This Day In Gay Utah History May 24th

24 May

1610-The Virginia Colony passed a law making sodomy and adultery capital crimes. As there were no women in the colony Sodomy was more likely more frequent than adultery.

1901 Joe Flaherty [17 years old] who was incarcerated in county jail about a week ago charged with a revolting crime against nature on the person of a seven year old boy was examined this afternoon by physicians before Judge John James who committed him to the state insane asylum. While apparently sane enough on some subjects Flaherty is far from sane on others. He is what physicians called a paranoiac. Deseret News

Different From Other People

1919-The showing of the first Gay liberation film, "Different From Other People," took place in Berlin. It would be banned the following year.

1922-In Vienna, homosexual sexologist Dr Magnus Hirschfeld gave a speech before an audience of 2,000. Though not well publicized, hundreds of people had to be turned away.

1951 Harold S Buckman, 52, of Ogden arraigned on a charge of sodomy. Bail set at $1000 and bound over to Second District Court. Ogden Standard Examiner

1963 A great variety of criminal activity, including drunkenness, prostitution and obscene conduct occurs where five taverns are located on 2nd South and West Temple according to a police study. The offending taverns are The Rocket 63 West 2nd South,The Seventy-three Inn 73 West 2nd South, The Havana Club, 79 West 2nd South, The Golden Gate Tavern 217 South West Temple, and El Prado Inn 225 South West Temple. An increase in police activity at and near the five taverns was reported to the Salt Lake City Commissioners at a Public Safety Committee chaired by Herbert F. Smart. The police stated that they responded to trouble at the 73 Inn 262 times in 1962 and 98 times to the Havana Club. (05/24/63 page B1 col. 1 SLTribune) [The bars would by the end of the 1960's be demolished as part of a city redevelopment project.]

1970 Jerry Campbell a Gay Taxi driver listed in article Shot Attempt to Halt Brawl. He would later be murdered in his own home.  (05/24/1970 B-2, 05/25/1970 29-1

1971-The student editorial page of the University of Utah's Daily Chronicle 0fficially endorsed the Gay Rap Group located on campus (Gay Liberation Group)

• 1971 GAY LIB ASKS SOCIETY FOR UNDERSTANDING by Jim Nelson “Gay Liberation is the one minority group that will be the key to getting other minority groups to wok together,” members of a local Gay Liberation Organization.  This Gay Liberation Group said they are offering to hold a panel to answer any questions people might have of them. They urges the people to be “sincere if they have a personal question.” “We’re making an attempt to expose ourselves. We can offer just as much to society as straight people. The public will be invited to our forums and panels and we can discuss our homosexuality, which would help us live are lives with their cooperation,” said George (last name unavailable) [Kelly], a Gay liberationist. 
  The group said that they would like society to change and also a change in the sex roles. Tom said, “We want to do away with roles completely. We want to deal with people as individuals.” Another member or the organization, Pam

  

