This Day In Gay Utah History May 2nd

2 May

1896 BEASTLY WORK OF TWO TRAMPS Salt Lake  Runaways the Victims THE FIENDS ARE CAUGHT THEY GO TO JAIL People Greatly Excited and There is Some Talk of Lynching News Notes PROVO May 1 A very disgusting and revolting case was brought from Pleasant Grove today and the parties to it were taken before Justice De Moisy. It appears from the complaints which are sworn to by two boys about 12 years of age that two tramps passing through the country overpowered the boys and were guilty of a crime against nature the details of which are too revolting for publication. The two boys who were so ill treated are from Salt Lake and were accompanied by a third boy. They say they ran away from their homes.  Their names are Frank Howland whose father is now here and will take the boys back home and Frank Reynolds. The boys say they want to go back home. Marshal Walker of Pleasant Grove arrested the two men after hearing the story of the two boys and the men were given a hearing before a local justice but it was found that the papers were made out wrong and new complaints had to be made here. They waived examination and went to jail in default of bonds. The people are greatly excited and there is strong talk of lynching.  Salt Lake Herald

1902 DIME NOVEL -Under the above heading the follow article appeared n the last issue of the Juvenile Instructor from the pen of President Joseph F Smith. “It would be difficult to estimate the harmful influence upon the thought, feelings and actions of the young brought about by the practice of reading dime novels. In the end the reading of a bad book will bring about evil associates. It seems to be the purpose of our dime novel literature to expose all the real and imaginary vices and crimes which besets men in life. It is not only the boy who reads this strange weird and unnaturally exciting literature that is affected by its influence but in time he Influence others. This literature becomes the mother of all sorts of evil suggestions that ripen into evil practices and bring about an unnatural and debased feelings which is ever crowding out the good In the human heart and giving place to the bad. The recent sensational development In Salt Lake City wherein a very young boy [Clyde Felt] is believed to have been involved In the shedding of the blood of his  fellowman- is not without its warning to parents everywhere.  The father ascribed the misfortune of his son to the habit of dime novel reading. The Coalville times. (Coalville, Utah)

J Edgar Hoover

1972-J. Edgar Hoover died, leaving most of his estate to his companion Clyde Tolson.

1973- BYU Trustees ruled that those who were not “overt and active homosexuals” could remain at the university’s discretion and upon recommendation by the “ecclesiastical leader having jurisdiction over the case”. However those who were overt and active would still be automatically expelled unless a general authority recommended otherwise.

David Chipman

1979 At the Board of Directors meeting, BYU administrators discussed David Chipman's background "in some detail inasmuch as he has visited the offices of a number of General Authorities and others at the Church Office Building". David Chipman was entrapped by BYU security in Provo Canyon.

1983-Several cities in the US held "Fighting for our Lives" marches. It was the first nationwide demand for government action in the AIDS epidemic.

1993- Sunday-14^th annual Golden Spike Awards held at the Kaleidoscope Palace..

1994- Kim Russo and Christopher Riese become co editors of the Pillar solely owned by Todd Dayley. All former owners had departed.

1998-“For the fifth time in 8 years, a non discrimination plank was adopted by the Utah Democratic Nominating Convention platform.

Doug Wortham

1999 Doug Wortham, founding member and past director of Salt Lake Chapter of GLSEN - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network, and current acting director of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Utah spoke on what's happening in the public schools of Utah, services being provided and how Affirmation and interested individuals can serve in the community to assist in meeting these needs. 

