18 May
1901 Charged With Sodomy Joe Flaherty, a 17 year old boy who lives
in the vicinity of Second North and Fourth West, was Jailed yesterday on the
serious charge of sodomy. His alleged victim was little George
Marsh who lives near fourth West and First South Street. The boy when arrested
admitted to the officer that he had committed the crime. He will likely have a hearing before Judge
Timmony today, The Salt Lake herald. (Salt Lake City [Utah)
- 1901 Prisoner Ran- Deputy Sheriff
John Shea Has Exciting Race- Deputy Sheriff John [Joseph] Shea indulged in
an involuntary foot race this afternoon at 3 o’clock while engaged in
taking a prisoner named John Flaherty from Justice Timmony’s court to the
county jail. While crossing East Temple [State] Street at the intersection
of First South, Flaherty made a temporarily successful break for liberty
and dived through a crowd hot footed. The officer lost no time in taking
up the challenge. For two long blocks west the two men ran. Shea
threatening to shoot but afraid to do so on account of the number of
pedestrians on the street. The fellow finally dived into an alley between
first and second West and the Shea, reinforced by a big crowd, collared
his man. Flaherty seized a piece of wood and threatened the officer with
annihilation but subsequently became very docile when a gun was flashed in
his face. He was subsequently safely locked up. Flaherty had just been
bound over to appear before district court on a charge of a crime against
Nature Deseret News.
1971- Jerry Andersen reviewed Theater 138 Underground’s
performance of Boys In the Band. Marc Crowley’s “Boys In the Band” opened
Friday to a full house in the 138 Underground. The play will run through June
5th on Friday and Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m.. The play casts two intense
moods: anger was accented by light touches of humor through out. Both moods
were handled to their extremes and in some portions of the play they became
overbearing. However the two moods being such the play flowed beautifully and
the audience responded with a great amount of sympathy and in some cases
uncertainty. Parts were cast in play with good taste. Each actor handled his
part with depth and sincerity. Fred Johnson who played Emory upstaged many of
the characters with his sharp humor and extreme effeminacy. One probably
expected him to wear panty hose or shave his legs to pursue the stereotyped
image of the homosexual. Emory indeed
carried the play until Lare Schulze, Harold, entered and bought a different
mental picture into the play. Harold
with his self assurance and sensitivity, mastered, and held the play together
more than any of the other characters. Combined, the cast was able to convince
the audience of the point they were trying to put across; The homosexual
situation is real whether people what to believe or not unless it has been
brought to their attention. If you have seen the movie of Boys In the Band You
will find that there were a few essential parts missing in the play. You will
also find that the cast and the audience entranced in what they were are doing
and seeing and you will be impressed with the humor and anger presented and in
general the acting of the cast. The
director is Douglas Dutton and assistant director is Sunny Carole, props-Chris
Fetcher and costumes by Theo Harper, who was a cast member as well and Lare
Schulz. Jim Andersen was the stage manager. (05/18/1971 Utah Daily Chronicle)
1975- KSL television aired a five day series on Homosexuality.. The
Gay Community Service Center Newsletter interviewed people at the Sun, Radio City,
and Perky’s about the program. The following comments were quoted:
- The KSL
series on homosexuality was conducted like so many other subjects which are
controversial-in order not to offend anyone, it must be treated with so much
caution and delicacy that it also fails to do anything substantial like inform,
enlighten, educate, or elevate people to a higher level of understanding. This
ignorance only adds to the already tremendous waste of human resources. Sorry
KSL but the attempt was somewhat impotent”.
- “It was good that KSL had the guts
to air this type of show, but their bigotry and hypocrisy exposed its ugly head
somewhat.”
- “The KSL series on
homosexuality reminds one of something called depression soup- damn little
meat-lots of water-hardly any substance- and served lukewarm in a cold
bowl.”
- “Visions of Clock Work Oranges! I think Dr. Card
and others like him ought to be subjected to his own therapy for treatment of
his aversion to homosexuality.”
1977 Dr. Glen Morley Vernon, 57, a University
of Utah Sociology professor, pleaded
guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obscene conduct stemming from his arrest
Tuesday in a restroom in Liberty
Park. Dr. Vernon was
given a $150 fine and a suspended 30 day jail sentence by Salt Lake City Court
Judge, Paul G. Grant. Salt Lake
Vice Officer, Ronald E. Nelson said he was on a routine vice assignment in the
restroom, at 7:45 PM when he observed Vernon masturbating. He was subsequently booked into Salt Lake
City-County jail. (05/19/77 SLTribune G1)
1984- OWLS [Older and Wiser Lesbians] held a four day camp out at Arches National Park in Utah.
1986- Graham Bell of the U of U's Lesbian and Gay Student Union and Idaho legislator Robert M Forrey
appeared on KUTV’s Take Two hosted by
Rod Decker. Forrey was publicly supporting an anti-gay comic book written by Dick Hafen entitled, “Homosexuality: Legitimate, Alternative Death
style.” Forrey felt that the book
should be read by children to prepare them to resist Gay recruitment and to
educate them in the evils of homosexuality.
1986- Last meeting of the Restoration
Church at Crossroads Urban Center. Mike Howard conducted Sacrament Meeting
and in attendance were Erick Strickler, Mark LaMarr, Sy Felts, Russ Lane, Randy
Holliday, Gordon Jones, Jon Butler,
Craig Hunter, Fran and Ben Williams.Church went well and today was our last time at the Crossroad Urban
Center because next week we will be at
the Multipurpose Center, in Rose Park. Mike Howard
conducted and presided in Bob's absence and Rick Strickler from Provo gave a good talk on magnifying the Priesthood. Two
investigators came today. Mark LaMar and Cy Felts a friend of Mike Howard's
from Provo.