  Pam Mayne

  [Mayne] said, “We must get our own people to believe that we’re not abnormal. Society has labeled us homosexuals and along with the label other little things are added. From the label tabbed on us, straight people think they don’t have to treat us as human beings.” This organization has about thirty members but they didn’t have a list which keeps track of its members. “The peace march was held May 15th caused a lot of the Gay community to become afraid upon hearing that there was to be a Gay contingent marching,” said Pam. “They are afraid that they’d get in trouble and the one and only bar for men [Radio City] and the one and only bar for women [Perky's] would be closed down.”.
     Pam added that there are subcultures in the Gay society and that they are trying to change those subcultures as well as changing the straight society.  George said that he has received threatening phone calls from a friend who was Gay. The call was regarding the march and George’s participation. “I’m not going to be afraid of any threat. Even if its the bombing of my home.”, George said. “People are threatened by the fact that they have to work with a homosexual. They don’t even try to get to know the person,” said Tom, a member of the local Gay Liberation organization. The group said, “There is a lot of guilt associated with homosexuals.”  “We’re up against a Stonewall. We can’t us the media. We ran an ad last August in the Salt Lake Tribune and received a phone call from the editor the next day saying he couldn’t run it again. He didn’t want what happened in San Francisco to happen in Salt Lake,” said Pam. Pam told how she went to the police department to find out the laws regarding homosexuality and was told nothing. “I wanted to know the laws as to what point we can be arrested. Is it okay to hold another female’s hand or dance with her?” Pam said, “I love to work on cars and in the dirt. I also hate to do the dishes.” “I’m just as capable as loving a man as a woman, “ Tom said. “Gay people are able to feel the real sense of a person. We can love both men and women. ” said George. “I don’t think movies should be censored. It’s like keeping a child in a bubble. When they get out they don’t like it,” said Jan-another member of the Gay Liberation organization.  “If a Lesbian is arrested and put in the Salt Lake City Jail if she admits or is found out to be a Lesbian she is put in solitary confinement.  There is nothing right about this,” said Mary [Heath] of the Gay group. Recent polls have shown 4 per cent of the males to be homosexual and two per cent of the females. Pam felt this was a gross understatement. When two people love each other and society condones it this puts a heavy load on us. We should be in the yellow pages or be available on the help line. “Another thing is we’re forced to go to a particular bar and charged a lot more for beer. Buying a house costs us more also. We’re exploited,” said Jan. Tom said this regarding the Gay Liberationists’ plight in Utah. “the people in Utah ignore us Employment has been a hassle for me personally.  We’re getting to the point where we’re standing up to Salt Lake City and saying look at us we exist.  We’re peaceful, but if we have to, goddamn it,  we’ll get radical. We’ll be here till the world ends,” said George. George stated that the percentage of curing a homosexual was very low.” ”You can’t cure a homosexual. There are such things as a normal homosexual,” he said. The group is hoping to get professional help to staff a clinic and discuss local problems Gay Liberationist face and what is being done in other areas of the country.” We’re just human being in love with other human beings. This is not recruiting type efforts,” they all agreed. (05/24/1971 Utah Daily Chronicle)

1971 Ad in Utah Daily Chronicle featured Theater 138 Underground “Gayly Presents” Boys in the Band, Friday and Saturday Nites- Midnight, 138 South 2nd East. Hurry! Last 2 Weeks! Box Office Opens 11:30 p.m. (05/24/1971 Utah Daily Chronicle)

1976-The first part of the daily serial "Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.

1977 Utah Senator Orrin Hatch on radio station KSXX stated “ Well I can tell you this, I think if you take what she (Anita Bryant) says as truth, that she is not prejudiced against the

Orrin Hatch

homosexual, but she realizes what they have done, that she does not want them teaching her children. I tell you this I don’t want them teaching my children, and I don’t want them teaching your children either and I think they are becoming too blatant in our society and I don’t want to take other rights away from them but I sure as heck don’t want them teaching, and I don’t want them in sensitive areas around children.”

1

Bob Stevens

981 The 6^th Coronation of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike

Marita Gayle

Empire was held with Krazy Pete and Joanie Lyn [Gordon Kotterwinkle] stepping down. New officers elected were The Rainbow Emperor, Emperor VI Bob Stevens and The Champagne Empress, Empress VI Marita Gayle [Marty Pollack]. Prince Royale VI was Lynne McKenna and Princess Royale VI was Tracey Ross.  Emperor 6, Bob was responsible for Volleyball teams and a tournament played between Denver and Salt Lake on a rotation basis.  He also started the court poker run which is still in place today.  He started the court softball team, which was very successful.  The court meeting attendance that year was one of the highest ever with an average of 53 in attendance at every meeting.  The largest crowd ever to date attended the 6th reign coronation with over 1,000 people...a huge record.  Bob and Marita were the monarchs to sign the papers that gave the Sovereign Court of Denver their charter. After 6 years, the Denver courts united once again.  Marita is responsible for starting the sub titles and the spike titles that are selected by elected Monarchs. Ten out of state coronations / functions were attended and the 6th reign was so well represented out of town, it brought many out of state people here to Salt Lake.  Their out of town show lasted 6 hours and was