2003 JAMES HICKS Hello everyone, This is James P. Hicks

James Hicks

again with one of my "things that make ya go hum?" My topic for discussion is in my typical "multiple-part dialog and question," which I hope someone out there can answer. My company recently sponsored a blood drive. Now, when I was married to a women and living that wonderful lie which our narrow-minded misguided society accepts. That being the wonderful illusion of wedded bliss and with society’s golden seal of approval. I had absolutely no problem donating blood. In fact my blood was so highly in demand being (0 negative) in addition to having a high tolerance for everyday diseases, which I can't explain, probably something genetic. At any rate, I was often asked to come into hospital to help save someone's life. Then my life changed and I began to acknowledge my homosexual side. I decided to have an AIDS test which was provided by my local family practitioner. Within a month the phone calls stopped. Not a single hospital in the valley has ever called me since this test even though the test was negative and my tests have always been negative. So, I began to inquire into the reasons why and was told that someone had informed the blood bank that I may have "tainted blood." That I was gay and I had being gay my lifestyle was questionable and they should throw out any blood that I may donate. I was told that I could lie about who I was and I could donate to an anonymous blood center and that would be fine. When I questioned the integrity of this concept they told me that, if I wanted to donate blood that would be the only way I could donate in Utah. Wow, how odd I thought. So, I said to the folks at ARUP. If I lie and live my life without integrity then I could donate blood to save someone's life. However if I was honest and true to myself, explaining to them that I've been in a three-year monogamous homosexual relationship I could not donate blood. Now that I've shared the above dialog, I'd love to hear back from someone. In addition I'm curious if anyone is going to tackle this outdated discrimination practice. In addition, I mentioned the Evergreen Society to our folks at ARUP and in typical Utah naivete, they had no idea that anything like Evergreen existed, "homosexual men married to women," with multiple male partners. When I told them they should try to obtain the names of these men who are part of Evergreen they told me that would be an invasion of privacy. I said how ironic, when it was obvious that my privacy had been invaded and that appeared to be just fine and dandy. Now don't y'all feel blissfully safe about our blood supply?Hugs, James

•  KEVIN Hillman to James Hicks-“James, All blood is tainted. The “X-Files” phrase "Trust No One" really applies here. My grandfather died of complications from Hepatitis. He got this from one of his blood transfusions during surgery. I agree with you that it is wrong for a healthy person to be denied the opportunity to donate. At the same time, the technology just isn't there to protect everyone from what may be in someone's donated blood. As for your personal information being leaked out about an AIDS test, that should be a legal matter. I tell you what though ... in the future, if I need blood, may I ask for some of yours? Kevin” 
• Dominique Storni to James Hicks -Re: James and Blood.  James, I'll go you one better.

  

  Dominique Storni

  In my case, I was a heterosexual man in a heterosexual marriage that lasted 17 years. My blood was also in great demand. I had one special antibody in great need. I also received the phone calls. After I began my transsexual transition, the U of U called me as they were in desperate need for my platelets. They asked if I was taking any medications. I explained to them my regimen of testosterone blocker, estrogen, and progesterone. They asked why I would be taking those meds, as they still had my previous male name and identity on file. I explained that I had begun a transition to prepare for gender reassignment surgery. They said, "Let me check that out and I'll get back to you.”   Needless to say, the calls stopped. I called to ask why. They told me, "Since you have begun changing, it is possible that you might have sex with a man and we would consider that men having sex with men. So you are no longer eligible to donate." I told them, "But I self identify as lesbian. I still am attracted to women and would date women, however, I have been dateless and celibate for nearly 3 years. Sex isn't an option with either gender right now."  They responded that it didn't matter. I was no longer eligible to donate.  About a year and a half later, I was in need of money and went to a local plasma center to donate. Being an honest person living a clean lifestyle, I thought that there was no need to lie or hide my identity. I presented my drivers license complete with the "F". Someone noticed my Adam's apple and told the medical director.  I was lead to a back room and given a CIA-esque interview. I was circumspect and told him exactly my situation, that I was a male-to-female transsexual, that I was preparing for surgery, and that I had been celibate for 4 years and was in a monogamous relationship with another woman. "In fact," I told him, "I have had 2 complete STI runs while hospitalized in psychiatric institutions in mandated reparative therapy scenarios, and both came back completely clean." He told me that it didn't matter. The fact that I had begun taking hormones and had made anatomical changes through hormone replacement therapy, it was now POSSIBLE that I MIGHT have sex at some point in my life with a man. As they refused to see me as other than a man, it would be perceived as men having sex with men and therefore I was no longer eligible to donate.  They had taken pictures of my ID and he informed me that I was permanently black listed and my information would be shared with other agencies. I informed him that I wanted the copies of MY identification and that I was insulted and that his actions constituted a violation of my privacy. He told me that the laws to protect the nation's blood supply gave him authority to invade my rights.   I told him that I was aware of at least 50 men who donate regularly, who are gay, and in active sexual lives with multiple partners, with and without protection. He nonchalantly told me that as long as they answered the questions correctly, they could donate and be paid for their time.   I, however, in spite of my honest and clean lifestyle, was ineligible simply because I had begun hormone replacement therapy. I am excluded for one reason and one reason only . . . I am a transsexual.  A gay man can go into any of these institutions and lie. I can't. You have a possibility of donating anonymously. I don't. If THAT isn't a violation of my privacy, please tell me what is?
• Chad Keller Aaaahhhhh, this sounds like a job for Mr. Hicks....I jest light heartedly, as there is a great deal of frustration in all of our lives, and James has been one of the only ones to say "hey ... what the heck is going on here...." And the blood supply is no laughing matter. But with science as it is today, why for many, not just gay people? Nothing ever in life is accomplished until someone starts asking  questions. Every question they can’t answer with valid fact takes a person  one step closer to their goal. Be it gay issues, family issues or  whatever.     James, if you choose to walk this path, I and others will be behind you. It might not change things, but is sure would point out that we get left out of a lot of things (and freak out a few ... remember the M*A*S*H episode where the sergeant didn't want any Korean blood cause it  would make him Korean? I can just hear some redneck saying "Doc, that ain't  no gay blood, now is it?").  C 