Mark was so impressed that he took a membership form. Great! It was a great meeting discussing sex and spirituality. [Journal of Ben Williams]
 |
| Boyd K Packer |
1993 – LDS
Apostle Boyd K. Packer tells All-Church Coordinating Council that LDS church
faces three major threats: "The dangers I speak of come from the
gay-lesbian movement, the feminist movement (both of which are relatively new),
and the ever-present challenge from the so-called scholars or
intellectuals."
1993 The University of Utah’s student editors of the Daily
Chronicle officially endorsed the legalization of same-sex marriages through
the United States.
1998 Vox Homophobuli By City Weekly editors MAY 18, 1998: The Daily Utah Chronicle had published
contentious letters about homosexuals before, but never one quite like Abel
Thompson's. A senior in accounting at the University of Utah,
Thompson was obviously distressed that a gay man was handing out towels at one
of the school's locker rooms. At least, he thought the man was gay. Soon after Thompson's letter ran, the
student-run newspaper unwittingly set off a chain reaction of emotional distress,
heated response, a possible lawsuit, and an apology of sorts. Call it a lesson
in how not to handle homophobia. A
senior in accounting, Thompson was obviously uncomfortable around gay people.
His letter to the Chronicle told it all, in a style of disgust that mocked a
humorous tone. The man handing out towels spoke in a high voice, painted his
fingernails purple, and wore an earring. The conclusion was easy to draw,
really. Taking the Paula Jones school of sexual harassment to absurd extremes,
Thompson felt that his rights had been violated. He was going to let this
fellow have it. "I would argue that
just the sight of a homosexual working in the locker room is suggestive to the
point of making an offensive environment," he wrote. That, even though the
high-voiced, fingernail-painted person described made no sexual advances toward
the accounting major. Letters in response ranged from the outraged to the
educational: "Why provide a forum for such blatantly inflammatory
comments?" an assistant professor of Russian asked. "I know that
homosexuals are people, they are not crazed animals," wrote a political
science major. No one was more distraught than Nelson Clayton, a 22-year-old
English major. He, after all, was the towel boy in question. His initial anger
turned to unease, followed by fear. He was angry because he didn't understand
why he was being singled out. He was disturbed by the letter's ignorance. He
was afraid he might get attacked. "You do hear about that stuff happening
in the news, as much as it surprises you," he says. Daily Utah Chronicle editorial Kade Rolfson:
"We don't condone [Thompson's] opinion, but for crying out loud, this is America. The irony of it all is that Clayton, in fact,
is not gay. So much for appearances. Following the published uproar over the
letter in subsequent issues of the Chronicle, Thompson sought Clayton out in
person and offered an awkward apology. "I could tell it was hard for him
to talk to me," Clayton says. "I don't know if it really changed his
views, but at least he's aware of more issues than before." Thompson
declined comment for this story. The university's Lesbian and Gay Student
Union, along with openly gay U. Law Professor Terry S. Kogan, were a little
less conciliatory, especially
 |
| Terry Krogan |
where the Chronicle was concerned. It's Kogan's
opinion that Thompson's letter had no news value, and even constituted an
invasion of Clayton's privacy. "The real question is, 'Should a newspaper
be outing someone absent of some important public purpose or absent their
consent?' " Kogan asks. As for the letter's tone, "That kind of
hate-mongering has no place in society, much less a university." Clayton mused briefly about the possibility of
a lawsuit, but dismissed it just as quickly. "To argue a suit involving
invasion of privacy I would also have to argue that being gay is a terrible
thing, and that's not a position I'm willing to take," he says. "It
would only reinforce the views aired in that letter." For its part, the student-run newspaper
acknowledges the mistake of failing to edit Thompson's description of Clayton
from the letter. The error is all the more curious given a comprehensive policy
printed in every issue: "Letters ... which demean or threaten harm to any
individual or group based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion will
not be considered." Kade Rolfson, the editorial editor who approved
Thompson's letter for publication, sees it all as a learning experience. And,
not incidentally, a chance to defend free speech. If you want to kill the
cancer of homophobia, it has to stand for some public exposure, he contends.
"We don't condone [Thompson's] opinion, but for crying out loud, this is America, he can
have his opinion," Rolfson says. "Situations similar to this letter
have come up, and I haven't made the same mistake twice. As a student
newspaper, the Chronicle has served its purpose." As Clayton now knows, though, free speech
isn't always free. "I didn't think of quitting my job or getting a gun,
but it cost me peace of mind," he says.