held in the old east room at the old Sun Tavern.  It was the first Salt Lake Coronation ever attended by the reigning monarchs from Portland, which always had a major function in their city that weekend.  Marita was so torn by a choice of Princess Royale, that she submitted three names to the board and spoke about each one of them and had them vote on her three candidates and the one selected would be Princess Royale. Tracey Ross was selected and was the first African American Princess Royale of the R.C.G.S.E and worked well with Marita. Tracy Ross had the first AIDS Quilt panel made in Utah for her by Ben Williams.

1984 Witness says coach, player visited gay bar [Associated Press] Wilmington Morning Star, page D-5 Wilmington NC,]  Columbia, SC- Pam Parsons, former coach of the University of South Carolina and her former player, Tina

Babs De Lay

Buck, visited a gay bar in Salt Lake City regularly for five months through the summer of 1983, a surprise witness testified Wednesday. Babette “Babs” De Lay, a 29 year old self professed lesbian, said she came forward with her testimony in Ms Parson’s $75 million libel suit against Time Inc because she was angry that Ms Parson lied when she denied she was a lesbian. Ms Parson is suing the magazine owner over an article publishes by Sports Illustrated that alleged she lost her USC coaching job because he was involved in a lesbian relationship with a player. Ms. De Lay who works as a disc jokey at the Puss N’ Boots Bar in Salt Lake City said that she was involved in volunteer work in her community  and hold several public relations jobs. She said that she saw Ms. Parson and Miss Buck in May 1983.  “They came to dance and they did and continued to do so. I don’t ever recall one instance when I saw one without the other,” she testified. “Did you know them as lesbians?”, asked an attorney for Sports Illustrated. “Yes I did,” Ms DeLay said.  “When Pam and Tina would come to the bar,

Tina Buck

they would hold hands,” she testified when asked how she knew they were lesbian lovers. Ms. Parsons signed for a membership in the bar Friday May 13 1983, Ms Delay said. She also testified she saw Parson sign the book.  On one occasion, Ms. De Lay asked Miss Buck to dance, she testified. “My lover does not let me dance with anyone else, “she quoted Ms Buck as responding. Ms. Parson’s attorney, Lewis Crower said he objected to witness, and accused her of coming forward to get publicity for her cause. Ms. DeLay said that she had not heard news reports of the trial until she watched the 10 pm. News on television Monday night.

 “The report came with pictures and stories and they were saying that they weren’t lesbians and I was angry,’ she said.  She said she called Time Magazine on it’s toll-free circulation number to say she had some information to add to the case. “This particular woman {Parsons} is lying to a lot of people and it’s a great disservice not only to lesbians but to people who tell the truth,” Ms De Lay said. The witness, whose hair was cut in a crew cut with peroxided bangs and a long strand in the back, said she was eager to return home after testifying. “It’s perfectly agreeable with me Cromer said. “The defense rests,” said J Daniel Braileford, attorney for Time, said when Ms. DeLay stepped down from the witness stand. Ms Parson and Miss Buck denied in court that they had ever visited the lounge in Salt

Pam Parson

Lake City and denied knowing Ms. De Lay. Earlier a Sports Illustrated senior editor-writer, Jerry Kirshenbaum, testified that the women’s basketball program run by Ms Parsons was newsworthy because it was “corrupt from top to bottom” and Sports Illustrated Magazine had an obligation to get the story out. Kirshenbaum, a 45 year old Wisconsin native, said the presence of a gay coach in a college program was not news by itself but charges Ms Parson was involved with a player was newsworthy. The story also alleged recruiting violations, gifts to players, suspected drug use by Ms Parsons, and recruiting with sex in mind.