Russell Gorringe

2003 "Russell Gorringe" Subject: Question & Photographs of Children w/ Gay Parents “Roni: I love the site!  Got a related question.  I am on the committee for the  Inter-Faith Service held on Saturday of Pride Weekend (June 7, 2003).  We are putting together a audio visual presentation that will be shown at the service.  It will include photos of activities, outings, religious services, etc of people in our community from diverse religious backgrounds.  The slides will be set to the music of Sandi Patti's "Love in Any Language."  If you don't know the song, call me and I'll sing a few bars. This service is designed to build bridges within our community and with the straight community.  I have been putting together pictures of Gay & Lesbian couples, which I will convert to slides.  I am looking for pictures of couples with their children. I feel we have more in common with the straight community than we have differences, and I want the slide show to show that we too have children, we too have loved ones, and we too have values, we too have faith, and we too care about the people we love.  I would hope members of the straight community might ask themselves, after the service, are our GLTB neighbors and their children really any different than us? My question is this:  Do you, or anyone you know, have such pictures, which you could send me?  You can send me slides (best) or photographs.  Make sure your names, addresses, and phone numbers are with the slides/photos so I can return them.  Send them to me at: Russell Gorringe Thanks! Russ PS:  For what it is worth, I am a single parent.  My children, who live with me, range in age from 14 - 22, and they love their experience of being raised by a gay dad.  They'll all be with me at Pride.

