happen,” Frame said. “I never put myself in the category of people who would get married.” Utah legislator Jim Dabakis, who is openly gay and was married during the brief time in December when same-sex marriage in Utah was legal, hugged the two women, saying, “What an emotional day this is!” It was not immediately clear when other states would begin to comply with the order. The Utah attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a inquiries about what this means for the rest of the state. The nation’s nine justices did not comment after rejecting appeals from Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. No other states had cases addressing same-sex marriage before the high court, whose decision stopped short of resolving the question of whether or not states can constitutionally limit marriage to one man and one woman. It takes just four of the nine justices to vote to grant a case certiorari and allow it to be heard by the high court. Monday’s order did not indicate how the justices voted on the question of these appeals. Experts and advocates on both sides had believed the Supreme Court would take up one — or several — of the same-sex marriage cases and settle the issue once and for all. The Supreme Court’s denial put an end to Utah’s battle to defend its voter-approved ban, Amendment 3. “It’s a big day,” said Utah plaintiff Derek Kitchen immediately after the court’s refusal to hear Utah’s case was announced. At a news conference held at the offices of their legal team, Magleby & Greenwood, the plaintiffs recounted the shock and joy they felt after learning about the court’s decision early Monday. “This is a day of celebration and victory for all of Utah, for all families,” plaintiff Kody Partridge said, as her wife Laurie Wood stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders and squeezing her hands. “Now it’s not ‘maybe — well kind of.’ We are married,” Partridge added. “The state will recognize our marriage and the community will, as well.” “We’re delighted that we don’t’ have to wait any longer,” said plaintiff Karen Call, whose wife Karen Archer has been struggling with a terminal illness. “We’re getting married, folks!” More than 1,200 Utah same-sex couples wed after the Dec. 20, 2013, ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby, striking down Utah’s gay-marriage ban as unconstitutional. Shelby’s ruling was stayed 17 days later by the Supreme Court as the state appealed. Those couples married during the 17-day window have been in a self-described state of legal-limbo since January, waiting to see if the state would recognize their unions and extend benefits. Peggy Tomisc, the Salt Lake City-based lawyer representing the three couples in the Kitchen case, said Monday that her marriage is one of them. “I was married to my wife in December,” Tomsic said. “What it means is that, you know what? We’re citizens just like everybody else. What a surprise. That’s what the 14th Amendment says.” She thanked and commended the Supreme Court for its action Monday, and said with same-sex marriages being performed and honored in 30 states as of the Supreme Court’s decision, it’s too late for them to “put the toothpaste back in the tube.” “It would be very difficult for the Supreme Court to say, ‘We were just kidding in letting all these decisions stand,’ ” Tomsic said. “That’s something, from a constitutional perspective, I don’t believe can happen.” John Mejía, the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who is representing four plaintiff couples suing the state for spousal benefits, had said the lawsuit would go forward unless the state drops it in light of the Supreme Court’s decision. “As a practical matter, today’s decision probably means that the couples should have their benefits as soon as possible,” Mejía had said earlier Monday. The appeal of the Evans v. Utah case, in which U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball ruled Utah should treat same-sex marriages performed in the state the same as all opposite-sex unions, is pending before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, across the nation, other cases are still underway. Two federal appeals courts could issue decisions any time in same-sex marriage cases. Judges in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit were weighing pro-gay marriage rulings in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennesee, while judges in the 9th Circuit in San Francisco were considering Idaho and Nevada restrictions on marriage. The state’s most prominent conservative think tank, the Sutherland Institute, issued a statement Monday bemoaning the high court’s decision. “Children are entitled to be raised by a married mother and father,” the statement read. “Sutherland Institute is deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court has failed to correct the lawlessness of lower courts that have deprived the people of Utah and other states their ability to protect that entitlement. While it appears that Utah is being forced by the federal courts to recognize same-sex marriages, there are still other states whose laws the courts have not yet disrupted.” Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who performed a number of marriages during the 17-day window during which marriages were legal, issued this statement Monday: “Today is a historic day for equal rights in Utah. wish to congratulate all of the married couples in Salt Lake City who will now have their relationships legally recognized. This is a momentous occasion for civil rights in our state and nation.”