1998 The Annual Diversity Is Great Awards was held at the Mexico
Civic Center. The Theme was Community Under Construction. Dr. Patty Reagan who was home with pneumonia
was honored with a Life time Achievement Award-DIG AWARDS: A COMMUNITY UNDER
CONSTRUCTION 18 May 1998 Centro Civico
Mexicano 155 South 600 West SLC UTAH We
would like to welcome you all to the 1998 Diversity is Great recognition
banquet. As co-chairs, we hope that tonight will give you an opportunity to
meet some of the people who have made Utah
a better place for all of us to live. We hope that when you leave here tonight
you will feel inspired, and as proud of our community as we are! Our recipients
are a part of the vast numbers of people it takes to create change and keep our
community vital. From Logan
to St. George and every place in between, there are Gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered and heterosexual people who continually fight for our rights,
which are the same rights that are afforded to every American. This evening we
would like you to not only think about the people who have helped you, but
also, all those who have made you proud of who you are. it is time to recognize
the affect those people and you have had on others just because of who and what
they stand for. Started in 1993 as a fundraiser for the Utah Stonewall Center,
our hope is that the Diversity is Great recognition banquet will become a
rallying point for all of the communities in Utah, to celebrate how far we have
come, and also a time to energize us for the many battles ahead. As always, we
will not only recognize our Diversity Recipients, but also a group of
volunteers, members and/or employees of different clubs, organizations and
businesses that have been an outstanding asset to their organizations. This includes
two of the many wonderful and important organizations in this community. You
don't have to be on the news or be an activist to make a difference, Many
people make a difference just by being a proud and openly Gay or lesbian
person. There are also those in the straight community that stand proudly with
us and fight for equal rights for all people. Maybe someone is a good listener
or gives their time and/or money to an organization or a cause they believe in.
Think about the people who have influenced you or made an impact on your life.
Then take a moment and tell us about them. They could become the next Diversity
Recipient. We are grateful to all of you who helped make this evening possible.
In every instance when we have asked for help, the answer has been 'yes'. That,
in and of itself, makes a great statement about the wonderful people who are a
part of the community we live in. We have done our best to remember all those
who were a part of this evening. If we have forgotten to list your name, please
forgive us and know that your help was greatly appreciated. Again, thank you
all for being here tonight, and please remember that this is as much a
fundraiser as it is a night to honor a few of the members of Utah's diverse
communities. So "DIG" deep. Kevin Hillman Brenda Voisard Co-founders
"Diversity is Great" Mistress of Ceremony: Ms. Becky Moss Guest
Performer-Scott Wilson ORGANZATIONAL AWARDS Outstanding Members, Volunteers,
or Employees of Clubs, Organizations, &Businesses Presenters-
- GAY LESBIAN & STRAIGHT EDUCATION NETWORK: 1998 ORGANIZATION OF
THE YEAR-Started three years ago by co-founders Doug Wortham and Camille Lee as
a moral and legal support group for teachers, GLSEN has grown into one of the
best and most important outlets for teachers wanting to learn more about gay
and lesbian issues. In the few short years of its existence, GLSEN has had to
deal with the State Legislature on Gay Support Groups in Utah
High Schools, and Wendy Weaver's
ongoing lawsuit against the Nebo
School District. Also,
GLSEN hosted the first ever National Convention of GLSEN in Salt Lake City this past year. As they
continue to grow, they will have many challenges to help make Utah schools gay-friendly. For more
information about GLSEN and for meeting times and places, please call
801-296-5411
- GOAL-GAY OFFICERS ACTION LEAGUE: 1998 NEW ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR
GOAL was formed out of a need for uniformed and civilian personnel to have not
only a social outlet, but a support group for gay and lesbian officers. Officer
Kevin Nollenberg of the University of Utah Police Department is the founder of
the Utah
chapter of GOAL, whose purpose is to promote friendship among active, retired,
uniformed and civilian personnel. For more information, write to GOAL, P.O. Box 521418, Salt
Lake City, Utah 84152-1418.
- CAMILLE LEE: 1998 DIG
RECIPIENT Presenter- Doug Wortham “Camille Lee was
approached in October of
1995 by a group of students at East
High School to help them
start a support group for Gay and Lesbian students and their supporters. She
quickly came to the realization that she no longer could keep her personal life
a secret, and that she had to help these kids. Raised in Beaver, Utah, and the eldest of
four children (one sister and two brothers), and being raised LDS, the thought
of coming out both terrified her and excited her at the same time. The students
were giving her the push she needed to live her life openly and proudly, but
things needed to be put in place first before she could step out. In 1993,
after attending the March on Washington
(the one time in her life where she felt in the majority), she wanted to come
out, but still lied to her students about having been there. The pressures from
hiding who she was took its toll, and Camille took a years leave of absence.
After hiking the Appalachian Trail with a friend, she started teaching at East High
School. Camille stayed to herself for the first
year and had few, if any, fellow teachers she could call 'friend'. After the
students approached her, she starting building bridges with fellow teachers
and, in the process, found others who understood the need for Gay clubs. Armed
with her heterosexual allies, she dove in to help the students. Camille
graduated from the University
of Utah in
Exercise/Sports Science and Chemistry and went on to get her Masters of
Education from Weber State College. She is a member of NOW, National Science
Teachers Association, the UEA and ACLU. She and Doug Wortham are the founders
of the Utah Chapter of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) and
helped to put on GLSEN's first National I Convention last year in Salt Lake.
"There is so much to do to help break down the myths about being
Gay," Camille stated. "We have to help as much as we can to make Utah
Schools safe for all students. The benefits of coming out are unending, and the
freedom of being able to be who I am has made life 100% The positive role model
Camille has been, and will continue to be for many students, may never be fully
recognized.
- DAVE OWENS: 1998 DIG RECIPIENT Presenter-Jeff Freedman “Dave has
been an active member of our community for many years. The talents that he
gives to the Gay Community are immeasurable. There have been many fundraisers
that Dave has organized in the past, but his largest and most successful
venture was for Chance Tingey, a 4-year old boy who lost his battle with AIDS.