Chad Keller

2005 Chad Keller nominated for Kristen Ries Community Service Award by Ben Williams: I would like to nominate Chad Keller for the Dr. Kristen Ries Award for community service. From the moment Chad arrived in Utah he has worked his incredible imagination for the benefit of the Lambda community of Utah. Not one to be a wilting flower, Chad with bounding energy, appeared on the Gay scene and said, “Can I play?” Chad cut his “Gay activist” teeth as a member of the Gay and Lesbian Cache Valley Alliance where he became a member of the board after holding several positions. From the fall of 1987 to the Spring of 1990, Chad was an active member of Logan’s Gay community serving as activity coordinator and as a student representative. Chad left Logan in 1990 and moved to Salt Lake City where, after settling in, once again became an asset.  He joined LGSU and became an LGSU representative while he worked at the university in catering. At the same time he became a member of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire of which he still is a member in good standing. It was his early years with the court, where his talent for organizing events and fundraising was developed. A few of his more important projects for the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire were Coordinator for the Snowball Banquet for the 18th Reign of Sheneka Christie Princess Royale, and Victory Brunch Coordinator for the 18th, 19th, and 20th reigns.  Chad is the creator and host of the Xmas Sock Auction, which is an annual gift to the RCGSE to raise money for Snow Ball. He served as advisor, as CZAR XXVII, to the current Emperor His Majesty Bob Childers. But beyond the glitz and glamour of the court Chad, more importantly, took upon a project to help “At Risk Kids” celebrate and enjoy the gift of reading. He founded the Golden Spike Literacy Project in 1997 with the help of Yvette Empress XXII, and has continued to work with people to donate used books to the homeless and at risk kids. He has created a partnership with downtown businesses and banks to provide annual gifts of books for this cause. As an educator I feel for this project alone Chad deserves the award however there is considerable more. Chad, to experience all the various dynamics of our community, joined a host of organizations besides LGSU and the Royal Court.  He was even a member of the Wasatch Leathermen’s Motor Cycle Club from 1991 to1993 where he served in the position of Scribe in 1992. That year (1992) Chad along with Bob Childers attempted to start a community magazine after the Triangle had folded.  It only lasted three months but it showed Chad’s willingness to take risks. While no longer a publisher, Chad is currently a regular contributor to the Pillar.  He has recently found a niche for his creative organizational skills by teaming up with Todd Dayley, publisher of the Pillar to create organizations and services for the betterment and enrichment of our community. In 2001 he was Community Service Project Coordinator, a project to sponsor a day of community service from the Gay community to the general community at large.  In 2002 Todd and he were the creators and founders of the Community Leadership Forum, and were creators and founding members of GBLT Business Guild.  Together Keller and Dayley also have teamed to organize a “Sponsorship Program” to help worthy community organizations get greater exposure and financial support by featuring monthly articles in the Pillar. In 2003 the dynamic duo have created a Utah Stonewall Sports Authority, a Lambda Arts Alliance, and became the sponsors of the FABI, Betty and DIG Awards, an important community award originally created by Kevin Hillman and Brenda Voisard, past Ries Award recipients. In 1998 Chad joined the Utah Gay Rodeo Association and was that organization’s fundraising Coordinator for three years, 2000, 2001, 2003. He was the UGRA Rodeo Director in 2001. At the same time as his involvement with UGRA, Chad also became a member of the Utah Gay Pride Committee in 1997. He served the community for five years in various positions with Utah Pride from 1997 to 2002. He was a Utah Pride Parade Volunteer for three of those years (1997, 1998, 1999) where he implemented the procedures to move the official color guard around from organization to organizations and created an Honor Guard to welcome all organizations to walk with the their flag immediately following the Color Guard. Chad founded the first Children’s area for the Pride Festival in 1999, and was the 2002 Chair of The Pride Parade, Grand Marshall, and Reception Committee. With all this involvement, Chad found time to serve as Art Chair in 2001 for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Utah where he revitalized the struggling art program and improved the quality of works shown. In the fall of 2002 Chad badgered me to come out of retirement and become involved in the community again. Relying on his endless supply of energy I recrudesced and he and I became the Co founders of Utah Stonewall Historical Society. Chad has a vision to rebuild our once massive historical collection, and more importantly preserve our present history. I have a vision to go to bed early. I have rambled on for some length about Chad’s involvement in our Lambda Community which many of you may know; but I suspect that what you don’t know about Chad is his involvement in the community at large. Chad is a member of the Downtown Alliance of Salt Lake City. In 1999 Chad served as Children’s Activity Coordinator (Finger puppets) for Salt Lake City’s Downtown Alliance First Night.  For the Downtown Alliance First Night 2003 he was Chair of the Family Processional Children’s Gathering Committee and he is currently serving on the Downtown Alliance First Night 2004’s Event Council as Chair of Family Processional and Children’s Gathering committee again and Main Celebration area Entrance designer. Currently Chad sits on the development committee of the Downtown Alliance to create an "In Search of the Best” project. It will be launched this summer with events at the Gallivan Plaza in an effort to enliven downtown. He is also serving on a new holiday committee working with other Alliance members to create better Holiday lighting and displays.  I might add also that in an effort to keep Salt Lake beautiful Chad has personally adopted three flower planters by the Downtown Alliance offices in the names of Mixed Media, Utah Stonewall Historical Society, and the Julie Wright New Millennium Chapter, City of Hope. No corner of Utah is too small for Chad to devote his attention. On a larger scale then flower planters, Chad also served as creator, and promoter of the “Adopt a Monument Program from 2001 to the present for the Memory Grove Foundation. He is currently working on a Memory Grove Concert Series Launching 2004. From 1999 to 2002 he was a sponsor and coordinator for the Utah Heritage Foundation’s “Historic Home Tour” and food and beverage Chair for the Heritage Awards Reception in 1999 and 2000.           Volunteering for the City of Hope he was a founding Board Member of the Julie Wright New Millennium Chapter, Salt Lake City 1999 to the-present and Table Host for the City of Hope’s  “Food For Hope” from 1995 to 2002. Additionally he’s been Registration Chair of the City of Hope’s “Work-Out For Hope” from 1995-1998, Decorative Chair from 1998 to 2002, and was the recipient of the First Benevolence in Service Buckle in 2001. As great a service to our Gay community Chad has worked just as hard for a variety of notable charitable community events, i.e.- “The Birds Movie Party at Tracy Aviary, The Patriots Ball, The Planet of the Apes Movie Party at Hogle Zoo, House on Haunted Hill Movie Party at McCune Mansion and the upcoming Wizard of OZ movie party.      It is easily estimated between the two UGRA rodeos, the City of Hope, RCGSE, WLMC, GLCCU’s art sales, and GLA, Chad has helped raise for both the Gay and non Gay communities, though generating sponsorships, donations, parties, and fundraising events, well over $200,000.00 or more during his sixteen active years as a valued member of our community. It’s about time he gets the recognition that this award was created to honor.   Sincerely Ben Williams Class of ‘69