• 1984 Utah gives testimony in Pam Parson Case- Deseret News D4 Columbia (UPI) Sports Illustrated rested its defense in a $75 million libel suit with surprise testimony from an admitted lesbian that former South Carolina basketball coach Pam Parson was a regular at a homosexual bar where she was seen passionately kissing her alleged lover. The testimony ended eight days of evidence in Parson’s suit against the magazine for a Feb., 8, 1982 article that said she was a lesbian who carried on a love affair with one of her players. Final arguments are scheduled Thursday with the case expected to go to the jury this afternoon. Babette “Babs” DaLay, 29, of Salt Lake City, described herself as a lesbian activist angered over Parson’s denials of her homosexuality and testified she saw her 20 to 30 times in the Pus “n” Boots night club with Tina Buck, 21, of Atlanta, a former South Carolina player.  Parson, 36, has denied allegations in the Feb 1982 article that she carried on a lesbian love affair with Buck, who she recruited and awarded a scholarship shortly before resigning Dec 31, 1981. The former coach, who now works as a waitress in Atlanta, testified earlier in the trial she visited homosexual bars in salt Lake City, San Francisco and Atlanta. She insisted she went only after the article was published “because I wanted to see what I was being compared to.”  DeLay called herself a former public relations director for the Utah United Way Campaign who resigned there to engage in a number of volunteer activities including helping prison inmates an doing public service radio work. She was employed at the bar as a part time Dic Jockey.

1985- Dignity of Salt Lake, a support organization for Gay Catholics, hosted Dignity’s VIII Spring Conference at the Newman Center in SLC [Group existed from 1977-1986 until the Catholic Church refused to let the organization use its facilities]

Bob McIntier

1986- The Restoration Church’s Tabernacle was brought to Salt Lake City and placed in the basement of Bob McIntier’s home in Rose Park area to perform endowments and baptism for the dead. 

1987-The Salt Lake Tribune did a feature article on married Gay Mormon men mostly on the experiences of Ben Williams. 

1987- The Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire held Coronation XII at the Salt Palace. The hall was filled with about a thousand people or more there.  “Basically Coronation is one long drag show, one after another, laborious, tedious and monotonous but the love, exhilaration, and celebration brought to the affair by the Gay community is wonderful.” Donny Eastepp and Donie (Herman Moore) Marie elected Emperor and Empress XII (155) Prince Royal XII was Gary Broadhead and  Betty John elected Princess Royale XII hey eventually became the first PRs to later reign as Emperor and Empress togetherThe 12^th Coronation was held with Robb Bullock and Clariss Cartier [Doug Tollstrup] stepping down. The new elected officers were The All American Emperor, Emperor XII Donny Eastepp and  The Fire Rose Empress, Empress  XII Donnie Marie. Prince Royale XII was Gary Broadhead and Princess Royale XII was Betty John. The 12th reign was very successful in the fact that the Emperor and Empress had so much love and respect for each other and did so many things together as well.  They traveled well, raised a lot of money for the court, had incredible backing and support.  

Donny Eastepp

Donnie Marie

The 12th reign was unique in the fact that both Monarchs had the same names...Donny & Donnie...! Donnie Marie was the first and only Native American to be elected Empress to date in the history of the R.C.G.S.E and was very proud of her heritage. Both Monarchs have passed away due to AIDS.

1988  At Unconditional Support tonight Officer Friendly came and spoke about being street smart and crime prevention. Mark LaMarr had lined him up before he left town. It was a good informative public service. We went to Dee’s afterwards for coffee.

1988- Radio City Lounge, Salt Lake’s Oldest Gay Bar featured “Old Home Week” with special guest bartenders, Fred, Krazy Pete, Randy Brown, Grover, Rose Carrier 

1990-Cartoon character Andy Lippincott (Doonsbury) died of complications from AIDS. 

Kiesha DiaMonte

1992-Guy Larson was elected Emperor XVII and Kiesha

Jeff Freedman

DiaMonte was elected Empress XVII of the Royal Court. Jeff Freedman was named Prince Royale and Marci (Chip Sleymaker) was named Princess Royale. A month later Jeff Freedman assumed the position of Emperor XVII of the Royal Court after Guy Larson left Utah for business reasons.  Wop a female was selected as Prince Royale to serve with Marci  Malloy “Chip Sleymaker”.  Wop and Marci would eventually be the second pair of PRs to also become Emperor and Empress in the same reign.