2014 Utah governor disappointed, but ready to uphold gay marriage BY MATT CANHAM THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE  | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Governor Gary Herbert, left, and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes speak at a press conference at the state Capitol Monday October 6, 2014, regarding the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to hear the state's argument in its defense of marriage law, which now opens the door for same-sex marriage in the state of Utah. Utah’s governor and attorney general sent letters to state and county officials Monday directing that same-sex marriages be recognized and that all legal benefits associated with marriage be bestowed on couples who take advantage of this new right. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert said he was surprised and disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped the issue, which in effect legalized same-sex marriages here, but he accepts the decision. “We are a state and a people who believe in upholding the law of the land and that has been determined for us today in a way that may be not satisfactory for some, but it is the law of the land,” he said in a 15-minute news conference with GOP Attorney General Sean Reyes. Herbert called the legalization of same-sex marriages, spurred by lower court rulings, “groundbreaking. This is of great significance to our culture and to the laws of the land.” More than half of Utahns oppose gay marriage, as does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the state’s dominant religion. Recognizing that this is an emotional issue in a state where so many disagree with same-sex marriage, Herbert and Reyes called for civility. “I also believe, as the governor has suggested, that it’s time for people of goodwill on both sides of the issue to come together now and heal any rifts that occurred,” Reyes said. “We are all Utahns. I hope we will exercise a great deal of kindness, caring and understanding.” Reyes said he believes the state put its best arguments forward, namely that marriage should be defined by states and that Utah has legitimate family reasons for banning gay marriage. He didn’t feel comfortable saying what state laws may need to be tweaked in the future or how the legalization of same-sex marriages may affect other cases. But he indicated, that at first blush, fights over adoption or recognizing marriages previously performed are probably “moot.” “We have to look at those a little bit more carefully with our team before we make any commitments,” he said, “but for right now it appears there is more clarity with regard to other issues.” Reyes’ opponent in next month’s election has been critical of the state’s appeal from the start and used Monday’s events to remind voters of that fact. “Only four justices’ must vote to allow an appeal to proceed to the Supreme Court,” Democrat Charles Stormont said in a news release. “The fact that not even four justices were willing to hear Utah’s case, or any of the other six cases addressing the same issue, demonstrates the weakness of the state’s case. After 10 months since the appeals began, now is the time for Sean Reyes to tell the people how much money he has wasted on these fruitless appeals.” The fight, which began last December when federal Judge Robert Shelby rejected Utah’s constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, has cost close to $600,000, according to the governor’s office. Herbert said the fight was worth it, saying as governor he must defend the laws on the books and he personally believed that states should have the right to define marriage. That fight ended Monday morning, Herbert said. “Now it is a matter of standing down so there is no more expense.”