2005 StarQuest begins tonight with the Men's Qualifying Round. The Utah Karaoke StarQuest Contest winner will sing at Utah Pride, win a hotel stay in Las Vegas, Laughlin, Reno or Lake Tahoe, and will earn half of all proceeds for their favorite charity. The other half goes to the Salt Lake Men's Choir - cosponsors of the event. The winner is selected by the audience. So come on down and hear what  Salt Lake has to offer for vocal talent! Utah Karaoke StarQuest Contest Monday, May 2 8:30-10pm (open karaoke afterward) Heads Up, a private club for members

2005 Monday,  7 pm Middle Meeting Room Women’s Support Group All women are invited to attend this group to discuss issues relevant to the lesbian & bisexual community and to provide emotional and social support to other women 18 and up.  Reocurrs every Monday.  Facilitated by Mary Moran, LCSW.

2006 Anti-family proposal Salt Lake Tribune The proposed national constitutional amendment to define civil marriage as the union of a man and a woman is anti-family. Many claim it will "protect" marriage, when all it would protect is a definition - the definition of the families who are worthy enough to access the legal protections of marriage, such as "sacred" Social Security survivor benefits and "sacred" companies' health insurance policies. How does this meaningfully protect marriage and familial relationships when all it does is prohibit an entire class of people from having the legal means intended to strengthen families? Would not the truly pro-family position entail expanding these protections into all families, whether they are same-sex or opposite-sex? How does one strengthen a heterosexual family by deliberately weakening a homosexual family? Cody Vaseleou West Jordan

2006 What Jesus said Salt Lake Tribune I hate to burst his bubble, but Chuck Keilman (Forum, May 1) hasn't read his Bible lately. He writes that Jesus spoke out against homosexuality. I'm sorry, but this just isn't true. Re-read the Gospels. Nowhere does Jesus comment on homosexuality. He's probably referring to a common interpretation of a passage in Romans rather than any teaching specific to Jesus. At best, this New Testament denunciation of homosexuality is a Pauline theory that was canonized by the early Roman Catholic Church after, some believe, a complete and total apostasy from the true church that Jesus started. What would Joseph (Smith) say (about gay marriage and homosexuality)? If the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine and Covenants are any indication, then Joseph had absolutely nothing to say on the subject. William H. Munk Salt Lake City