Roberta Achtenberg

1993-Roberta Achtenberg, who had been nominated to be assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Urban Development, became the first openly lesbian woman to be confirmed by the US Senate. The vote was 58-31. Before the vote Sen. Jesse Helms attacked her for outrageous behavior, including kissing her partner at a Gay pride parade.

Phillip Austin

1994 University Official Pleads: Phillip O. Austin, 42, director of Academic Advisement at Weber State University, pleaded innocent Monday in 2nd District Court in Ogden to a first-degree felony charge of aggravated kidnapping.  Austin is accused of demanding sexual favors at gunpoint from Colby Clifford, 20, on March 12 while Clifford was a passenger in Austin's car. Clifford jumped from the car but was unable to identify the suspect. A month later, Clifford was in an office at WSU and saw Austin, who was later arrested.  A trial date will be set later.    (Salt Lake Tribune D5)

1997 Danny Allen (Jake) Bentle, age 42. Lots to tell you about our friend, he died due to

complications of AIDS.   Born May 31, 1954, Redding, California. He lived life to the fullest, with a love for the outdoors, good friends, and antique collectibles. "He had a heart, and soul, as big and beautiful as the great out doors".   Survived by,companion, Rob Matthews;  Dan was also preceded in death by his life mate and greatest love, Kent Pace, He will be missed by all who knew him. Anytime we look at the mountains, or a sunset, or river, or a Tootsie Roll, we'll think of him. We love you and will miss you Danny Boy.  "The legacy of ones life, can be summed up in the memories they leave behind in friends and family"

Bridgette

1998- The 23^rd Coronation of the Royal Court was held with

Earl Kane

Jeff Kosewski and Yvette Malloy [Larry Yanex] stepping down. The new elected officers were The Ruby Phoenix Emperor, Emperor XXIII Earl Kane and the Shooting Star Empress, Empress XXIII Bridgette.  Prince Royale XXIII was Kim Russo and Princess Royale XXIII was Toni Fitzgerald. Bridgette had only been doing drag a year prior to her being elected Empress.  During their year, Earl & Bridgette had a very successful Carnival weekend and also brought back game shows as a successful fundraising option.  Bridget also rebuilt and raffled off a car, which raised over $1100! Together they travelled to over 29 different coronations. Earl has served numerous times as President of The Board.  Coronation held at the Salt Air Pavilion. During the previous XXII Reign of Emperor Jeff Kosewski and Empress “Yvette” Larry Yanez  $7800 was raised for the People With AIDS Christmas Fund and $5500 for Women’s Breast Cancer Research Fund.  A show called the Golden Spike Literacy Project raised $2,200 for children at the homeless shelter.  $5,800 was raised for the AIDS Fund to be utilized by people living with AIDS.  Over $2000 was given to individuals in  community who needed assistance. Ten year anniversaries of Emperor and Empress XII Donny Estepp and the late Empress Donie Marie was celebrated. Empress VI Marita Gayle carried Donnie Marie’s crown and Emperor X Scott Stites carried her robe and it was beautiful. During Coronation 1998 the new Emperor and Empress XXIII Earl Kane and Bridgette Manhattan-Christie (Michael Olsen) The Royal Court’s XXIII reign known as the Commitment, Prosperity, and Equality Reign.

1998- ``A Night of Music and Comedy,'' a benefit for the Utah AIDS  Foundation, held at Abravanel Hall. The concert featured San Francisco's Nurse Lurch as master of ceremonies; Utah's Saliva Sisters; Ms. Badelia Potts, a life-size puppet by Thom Fountain, known as the Crypt Keeper in``Tales From the Crypt''; vocalist Mary Adair; and pianist Michael Farrell. Sponsors were the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Physicians Assistant AIDS Network and Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Physicians Assistants, who are in Salt Lake City for the 26th Annual Physician Assistants Conference.