2014 Utah clerks issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples BY MARISSA LANG THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen announces the decision by the 10th District court to lift the stay for same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review all five pending same-sex marriage cases on Monday, Oct. 6, 2014 effectively legalizing gay and lesbian unions, clearing the way for such marriages to proceed in 11 new states - including Utah. Same-sex marriages in Utah began again Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from five states trying to revive their same-sex marriage bans, effectively legalizing gay and lesbian unions in 11 new states. A mandate from the 10th Circuit issued about 10:10 a.m. Monday lifted a hold the court had put in place on any movement toward the legalization of gay and lesbian unions as a way to allow Utah time to appeal its case and attempt to reinstate a voter-approved ban on such marriages. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said marriage licenses would be immediately issued to same-sex couples. “Not to issue one would be a violation of the 10th Circuit’s mandate and a violation of these couples’ constitutional rights,” Gill told The Salt Lake Tribune. “We’ve given the go-ahead to begin issuing [marriage] licenses right away.” Gov. Gary Herbert said at a news conference that he sent a letter to his cabinet members ordering them to recognize all legally performed marriages, and that gay couples can follow the same process as everyone else to get benefits. “We are a nation of laws and we here in Utah, we’ll uphold the law,” Herbert said. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said he hadn’t had chance to “review the impact of this case” but says it lends clarity to issues of adoption and marriage recognition. “It’s time for people of goodwill on both sides of the issue to come together now and heal any rifts. We are all Utahns,” Reyes said. Gill later issued a statement saying he had conferred with Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen, advising her she may immediately begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. “We are excited and pleased that we now have clarity from the courts and the fundamental rights of all Utahns are honored and protected,” Gill said. “The legal analysis of Judge [Robert] Shelby has been affirmed to the benefit of all.” “We will now begin issuing licenses to same-sex couples,” Swensen said at about 10:20 a.m. “Definitely it’s historic.” At 11 a.m., the first same-sex couple arrived to obtain a license, Kelli Frame and Suzanne Marelius. “I’m gonna be the groom?” Frame asked. “Growing up, I never thought it would happen,” Frame said. “I never put myself in the category of people who would get married.” Utah legislator Jim Dabakis, who is openly gay and was married during the brief time in December when same-sex marriage in Utah was legal, hugged the two women, saying, “What an emotional day this is!” It was not immediately clear when other states would begin to comply with the order. The Utah attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a inquiries about what this means for the rest of the state. The nation’s nine justices did not comment after rejecting appeals from Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. No other states had cases addressing same-sex marriage before the high court, whose decision stopped short of resolving the question of whether or not states can constitutionally limit marriage to one man and one woman. It takes just four of the nine justices to vote to grant a case certiorari and allow it to be heard by the high court. Monday’s order did not indicate how the justices voted on the question of these appeals. Experts and advocates on both sides had believed the Supreme Court would take up one — or several — of the same-sex marriage cases and settle the issue once and for all. The Supreme Court’s denial put an end to Utah’s battle to defend its voter-approved ban, Amendment 3. “It’s a big day,” said Utah plaintiff Derek Kitchen immediately after the court’s refusal to hear Utah’s case was announced. At a news conference held at the offices of their legal team, Magleby & Greenwood, the plaintiffs recounted the shock and joy they felt after learning about the court’s decision early Monday. “This is a day of celebration and victory for all of Utah, for all families,” plaintiff Kody Partridge said, as her wife Laurie Wood stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders and squeezing her hands. “Now it’s not ‘maybe — well kind of.’ We are married,” Partridge added. “The state will recognize our marriage and the community will, as well.” “We’re delighted that we don’t’ have to wait any longer,” said plaintiff Karen Call, whose wife Karen Archer has been struggling with a terminal illness. “We’re getting married, folks!” More than 1,200 Utah same-sex couples wed after the Dec. 20, 2013, ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby, striking down Utah’s gay-marriage ban as unconstitutional. Shelby’s ruling was stayed 17 days later by the Supreme Court as the state appealed. Those couples married during the 17-day window have been in a self-described state of legal-limbo since January, waiting to see if the state would recognize their unions and extend benefits. Peggy Tomisc, the Salt Lake City-based lawyer representing the three couples in the Kitchen case, said Monday that her marriage is one of them. “I was married to my wife in December,” Tomsic said. “What it means is that, you know what? We’re citizens just like everybody else. What a surprise. That’s what the 14th Amendment says.” She thanked and commended the Supreme Court for its action Monday, and said with same-sex marriages being performed and honored in 30 states as of the Supreme Court’s decision, it’s too late for them to “put the toothpaste back in the tube.” “It would be very difficult for the Supreme Court to say, ‘We were just kidding in letting all these decisions stand,’ ” Tomsic said. “That’s something, from a constitutional perspective, I don’t believe can happen.” John Mejía, the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who is representing four plaintiff couples suing the state for spousal benefits, had said the lawsuit would go forward unless the state drops it in light of the Supreme Court’s decision. “As a practical matter, today’s decision probably means that the couples should have their benefits as soon as possible,” Mejía had said earlier Monday. The appeal of the Evans v. Utah case, in which U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball ruled Utah should treat same-sex marriages performed in the state the same as all opposite-sex unions, is pending before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, across the nation, other cases are still underway. Two federal appeals courts could issue decisions any time in same-sex marriage cases. Judges in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit were weighing pro-gay marriage rulings in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennesee, while judges in the 9th Circuit in San Francisco were considering Idaho and Nevada restrictions on marriage. The state’s most prominent conservative think tank, the Sutherland Institute, issued a statement Monday bemoaning the high court’s decision. “Children are entitled to be raised by a married mother and father,” the statement read. “Sutherland Institute is deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court has failed to correct the lawlessness of lower courts that have deprived the people of Utah and other states their ability to protect that entitlement. While it appears that Utah is being forced by the federal courts to recognize same-sex marriages, there are still other states whose laws the courts have not yet disrupted.” Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who performed a number of marriages during the 17-day window during which marriages were legal, issued this statement Monday: “Today is a historic day for equal rights in Utah. wish to congratulate all of the married couples in Salt Lake City who will now have their relationships legally recognized. This is a momentous occasion for civil rights in our state and nation.”