The fundraiser was a wonderful event that involved a lot of people. Nothing
like this had been done in our community
 |
| Dave Owens |
before, and it took Dave's vision to
accomplish it. As Entertainment Chair for the Utah Pride Committee, Dave has
single-handedly brought to the Pride Stage a diverse range of entertainment for
the past four years. He has done this all on his own. The Pride Day Celebration
has grown tremendously in size and quality, and Dave has been a large part of
that quality and growth. Dave has obtained the bands necessary to perform at
Pride Day, and got all of their services donated. That takes great talent! Dave
has also organized the entertainment for the Utah AIDS Foundation's "Walk
for Life" the past three years; a similar set-up as Pride Day, with
performers at no charge! Dave started the Women's Breast Cancer Fund with the
Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire (RCGSE), Since it's inception, this fund
has provided many thousands of dollars of support to the University of Utah's
Breast Cancer Research facility. In fact, the RCGSE is now having a week-long
fundraising effort just for this cause. Dave is one of those "behind
the scenes" kind of guys. One cannot describe in words how valuable Dave
has been. His dedication, hard work, and charming personality have been a great
asset to our community. Dave has also picked up the ball this year on
soliciting corporate sponsorships for Pride Day '98(Sunday, June 14). Dave is
just one of those guys who enjoys what he does, but wants little credit for
doing it. He is proud of his accomplishments, and we are, too. It's time to show
Dave our appreciation.”
- DEEDA SEED: 1998 DIG RECIPIENT Presenter-Tamera Baggett
“For someone who seems to be in the middle of a lot of controversy, Deeda never
seems to lose her sense of humor. That is one of her endearing traits, not to
mention her willingness to stand up for the rights of all Utahns, even when it
could mean the end to her political career. Councilwomen Seed has followed
through on her campaign promises to the Gay and Lesbian Community and did not
back down when the heat was turned up. To this end we thank you, Deeda! Deeda
hails from the windy city of Chicago.
She is the eldest of five. Her brother is an investment banker, and all three
of her sisters are professional skiers. She has a degree in Behavioral Sciences
and Health
 |
| Deeda Seed |
from the University of Utah, and her MSW from the University of Chicago.
Her concern for social justice is what she feels is her greatest asset, and she
has devoted her life to those causes. She states, "we are all human beings
and we should find our differences interesting, not threatening." Civil
rights for Gays and lesbians are important, and she finds it disturbing that
others want to vilify any group of people. Deeda stated, "All people
deserve to be treated with dignity and respect"...and we need to learn to get
along. Building a Community and being part of a team that can make change
happen is exciting to her. As a Salt Lake City Council member, she has found
that some people forget why they were elected, and take themselves too
seriously. You need a since of humor and I don’t take myself too seriously. But
I do the best I can and ask for input from others so that I can make decisions
based on good information. Deeda has
about seventeen months left to serve on the Council, and she hopes to make an
impact so that parents don't have to see their children suffer. She has been
involved with Jedi Women, Utah Women’s Forum, and Utah Progressive Network. She
lives in the heart of Salt Lake City
with her son Noah.”
- BROOK HEART-SONG: 1998 DIG RECIPIENT Presenter-Becky Moss
“Brook was born in Centerville,
Mississippi. She received her BA
in English from the University
of Southwest Louisiana,
and taught school from 1964-73. In 1970, before she had even cam
 |
| Brook Heartsong |
e out to
herself, she was accused of being Gay. At that time in Louisiana, people were being murdered for
being Gay. Brook endured three more horrifying years there before moving to Los Angeles. This was a
new beginning for Brook. She attended the University of Los Angeles
and earned a Paralegal degree. In 1977, she interviewed for a bookkeeping job
and stated that she had the skills to do this, even thought she had no formal
training. She lied; they hired her. Then she found out that not only was there
a CPA for the company, but her boss also was a CPA. Well, they taught her the
bookkeeping skills that she makes her living with now. Those same skills are
what have made her such an asset to the Utah Community. When asked why she has
been so generous with her time, she stated, "those of us who can be out,
must be out. When I got here (SLC), I had finally grown up to the point where I
felt it was my responsibility to get involved." She credits a male friend,
in Los Angeles,
for dragging her screaming and kicking out of the closet. He would take her out
and then let her know that she was in a Gay restaurant and say, "How does
it feel?" She realized it felt great, and that the power of coming out
cannot be measured, it can only be felt. She stated that what happened to the
kids at East High School made her even more
determined to be out and proud. Since moving to Utah
in 1989, Brook has been involved with the Utah Stonewall
Center, and was the
volunteer of the year in 1994. She served as a board member from 1995 to 1998,
serving as Chair for a year. She has been the treasurer of the Pride Day
Committee for four years. She was the past chair of the PWAC in 1996 and a
board member in 1995, '96 & '98. She is a recipient of the PWAC Red Ribbon
Award which has been renamed the Barb Barnhart Red Ribbon Award. On 1996 she
also volunteered at Kindly Gifts. But one of the things that cannot be measured
is her influence on her Gay and lesbian clients who not only have a bookkeeper,
but also a friend. Making the evening more special for Brook is the attendance
of her sister from Oregon.”
- COURTNEY MOSER: 1998 DIG RECIPIENT Presenter-Bruce Harmon and Bruce Barton
“Courtney doesn't fit the definition of an "Accidental Activist". For
anyone who knows him, they soon become aware of how important the Gay and
lesbian community is to him. Born in Preston, Idaho, he attended West Side High School and
went on to
get his BA in Marketing from Utah
State University.