2003 "Nude cyclist pedals away A bicycler who decided to enjoy the warm weather by pedaling in the nude was the subject of a search Thursday by Orem police. The naked cyclist was reported after he allegedly was spotted riding trails in Provo Canyon about 2 p.m., said police Lt. Doug Edwards. Traffic officers on motorcycles were dispatched but he was never found.

2009 34^th Coronation of the Royal Court was held with Time Hite and Ashley Vaughn stepping down. The new elected officers were The Fire & Ice Emperor of Music H.M.I.M. Emperor XXXIV Austyn Riley From Hell and The Electric Blue Fire Empress H.M.I.M. Empress XXXIV Paris Silver. Prince Royal XXXIV was Thomas Shaylee and Princess Royal XXXIV was Kamylle Taylor Bradshaw.  After approximately 6 months Bradshaw resigned and Angela Domingez who was the Crown Princess was then elevated to Princess Royale 34. Shaylee resigned a couple weeks later and was not replaced. 

2010 Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride

Monday, May 24 The Salt Lake City Film Center is presenting another documentary to help you shake off Monday apathy. Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride is a documentary that puts gay activism in context by documenting the challenges faced by gay-pride festivities and movements in cities across the world including Zurich, Moscow and Sao Paulo. The event is free and open to the public. Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, 801-524-8200, May 24, 7 p.m.

2014 LGBT leader calls for apology over Utah governor’s comments Animus? • Herbert’s

John Netto

remarks about “anarchy” and “sexual orientation” aren’t likely to affect gay-marriage appeal. BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST AND MARISSA LANG THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Gov. Gary Herbert’s controversial comments — calling other states’ decision not to defend their same-sex marriage bans the “next step toward anarchy” and implying that homosexuality is a choice — may not impact Utah’s legal fight to defend its own gay-marriage ban. But it has prompted at least one LGBT advocacy group to demand that the governor apologize. “To suggest that allowing gay marriage is the foundation of anarchy, to us, is hate speech,” said John Netto, who heads the Utah Pride Center board. “We think he is uneducated ... on current scientific positions in regard to human sexuality.” Herbert’s office did not respond Friday evening to calls for comment. In his monthly news conference Thursday, the governor said elected officials in states whose same-sex marriage bans were recently overturned, like Pennsylvania and Oregon, shouldn’t “pick and choose” what laws they defend. To do so, he said, is a “tragedy” and the “next step toward anarchy.” Asked about the oft-used comparison between banning same-sex marriage and once-illegal interracial marriage, Herbert said: “What you choose to do with your sexual orientation is different than what you’re born with as your race.” Herbert later backed off, saying there may be “different gradations” in sexuality. The governor’s comments spread rapidly through social media, prompting outrage and ridicule from same-sex marriage advocates and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and organizations. Several accused Herbert of prejudice, but experts said his remarks likely won’t be taken into account in the pending Kitchen v. Herbert lawsuit, which prompted a federal judge in December to overturn Utah’s voter-approved ban on gay and lesbian unions. In the lawsuit, which was heard by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month, the plaintiffs have argued that the state acted with animus, or ill will, in passing the embattled marriage ban. University of Utah law professor