2014 Responses to same-sex marriages being legal again in Utah

Happy People Plaintiff Moudi Sbeity

• “Today we became Americans, with the full protections and rights guaranteed to us under the United States Constitution. Today we were given the opportunity to live as freely as our neighbors do, and as lovingly as our family does. We are so honored, and happy, to finally say that we can say ‘I Do,’ and that many loving couples across our state can stand united as a family, with equal protections to each other and their children. This isn’t where we expected our fight to end, and it surely has not ended yet, because there still are many Americans out there that do not have the same rights as we have now been granted. But it is a day to rejoice, because we are that much closer to becoming a united country that believes in the right to love. Thank you all for the love and support you have shown us, for standing with us, and for making Utah a place to call home. Congratulations to all of the couples out there, and we cannot wait to get married in our home state!”

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker:

• “Today is a historic day for equal rights in Utah. I wish to congratulate all of the married couples in Salt Lake City who will now have their relationships legally recognized. This is a momentous occasion for civil rights in our state and nation.”

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill:

• “We were pleased with the U.S. Supreme Court’s order this morning taking decisive action on the important issues of same sex marriage and the related fundamental constitutional rights of all Utahns. Although the Supreme Court’s decision to deny certiorari in all pending cases does not conclusively resolve the issue nationwide, it does provide clarity in Utah and other states where marriage bans were struck down as unconstitutional. In all those states, the intermediate appellate courts had stayed their decisions, i.e., put them on hold, pending action by the Supreme Court. Given the fundamental constitutional rights at stake, we have every confidence the Tenth Circuit—in light of today’s Supreme Court order declining to hear the Utah case (or any other)—will act swiftly to enter its mandate and lift the stay order. The Salt Lake County Clerk will begin issuing licenses to same sex couples as soon as the stay is lifted and she is legally authorized to do so.”

 Utah House Democrats, Rep. Jennifer Seelig, House Minority Leader 

• “We support Utah families. We are excited to know that same sex couples are no longer in legal limbo, and have a chance to be made whole with the legal recognition of their unions. We encourage our Attorney General and Governor to move forward, confirming these spouses’ rights to their children and each other. Today is a day to celebrate. We understand that this decision did not come lightly, from Judge Shelby all the way to the Supreme Court. We are proud to come from a state of such growing diversity, and hope that, in this decision, we can respect and support people of differing views. We are all a human family, a Utah family, and now we are a legally united one.”

 Utah Senator Jim Dabakis:

•  “The Supreme Court decision today allows Utah LGBT families to no longer be second-class families. This is good for them and for Utah. Equality and fairness have always been Utah values. The LGBT community was heartened by Saturday’s Conference words of Elder Dallin Oaks when speaking of possible Court decisions involving marriage, Oaks said, ‘We should be persons of goodwill toward all,’ Dallin H. Oaks said, ‘rejecting persecution of any kind, including persecution based on race, ethnicity, religious belief or nonbelief, and differences in sexual orientation.’ It is in that spirit of civility, cooperation and respect for diversity that we as Utahns should seek to move forward together and build an even greater state!”

 Utah Attorney General Democratic candidate Charles A. Stormont:

•  “Only four Justices’ must vote to allow an appeal to proceed to the Supreme Court. The fact that not even four Justices were willing to hear Utah’s case, or any of the other six cases addressing the same issue, demonstrates the weakness of the state’s case. After ten months since the appeals began, now is the time for Sean Reyes to tell the people how much money he has wasted on these fruitless appeals.”

 Utah State Democratic Party Chair Peter Coroon

• “This message echoes statements delivered during this weekend’s LDS conference — that everyone deserves respect, regardless of differing opinion on this emotional subject. The Utah Democratic Party also supports the Supreme Court’s decision to protect both individual and religious liberties, meaning no church or religious organization will be compelled to an act that is against their beliefs.”

Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

•  “We are ecstatic to hear that same-sex couples will soon be able to marry in thirty states, the District of Columbia, and ten Native American jurisdictions. And while we hoped that the U.S. Supreme Court would decide on the issue of marriage for all fifty states, we are resolute in our work to secure justice, fairness, and equality for all. For millions of hardworking LGBTQ people and our families, we still live in a society that denies us explicit nondiscrimination protections, voting rights, a pathway to citizenship, access to life-saving health care and reproductive rights, and many other basic and fundamental rights. As we continue building on the progress we’ve made on marriage equality we must remain committed to our nation’s promise of America.”