He has three brothers and one sister. His partner of eight and half years is
Pastor Kelly Byrnes of MCC, Bridgerland. If you ask him about his volunteer
work, he will just pass it off as if it is what everyone is doing. But as you
dig deeper, you find someone who is involved with all aspects of community life
in some form or another. Courtney is a member of the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual
Alliance of Cache Valley; a USU social and support group. He was president for
two and half years, and acted as advisor for five years. He has been a member
of the Cache Valley AIDS Council for ten years and was its chair for four
years. He does AIDS outreach every week with a weenie roast up Logan Canyon
to help raise awareness of HIV. He is the editor of the local church and
community newsletter and is also the facilitator for the MCC youth group,
weekly movie group, and an AIDS support group. With MCC Bridgerland he helps
with campout's, river runs, and he puts on dinners for the 24th of July,
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. We just want to know when he can find
time to go to work. He helped with the first float that the GLBA put in USU's
Homecoming Parade in 1992, and was involved with the march on the Herald
Journal in 1993 (this took place during the same period of time as the '93
March on Washington). The Journal refused to run the comic strip, For Better or
Worse, because it had a Gay theme that week. The Journal must have learned
their lesson, as the next time there was a Gay-themed strip, they ran it
without much hoopla. Courtney also keeps busy doing Gay and lesbian panels at
USU, as well as AIDS awareness in most of the public schools. When asked why he
stays so involved he stated “I feel a need to- for myself as much as for
others.” The rewards come in after each public appearance, such as the front
page article in the Herald Journal last year when he and Kelly were pictured
together as a couple, and talked about what it was like to be an out Gay couple
in rural America. After the article ran a woman called on National Coming Out
Day to say that, because of the article, she was no longer going to hide in the
closet. An Accidental Activist? Maybe, but one who has had an huge impact on a
large corner of Utah.”
- DR. PATRICIA REAGAN: LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT Presenter- Don Austin and
Brett Clifford “Patty Reagan moved to Utah
over 20 years ago to start a career at the University of Utah,
as Professor of Health and Safety. She grew up in Denver, the only girl of four children. After
graduating from high school, Patty attended Brigham Young
University (a fact that
was almost as painful for her to admit, as it would be to have a tooth
extracted without anesthesia) and received two degrees in Health and Sociology.
After escaping from Utah, she went on to get
her PhD from the University of Illinois in Urbana,
and then a Masters of Public Health (MPH) from the University
of
California at Berkeley. When offered the job at the University of Utah, she had second thoughts, as that
meant having to move back to a state that she did not hold in high regard. The
saving grace was that the job offer was in Salt
Lake and not Provo. After getting settled in, she could clearly
see the opportunities to make a difference. Consequently, she jumped in head
first, and became the founder of the Women's Studies Program at the University of Utah, as well as a pioneer (probably a
scary word to her) in Women's Health and Safety Issues. She was one of the
first in Utah
to publicly discuss AIDs education in public schools, and birth control. Patty
talked to KSL news anchor Bruce Lindsey about all of these issues in the early
80's before it was the norm. In an interview with Good Morning America, she
demonstrated the use of a condom and stated it looked huge on TV because of the
close up. Part of the interview was later shown on the Phil Donahue Show. After
seeing the segment, Donahue stated, "after that, Dr. Reagan will never be speaking
in Utah
again." How wrong could he have been? Patty ran for the Utah State
Legislature in 1980, and in 1985 founded the Salt Lake AIDS Foundation. As an
advocate of women's rights and empowerment, she addressed the topic at a Brown
Bag seminar in 1988. She emphasized that women must learn to feel comfortable
with their bodies and need to be aware of their sexuality. In conclusion, she
said, "I encourage you to have courage, enjoy sex, stop having acts of
omission and do acts of commission that give other women permission to love and
like themselves." When asked what her greatest asset is, she stated it is
her impulsiveness. She civil rights because that is what her spirit says to do,
and to be a voice for others. "There are so many opportunities to be a star
in this community", she stated. So, hurry up and become one.
2003 Ben Williams To: Jerry Rapier Cc: Charles Milne Subject: Pride
Partnership Application-Dear Mr. Rapier, I am extremely apologetic for getting
this form to you so late. It was touch and go whether we could even fulfill
this project at all. We hit a bit of a snag with the project when Home Depot
declined to donate material to us due to over expenditures they had incurred
having just given the Boys and Girls Club a sizable donation. While they are
still interested in helping us they wouldn't be able until after this summer.
Therefore we had to come up with additional resources so that we could buy the
material ourselves. We just incorporated our by-laws and established our board
in April so that was time consuming for us as well in addition to
partnershiping with Ivenio thisfall Gay Men's Health Summit. However our
funding is now in place and while we had to scale the project back to six
kiosks we still hope to be a positive affirming presence at Gay Pride. Sincerely Ben Williams Co-director USHS Class
of '69
- JERRY
RAPIER I think it's great that you're involved - and six kiosks is six
more Than there's ever been! Jerry
2003 CRAIG MILLER to Dr. Kristen
Ries Community Service Award Recipients-Hi, Everyone, Thanks to Ben for helping
to gather the email addresses of the past recipients and for reminding us the
criteria for the award selection. I
just wanted to remind you that you can nominate people also and I can accept
nominations until this Thursday at 5:00 PM.