2018  SL Tribune Bob Mims Most Mormons remain against gay marriage, new poll shows, but that opposition is fading fast; younger LDS support it While most Mormons and other conservative Christian groups still eschew same-sex marriage, a new study shows dramatic erosion in that opposition. Public Religion Research Institute researchers reported this week that LDS opposition to same-sex marriage, legalized in all 50 states in 2015, had dropped by 15 percentage points — from 68 percent in 2013 to 53 percent in 2017. Among younger Mormons, ages 18 to 29, most (52 percent) support allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed. Nearly 7 in 10 (69 percent) Latter-day Saints favor laws — similar to the landmark Utah statute endorsed by the LDS Church in 2015 — that protect LGBTQ people from housing and employment discrimination. “This should be no surprise,” says Erika Munson,

Erika Munson

co-founder of Mormons Building Bridges, a grass-roots group seeking to enhances ties between the LGBTQ and LDS communities. “Every Mormon family, or extended family, has an LGBTQ member, and more and more of these people are being open about their [sexual] orientation.” That is especially true among LDS youths, who are discovering more supportive attitudes from friends, social media and their parents. “They are finding they are not alone, so they are more willing to be open and honest about who they are,” Munson says. “When it is a loved one who is explaining this to you, it is hard to turn them away.” While The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still instructs its lay leaders to consider Mormons in same-sex unions as “apostates” and to deny baptism to children of such couples until they turn 18, the Utah-based faith has generally sounded a more conciliatory tone toward LGBTQ members. Munson points to comments by top LDS leaders about striving for a balance of “love and law” in accepting gay members, even while upholding marriage between one man and one woman. “Institutionally, the church has made significant efforts to change the tone of instruction in terms of how we are to show love and support,” Munson says, “and how the gospel of Jesus connects to not judging and just loving.” She added, however, that “LGBTQ Mormons and their allies are still too often ostracized, criticized and judged at church,” calling for a hard look at “the LGBTQ-LDS piece of our community’s troubling [youth] suicide statistics.” PRRI noted a similar softening toward same-sex marriage among other conservative Christians. Opposition from white evangelical Protestants fell from 71 percent in 2013 to 58 percent in 2017. Nearly 6 in 10 (57 percent) of black Protestants objected to such unions in 2013. Today, 48 percent back it, and 43 percent balk at it. Hispanic Protestants echoed that swing, going from 65 percent opposed in 2013 to 45 percent in 2017. The PRRI survey, drawing on 40,000 interviews with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points, also found that, among major religious groups, only Mormons and white evangelicals (by identical 53 percent margins) continue to support “religiously based service refusals,” such as recent cases of bakers or wedding chapels declining services to gay and lesbian couples. PRRI reported 86 percent of Unitarians, 73 percent of Buddhists, 72 percent of religiously “unaffiliated” Americans, and 70 percent of Jewish Americans oppose such refusals. Sixty-five percent of black Protestants, 60 percent of whites in mainline Protestant denominations, 60 percent of Hispanic Catholics and 59 percent of white Catholics, along with 59 percent of Muslims, 57 percent of Orthodox Christians, 56 percent of Hindus and 55 percent of Hispanic Protestants also reject religiously based refusals to serve gays and lesbians. Then, there is the generational gap. PRRI reports that the younger the respondents, the more likely they are to favor allowing same-sex marriage. Mormons are no exception. While Latter-day Saints 65 and older remain opposed to same-sex unions (32 percent favor it), those ages 18 to 29 are solidly (52 percent) behind legalized same-sex marriages. Patrick Mason, who oversees Mormon studies at Southern California’s Claremont Graduate University, said the results were “loud and clear that the views of Mormons ... essentially track very well” with how other religious groups are adjusting to “a culture that is shifting, and rapidly so.” The question may be whether the LDS Church’s traditionally elderly leadership — President Russell M. Nelson is 93 and his counselors in the governing First Presidency are in their mid-80s — will be able to hang onto the obedience of the faith’s younger members. “[The leadership] can count on the support of the oldest members, but they cannot count on the support of, basically, the millennials ... especially on these kinds of social issues,” Mason says. “In other words: What happens when the membership no longer believes what the leadership is teaching?”