 Marriage Equality USA Executive Direction Brian Silva

•  “Today is a great day for millions of Americans who can now access the rights, responsibilities and protections that only marriage can provide,” said . “But we know that for millions more Americans, today’s ruling still leaves them vulnerable to the harm caused by a lack of access to marriage. Just yesterday, as we crossed the bridge from Virginia into DC, we made a point of noting that we had gone from being married on Thursday morning to being unmarried that night, to now being married again. And now we’ll be married no matter which direction we leave DC.

 Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin

•  “Any time same-sex couples are extended marriage equality is something to celebrate, and today is a joyous day for thousands of couples across America who will immediately feel the impact of today’s Supreme Court action. But let me be clear, the complex and discriminatory patchwork of marriage laws that was prolonged today by the Supreme Court is unsustainable. The only acceptable solution is nationwide marriage equality and we recommit to ourselves to securing that ultimate victory as soon as possible.”

 Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy

•  “My heart is filled with joy for the couples that will see their relationships legally affirmed following today’s decision. The Supreme Court thankfully brings the wait for equality to an end for couples in Wisconsin, Utah, Oklahoma, Indiana and Virginia. However, it leaves far too many others in limbo, denied equality before the law. That lack of resolution is unacceptable in our democracy that claims equal justice for everybody. While the political and legal logic of today’s decision are evident, the moral logic remains confounding. How can we abide a decision that denies people living in some states the same fundamental human right to marry that is given to people in other states? If the Constitution’s promise of religious freedom mandates that no one religion’s definition of marriage can be given precedence by the state, how can that freedom be limited to only those Americans who happen to live in the right jurisdiction? Our nation’s leaders – whether through the courts or the legislature – must act swiftly to secure equality and freedom for all Americans. There is no moral justification for delay.”

 U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin

•  “Today’s action by the U.S. Supreme Court is a huge victory for freedom and equality both in Wisconsin and in states across America. And now we can proudly say that marriage equality is the law of the land in Wisconsin. Love is love, family is family, and discriminating against anyone’s love, against anyone’s family, is not only wrong, it’s unconstitutional. This is a huge step forward for our entire country being a place where every family’s love and commitment can be recognized and respected under the law.”

 Sad People Utah Gov. Gery Herbert:

•  “While I continue to believe states should have the right to determine their own laws regarding marriage, we will uphold the law. Each state agency has been advised to begin today to recognize all legally performed same-sex marriages. I encourage all Utahns, regardless of their personal beliefs on this issue, to treat each other with respect.”

 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

•  “The succession of federal court decisions in recent months, culminating in today’s announcement by the Supreme Court, will have no effect on the doctrinal position or practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is that only marriage between a man and a woman is acceptable to God. In prizing freedom of conscience and Constitutional guarantees of the free exercise of religion, we will continue to teach that standard and uphold it in our religious practices. Nevertheless, respectful coexistence is possible with those with differing values. As far as the civil law is concerned, the courts have spoken. Church leaders will continue to encourage our people to be persons of good will toward all, rejecting persecution of any kind based on race, ethnicity, religious belief or non-belief, and differences in sexual orientation.”

 Sutherland Institute’s Director of the Center for Family and Society Bill Duncan:

•  “Children are entitled to be raised by a married mother and father. Sutherland Institute is deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court has failed to correct the lawlessness of lower courts that have deprived the people of Utah and other states of their ability to protect that entitlement. While it appears that Utah is being forced by the federal courts to recognize same-sex marriages, there are still other states whose laws the courts have not yet disrupted. We will provide whatever support we can to those states and hope the Supreme Court will reconsider this unwise action in a future case.”

 Celebration of Marriage:

•  “The credibility of the judicial system is permanently damaged when it concludes that adult relationships are so important that children must give up their relationships with their own mother or father when it comes into conflict with gay marriage. In denying to hear Utah’s case, the Supreme Court has turned a blind eye to a child’s need for both a father and mother. This causes irreparable rifts in every aspect of family law, from custody battles in divorce courts, to adoptions that idealize motherless and fatherless family structures. The resulting fracture of family law will weaken Americans’ natural respect for the Court and turn the question of children’s legal relationships into an unresolvable and painful chaos. Although the lower courts have been allowed to redefine marriage in Utah, Utahns who stand with children will continue to vigorously support policy that prioritizes children’s most important relationships above other considerations.”