I'll distribute the names of the nominees by next Tuesday. I'm leaving town on Friday. Depending on the
number of nominees, I might be able to send them to you before I
leave..... In any case, I need to have your responses by Thursday the
29th so we can order the engraving of the plaque. It will be presented at the Grand Marshall
reception which will be held on the 5th floor terrace of the new Salt Lake City
Library Building Friday, June 5 beginning at 7:00 PM. You are all invited, cost $25 per person. If possible, please RSVP. The recipient will also
be honored on stage during Pride Day. Thanks, Craig
 |
| Courtney Moser |
2003 Weenie World Men's Cookout begins Wednesday
evening at 7:00 PM in the "Fruit Loop" 3 miles up Logan Canyon. This
will continue every Wednesday during the summer. CHANGES FROM PAST YEARS: 1.
Since the Faith and Fellowship Center kicked the Metropolitan Community
Church and the Gay men's community out of their building last year and since
The Gay Men's Community is no longer welcome to use that building, if there is
rain, we will meet at Kelly and Courtney's house. 2. In the past we have had grants from the Utah
Aids Foundation to buy supplies for these cookouts. Since organizations are only able to apply
for these grants for 3 years in a row we were not able to apply last year or
this year. Last Year Kelly and I just covered those expenses ourselves, but
since our combined income is less than 50% of what it used to be we will not be
able to provide them this year. 3.
Weenie world will be a pot luck event.The food items need to be finger
foods, such as hot dogs, cookies, chips etc.
Don't forget something to drink, too. If the food items you plan on bringing
are going to need utensils or a plate etc. in order to eat it then you will
also need to bring those items. Remember that there will be newcomers etc. that
will not have provisions for themselves so you might want to bring a little
extra to share with those who are new or come unprepared. Remember that you were new once, too. THE
HISTORY BEHIND WEENIE WORLD: For many years The "Fruit Loop", Lady Bird Park, First Dam, and in general
Logan Canyon have been places where men have visited in order to have sexual
encounters with other men. Men who have lived in other parts of the country
have compared these places to many others is other cities, and rate them as
"busier" than most. When the Forest Service tore down Lady Bird Park,
most of that activity moved up to the
"Fruit Loop". When I came out of the closet 15 years ago there was
very often lots and lots of cruising
traffic in the loop, and lots and lots of sex
going on. Most of it could easily
be classified as unsafe, anonymous sex.
A few of the men were "Out of the closet" but most were and
still are closeted Gay men who do not have any other outlet. I used
to joke with a couple of Gay guys that I was going to come up there and
open up a hot dog stand, and that I could make a fairly good living at it. One week the 3 of us just decided to have a
cookout up there. While we were having
our cookout, many cars drove past us and we joked with each other that we
should make this a weekly event and
invite all the cruisers.At this same time frame, Bob Evans who was
volunteering with me on the Cache Valley AIDS Council wanted to install some
condom dispensers up at the loop to encourage the men to have safer sex. I could not see how we could logistically do
that because I was fearing vandalism to the dispensers. A
while later, Greg Gerard said that he had read that on Fire Island in
New York they just hang empty milk jugs in the trees and fill them with
condoms. Then I thought that even if
they were destroyed, there was no big loss and we could easily replace them.
Hence began what we now call "Weenie World". At first it was a pot luck cookout.
Then in later years we got grants from the Utah AIDS Foundation to buy the supplies. PHILOSOPHY BEHIND WEENIE WORLD: In
association with the advocacy of Gay rights, I am also an advocate of the larger and contributing issue of
lessening the shame and negative hysteria often associated with open discussion
and healthy __expression of human sexuality. Following the examples of such
notable public figures as Dr. Ruth Westheimer and others, I have advocated that openness about sexual
__expression between consenting adults is a healthy thing. A friend of mine has
often stated, "Repression breeds perversion. If you suppress the healthy
outlet of human sexual __expression long enough and strong enough, it will
eventually manifest itself "sideways", often in an unhealthy way,
possibly doing irreparable harm to the individual and others." I have known hundreds of repressed
Gay men, who do not value themselves and
because they believe that they are going to hell anyway, engage in unsafe and
unhealthy sexual behaviors. One result being that I have witnessed more than 2
dozen of my own personal friends die from AIDS. Unless and until the legal and
social constructs which provide heterosexual relationships with a degree
of stability are available to the Gay
population, that is unlikely to change. Those who understand their homosexual
orientation, in an accepting environment, have fewer difficulties adjusting,
often have fewer sexual partners, and have a better chance of achieving a
healthy self-image and a positive lifestyle I have tried to be supportive of
everyone and not act as a moral
policeman of someone else's behavior. I wholeheartedly support
people who believe that celibacy or
monogamy is best for them and I try and celebrate with and for them in their
relationships. Likewise, I support other people who feel that celibacy and/or
monogamy will not work for them. I do not feel it is moral for any person or
group of people to force their personal beliefs about sex or anything else onto
other people. I believe there is room on the planet for all views and that all
views can live side by side without contention or condemnation. These type of
events work. As part of a longstanding commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention, I and
others in the Cache Valley have tried a number of different ways to present HIV
prevention messages. The Weenie World Cookouts are one more way, a very popular
way among Gay men. It is established behavioral theory that as a group learns
to humanize each other, learning names, histories, etc., they tend to care for
themselves and their partners more. This leads to conversations around HIV,
status, responsibilities, condom usage, etc., that makes the sexual encounter
occur more safely than had it occurred in any of the other non-traditional
locations Gay men tend to meet to find other men. Our efforts have been
noticed. The Utah AIDS Foundation and the Utah
Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS, have both sent representatives
to several of our other efforts. New and effective ways of presenting a very
old, and for gay men, passé message of safety when having sex are
treasured commodities, not to be guarded but
hared. We are regularly supplied with condoms and lube to give away by the State Department of Health. They are very pleased
with our efforts and our ingenuity in reaching this traditionally hard-to-reach
population.
 |
| Larry Tidwell |
2003 Lavender Tribe Larry Tidwell Topic:
Hopi chanting Experience the
healing and melodic rhythm of the ancient Hopi chants. They have been used for
thousands of years to heal ourselves and heal Mother Earth. Please bring a
pillow or something to sit on (we will be on the floor) and a SMALL sacred item
to place on the altar.