Cliff Rosky

Cliff Rosky said since the Kitchen case has been decided and appealed, no new evidence can be presented by either side in Utah’s effort to keep the state’s gay marriage ban on the books. Even if it were possible to introduce new evidence, Rosky went on, it’s unlikely Herbert’s comments could be used to prove the kind of bad intent the plaintiffs would need to show animus. “The governor is not the one who passed Amendment 3, the voters of Utah did,” said Rosky, who also sits on the board of Equality Utah. “To prove animus in a trial, would you have to question all Utah voters on the stand?”  U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby overturned Utah’s same-sex marriage ban Dec. 20, leading more than 1,000 gay couples to wed. The state challenged his ruling, and the case is now before the 10th Circuit. There is no clear timeline on when the Denver-based court may rule, but experts have said it will likely come sometime in the next two months. To Netto, the governor’s comments show a “lack of understanding” about how Utah’s laws affect same-sex  couples and their families. “We are quite confident that the 18 or 19 states that have legal marriage are not in a state of anarchy, and there has been no damage down to heterosexual marriage,” Netto said. “We absolutely think he should apologize, and we think he should reach out and we think he should get some education.” Although Herbert’s remarks may not amount to much in the fight against Utah’s same-sex marriage ban, Rosky noted, if future lawsuits were to be filed against the state alleging discrimination or second-class treatment of LGBT individuals and families based on animus, this is exactly the kind of evidence lawyers would bring before a judge. “I doubt this is the last lawsuit on the subject of gay rights in Utah,” Rosky said.

2016 The Salt Lake City man suspected of murdering his restaurant husband and setting

John Williams

their home on fire  allegedly invited a neighbor to watch the house burn, reports CBS affiliate KUTV . John Williams, 72, was found after responders put out a fire at his Salt Lake City home early Sunday morning, the station reports. Investigators ruled the death suspicious and have arrested Williams' estranged husband Craig Crawford, 47, on suspicion of aggravated homicide and aggravated arson. According to charging documents obtained by Crimesider, Crawford also lives in the home. As fire officials responded to reports of a fire around 1:30 a.m., they heard someone inside the house yelling for help. They entered the home, discovered Williams and attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.Police and fire investigators uncovered evidence that indicated Crawford intentionally set the blaze, according to the documents, filed by the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office Sunday. Investigators believe Crawford was at the home during the beginning stages of the fire, and they say he was seen walking back to the home once it was engulfed in flames. Crawford allegedly never called dispatchers to report the fire. Neighbor Pat Rogers told the station that the night of the blaze, Crawford knocked on her door and invited her to come outside to watch as his house burn. She said Crawford was acting strangely and wasn't wearing a shirt or shoes. She said she went outside with him and stood with others who were watching the blaze. She told the station Crawford then walked calmly back into the home before the firefighters arrived. It wasn't the first time Rogers had seen Crawford act in a bizarre manner - she told the station she once saw the man standing on the lawn outside her home, staring at her photographs inside. She said Crawford and Williams had been together about 18 years, but the relationship was tumultuous and had been strained in the last two years. The fire occurred less than three weeks after Williams filed for divorce from Crawford and sought a temporary restraining order that was rejected. Williams was the owner of the popular Market Street Grill. His friends and colleagues - many influential city and state leaders - expressed shock and dismay about the death of the man they called a great businessman and LGBT pioneer who was an instrumental figure in Salt Lake City. Williams, whose parents were educators in Idaho, came to Utah to go to college 50 years ago and "changed the fabric" of the community, Utah state Sen. Jim Dabakis said in a statement. The buildings he restored in Salt Lake City and the restaurants he ran raised standards in the city, Dabakis said. "The quiet bridges John built between the emerging LGBT community and the Utah business world made this a better place for all of us to live," said Dabakis, a gay Democrat. Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, the city's first openly gay mayor, said in a statement that she's devastated by the loss of her dear friend and local hero. "There are patrons of the arts, sciences and education, but John Williams was a patron of our city and helped it become the wonderful place it is today," Biskupski said. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said Tuesday that his office will likely take several days to weigh charges for Crawford. He said the fires present unique challenges for investigators because large chunks of evidence can be destroyed.

2018  A recent survey done by the website The Gay UK has found that 60% of those polled find using the term “Queer” to describe members of the LGBT community is offensive and inappropriate. The poll which was done in July 2017 asked over 200 people whether they thought queer as an umbrella term for the LGBT+ community was acceptable and sixty percent did not. Some commented that the word was “deeply offensive”, particularly to men who identified as gay. The word queer is still used as a slur against many people in the community, particularly gay and bisexual men, and although some may refer to themselves in this way, the website says it’s probably best not to use language that causes offence to others. Only seven percent of the gay men surveyed thought that the term “queer” was acceptable. The following comments were posted in the Utah Gay Men's Resource site.