 Utah Senator Mike Lee:

•  “The Supreme Court’s decision to not review the Tenth Circuit’s ruling in Kitchen v. Herbert is disappointing. Nothing in the Constitution forbids a state from retaining the traditional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Whether to change that definition is a decision best left to the people of each state — not to unelected, politically unaccountable judges. The Supreme Court owes it to the people of those states, whose democratic choices are being invalidated, to review the question soon and reaffirm that states do have that right.”

 Sen. Orrin Hatch

•  “This issue is actively being litigated across the country and I believe that the court will eventually address it.”

2017 Equality Utah has settled the first-of-its-kind lawsuit brought against the state of Utah a over sex-education law that banned positive discussions of homosexuality in public schools.

A joint motion to dismiss the lawsuit was filed Thursday in Salt Lake City’s U.S. District Court. Judge Dee Benson is expected to grant the dismissal. “It’s remarkable what has happened,” Equality Utah Executive Director Troy Williams said. “The Utah State Board of Education has made it clear that LGBTQ students must not be discriminated against.”The settlement filing follows a Sept. 18 letter sent by the Utah State Board of Education to all public and charter schools that noted recent changes to state sex-education laws and the board’s subsequent revised policies. In its letter, the board said it “desires each student in Utah public schools to receive a high quality education free from all manner of discrimination, which can take the form of bullying, based on religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.” To the extent that some old policies remain in place, schools must revise those now “invalid” rules so that they align with current law, the board said. The settlement terms also includes a requirement that state schools develop and implement a safety plan for LGBTQ students targeted by harassment. Equality Utah sued Utah, the state school board and three school districts — Cache County, Jordan and Weber — a year ago, asking a federal judge to strike down the so-called “no promo homo” laws as unconstitutional because they promote discrimination against LGBTQ students and others.“The anti-gay school laws were enacted to express moral disapproval of homosexuality and of LGBT persons,” the complaint filed on Oct. 24, 2016, states. “They do not serve any state interests.” The lawsuit was filed on behalf of three students: A 7-year-old gender-nonconforming boy who wears girl’s clothes to school; a lesbian teen who said she had been disciplined for holding hands with another girl; and a gay teen boy who had been subjected to years of bullying with gay slurs and was prohibited from speaking about his uncle’s same-sex marriage at school. Utah lawmakers moved to avoid battling Equality Utah in court earlier this year by passing SB196, which removed language prohibiting the discussion of homosexuality from state laws. Sponsored by Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, SB196 takes no position on homosexuality, but instead stresses “the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and fidelity after marriage.” The Legislature’s action led to negotiations between lawyers for Equality Utah and the state education office on the changes to administrative rules and policies for schools. In an email, Chris Stoll, a senior staff attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which filed the lawsuit for Equality Utah, expressed gratitude for the actions of the Legislature and the state school board. “This settlement is a tremendous step forward for LGBT students in Utah,” Stoll said, adding that the changes make it clear “that gay and transgender students are as worthy as any other student of respect and inclusion at school.” At least seven other states have similar “don’t say gay” laws on the books. LGBTQ advocates say such laws unfairly label homosexuality as wrong and leave LGBT students at risk of harassment and discrimination. SLTRIBUNE  Jennifer Dobner

2018 Gay Mormon activist Peter Moosman is best known for his “Hug a Gay Mormon” sign he holds outside of Mormon semi annual General Conferences.  Gay Mormon activist Peter Moosman is best known for his “Hug a Gay Mormon” sign he holds outside of Mormon semi annual General Conferences. “Growing up as a closeted gay person in the Church, it was very rough. Trying to find my place as I was coming out was also pretty rough. I think a lot of the challenge was based on miscommunication and misunderstanding. There is a population within the Church of LGBT individuals, and I think we don’t always know how to interact with those people. That’s what happened to me. As I was coming out, I had a lot of positive experiences. People were very friendly, open, and honest about asking questions and those types of things. I also had a lot of uncomfortable and hurtful experiences. Those experiences led me to want to speak up and help members answer those questions so they weren’t confused, have those opportunities to engage with LGBT members in a safe place, let people know that we exist in the Church, and that you don’t have to be afraid of us.” ne of the ways Peter engaged with members of the LDS Church was to take a sign to General Conference with big letters encouraging those attending the conference to “Hug a Gay Mormon.” This is probably what Peter is most known for. “It was an incredible experience,” Peter said of his first time taking his sign to the conference. “I got thousands of hugs.” Peter then took the concept of reaching others by setting up a living room in Downtown Salt Lake City and hosting “Family Home Evening with a Gay Mormon,” where people could discuss what being LGBT and Mormon is like in a safe place.