2004 PFlag Claudia's St. George Working through Anger, Grief and
Loss In Our Journeys of Coming Out Guest speakers Kraig and Chris We have some
great stuff to present. This should make for interesting discussions. BIO: We
both have a Masters in Social Work and have been involved in counseling many
GLBTQ people. We use to chair the Affirmation G/L Mormon group in Las Vegas for 5 years. We
are both we both served LDS missions. We have been together for 9 years
 |
| Kim Russo |
2006 Dear Community Member, The election the Royal Court of the
Golden Spike Empire will be holding this Saturday, May 20th from noon to
midnight at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel (the voting room is on the east side
of the hotel near the main ballroom) for the position of Co-President (Emperor)
is a very important election for the organization. There is a Candidate that
will take the RCGSE and our COMMUNITY into an HONEST, CARING and COMMUNITY
BASED 4TH DECADE. That Candidate is Mr. Chuck Whyte for Emperor. The reason
this election is so vital is because the outcome of this election can determine
which direction the RCGSE will take and the impact it will have on the
community. By electing Mr. Chuck Whyte Co-President of the RCGSE, he will have
a
 |
| Chuck Whyte |
very positive impact on the organization and the community at large. EVERY
VOTE COUNTS! Your VOTE will determine who wins this election. I hope we can
count on your vote for Mr. Chuck Whyte for Emperor and hope to see you on
voting day. If you need transportation to go and vote, please call 661-1961 and
we can arrange for someone to pick you up to go and vote. Thank you! Sincerely,
The Community Members who support Mr. Chuck Whyte for Emperor 31
- This Saturday voting will take place for the positions of
Emperor and Empress of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, a charitable
fundraising organizations. Two highly visible community members Kim Russo and
Chuck Whyte are running for the office of Emperor. While I feel the two are
remarkably qualified I am endorsing my long time friend Chuck. Chuck has been
an active member of the Royal
Court from the days it was still the Imperial Court. He
has generously raised tens of thousands of dollars and has done everything in
the court from running the spotlights to being on the stage as Chuckles. It is
time to honor Chuck with a position he so richly deserves for his long time
service to this community and to the RCGSE. Join me Saturday in casting a vote
for Chuck Whyte.
2006 City Weekly Salt Lake City's Pride parade ends
with a giant rainbow flag. It's the parade's version of the Santa Claus that
brings up the rear of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, said parade organizer
Don Steward. Like everything else related to Pride, it's also political. Parade
watchers fall in behind the giant flag and follow it to the parade's end,
across 400 South and into the Pride Festival at Library Square and Washington Square
Park. The swelling throng
is a show of "we are family" unity. But it's also a headache for Salt Lake City police who struggle to prevent parade-goers
from getting run over by 400 South TRAX
trains. So it's no surprise a proposal to move this year's parade route set off
a storm among some in the gay community who wondered if city officials were
trying to get gay marchers out from the shadows of the LDS Church headquarters,
traditionally part of the parade route, which comes within one block of Temple
Square and the LDS Church Office Building. However, the only known complaint
about the parade came from the pastor of a different downtown church, who asked
that the route be changed since the parade blocks the church's parking lot. The
reason Pride organizers were given regarding the route change was public
safety. One of the alternate routes suggested was a march down 500
 |
| Donald Steward |
South below Trolley Square, a
route used for the Days of '47 Youth Parade. "It just seemed so
politically motivated. Each year they've gotten more and more resistant to the
parade and more contentious to work with," said Steward, citing occasional
clashes between police patrolling the parade and parade organizers or
participants. "It seems like they want us out of downtown Salt Lake City. "This is the one time of the year the
gay and lesbian community gets to be visible in downtown Salt Lake.
The sort of conspiratorial part of me thinks they want this subdued, kept
quiet." But if there was conspiracy afoot to hide Pride, it didn't work.
This year's Pride will be more prominent than ever. Due to heavy use of Library Square, the
dates for this year's four-day Pride celebration were moved at the request of
city officials. It's now June 1-4, the same weekend as the Salt Lake City Marathon.
And the parade also will keep its prized downtown route, which begins at 300
South and runs in a horseshoe up State Street and across South Temple before
turning south again on 200 East. Following discussions with parade organizers,
the Salt Lake City
police have arranged to stop traffic on 400 South during the parade to aid
street crossing. The police additionally have asked the Utah Department of
Transportation to stop 400 South TRAX runs. To
aid police, Pride organizers will take after organizers of spring's immigration
marches and marshal a volunteer security force to help keep parade participants
and spectators from getting run
.jpg) |
| Jere Keys |
over. Jere Keys, Pride coordinator for the Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Utah, said many of the
difficulties encountered in past parades likely stemmed from a lack of
communication with the police department. Much of the confusion this year was
cleared up following Pride organizers' initial shock at being asked to consider
a move. "The new dialogue that has sprung up between ourselves and the
city solved problems we've floundered with for years," he said. Keys said
the city and police department appear to be working hard this year to
accommodate Pride's needs. Some past years' parade participants haven't always
felt that sense of cooperation. An annual Pride parade crowd favorite is QUAC,
the Queer Utah
.jpg) |
| Doug Fadel |
Aquatic Club, whose parade entry features long lines of men
performing routines in swim briefs. Doug Fadel, QUAC captain, said police
threats to pull the entry from the parade if members stop to perform drill
routines has been a bigger problem than protestors at some past parades.