Chuck Whyte You can label Your self what is best for you, I am a Proud Elderly Disabled GAY MAN , the word QUEER brings back the very bad memorys of being beaten up during the 7th through the 12th grades , if the younger members of our community wish to be Queer , so be it , Why would I or someone in our community want to use a label that is linked to different types of PAIN........BE SAFE, BE PROUD , BE WHO YOU ARE IN YOUR HEART, MIND , AND SOUL ..

Ruadhan O'Sheridan I'm definitely Queer . . . in all the most delicious ways.

John Herbst III I don't like term Queer at all. For me it has negative connotations.

Matt Nepute Survey finds that 93% of people don't understand what a reclaimed word is Jahn Curran nah, I totally understand, and still don't like the word-- it has a negative connotation for most of us of older generations since it originally meant weird in a not nice way. That's fine that you younger gays call yourself queer if you want to, but it won't work for me. I think 93% of us have the right to call ourselves what we want to after having been "called" stuff without our choice for so long.

Billy Lewis-Croft I like the word queer now that we have reclaimed it. We have so many labels for our community. And in some ways they divide us. Instead of lesbians, gays, bi, pan, trans, binary, non-binary, whatever else there is, why can’t we just be queer men and queer women. Or just queer. It’s gender and preference neutral. But I do understand the attachment to the negative. As I too was once the favorite queer to smear in school.

Doug Murri Gay, queer, fag, fudge pusher, cocksucker or Doug. I answer to all of them.  :

Barna Barna I’m among the 93% that don’t like to be called queer

Benedgar Williams I used to use " Lambda Folk" for the LGBTQ+ alphabet in my writings but no one got it and never caught on even though the lambda was adopted international in 1974 as the symbol for the Gay Rights movement... I would think + would be offensive for all those who didn't make the grade in the alphabet soup...

Connell O'Donovan As a kid in the 1960s and early 70s I was tortured with the word queer - from simply playing "smear the queer" to having "fucking queer" screamed in my face by violent bullies. Reclaiming the word Queer in 1990 was a revolutionary, liberating, and transformational act for me. I absolutely relish my Gay identity but also deeply value the extra freedom of the eccentricities of the word Queer. Gay feels a bit confining and conformist on some levels, while Queer is wiggly, mercurial, uncertain, destabilizing, and oh so fun! And of course, as with ANY word, it's all contextual. I've had people scream the word Gay at me, wielding it like a bludgeon. If someone wants to hurt you with words, they will find a way to do it, regardless of what those words are....

Ruadhan O'Sheridan I'm Ruadhan and I mirror this statement.

Jahn Curran I still don't like the word-- it has a negative connotation for most of us of older generations since it originally meant weird in a not nice way. That's fine that you younger gays call yourself queer if you want to, but it won't work for me. I think 93% of us have the right to call ourselves what we want to after having been "called" stuff without our choice for so long.

Kevin Scott I totally get that. At the same time, even the term "Mormon" was a pejorative at one time and they reclaimed it. Not sure if I care enough to embrace it.

Trent DW I prefer it. Other labels seem too rigid. I like the fluidity that queer implies.

Benedgar. It's a young persons moniker so probably will stick but to many it's as offensive as the n word is to blacks...

Scott Edward Harwell I'm in the 93. Not a fan of the word.

David Beach I’ve had an evolution with the word over the the last few years. I used to be staunchly against it, but have eased up a bit. When it it used as an adjective to describe the community, or queer art and culture, I have found it is a more inclusive term. That being said, when it is used as a noun, as in UVU’s Queers and Allies club It sends me reeling. I’m a queer man, not A queer.

Andy Dalrymple I painfully laugh everytime another letter is added to our community. There are only 26. Maybe we'll have to start adding symbols. I hear Prince's is available again...