"To me, that's not about public safety. That's content," said parade
organizer Donald Steward. "There's no way this would happen at the Days of '47
Parade." Detective Joe Cyr said it's standard procedure for police to urge
parade entrants along, and slowpokes in the Days of '47 Parade have been pulled
out of the route in years past. Detective Robin Snyder, police department spokeswoman,
said perceptions that police officers don't like Pride are unfounded. Officers
volunteer for the parade. "It's one of the funnest parades I've every
worked," she said. "I've never heard one complaint" from an
officer. Cyr noted police work to keep protestors away from parade
participants. Participants bunching up at the end of the parade was the biggest
problem, Cyr said. That should be alleviated with this year's changes. Crowding
problems at the end of the parade were exacerbated last year when, for the
first time, Pride began charging admission for its festival. That meant instead
of being able to walk directly across 400 South into Library Square, parade-goers "hit a
wall" at entry gates, said Keys. Additional entrances will be added. Keys'
big concern now is keeping Pride's downtown route for the future. The parade
was originally founded to be a source of visibility for the community, a
political statement to say, `We're here. Look how many of us there are, how
diverse we are.' The current route is very visible, right in the heart of
downtown," he said. There are segments of the community who love that [the
route] is so close to Temple
Square and church headquarters. It sends a message
we are not afraid to travel next to those buildings." And some parade
enthusiasts wish the route took an even more political direction. There are
people in the community who have said we should march down from Capitol Hill,
circle Temple Square
six times, then march down the street. So it's not like we don't have other ideas,"
said Keys. "But we really like this route and want to hold on to it as
long as we can."
• Thurs
May 18th - Live music by Mary Tebbs – Center Space (7pm) Come hear the amazing
sounds of Mary Tebbs, local favorite - LIVE tonight in the Center Space. This
event is FREE but PLEASE bring a tip for the musicians!
2010 Logan adopts ordinances to stop anti-gay bias By Arrin Newton
Brunson Special To The Tribune 5/18/2010 Logan » In one motion, the Logan City
Council on Tuesday night mandated that employers and landlords cannot
discriminate against gays, lesbians or transgendered people in the city limits.
Modeled after anti-discrimination laws recently adopted in Salt Lake City,
Logan's housing and employment ordinances passed with four votes and one
abstention, by Councilman Dean Quayle. A crowd, which filled the City Council
Chambers halls and an overflow room, was mostly subdued throughout a one-hour
public hearing. Following the tally though, the crowd erupted in applause and
rewarded the council with a standing ovation. In the days leading up to
Tuesday's meeting, Council Chairman Jay Monson said he received more than 250
calls and e-mails "for" and only 10 "against" the
ordinances, all from Logan residents and business owners. Meanwhile, a handful
of protesters staged a ruckus in front of Monson's LDS chapel Sunday, carrying
banners and drawing attention to themselves by calling this lifelong Cache
Valley educator names such as, "child hater." Two other council
members were similarly targeted in their neighborhoods, where the protesters
also handed out anti-gay literature door-to-door. On Tuesday night, Monson
defended his support of the ordinances and clarified the stan ce of the area's
largest church after calling the LDS headquarters in Salt Lake City on Monday.
"The [LDS] church supports nondiscrimination ordinances, period.
Certainly, I was told that this applies to Logan as much as any other place in
the world," Monson said Tuesday before calling for the vote. "They do
and I do and I agree that this is not the answer for everything ... But it is a
step in the right direction and it is long overdue in my thinking." Logan
resident James Gibson, a business owner and landlord, disagreed saying the City
Council is overstepping its bounds. "I don't feel that it is the place of
the government to step in and say who I can and can't hire," Gibson said,
adding that, if anything, it should be a state matter. "If anybody feels
like they've been discriminated against on behalf of any landlord or business owner,
that becomes a civil matter. "
Joshua Frazier added, "The problem is a lack of compassion, not a
lack of laws. You cannot legislate compassion and attempting to do so only
creates resentment." Frazier said the ordinances are unconstitutional
because employment and property rentals feature a private contract. "It's
wrong for governments to interfere with contracts between individuals,"
Frazier said. "I see this as the government forcing moral decisions on
private individuals. I do not want the government determining and defining what
is moral and what is not." Councilmember Holly Daines said the ordinances
have passed the legal test in other cities where have been in effect and that
several exemptions make them easier to deal with. For example, businesses with
fewer than 15 employees are exempted from the new standards, as are
owner-occupied rentals. Gail Hansen, a citizen of Logan for 30 years, said she
has been enlightened by the support among her neighbors and friends for the
ordinances. "I wasn't aware that there was a problem because the people
who suffered the injury just found a different job, just found a different
place to live," Hansen said, adding that she believes in liberty and
justice for all described in our nation's founding document. "I was
reminded that our constitution was enacted in order to establish
justice..." abrunson@sltrib.com
No comments:
Post a Comment