4 May
1848-Danish writer Hans
Christian Anderson wrote in a letter to Karl Alexander, "I think of all
the dear memories of every hour of our life together, and my heart melts."
1887 Salt Lake Tribune
JAMES MARSHALL 1887 SLC PANSY James Marshall used so much nose paint yesterday
attempting to beautify his complexion that he was quite carried away with his
own beauty and seeing his reflection in a street window pane made violent love
to it. When arrested for disturbing the feelings of the party who owned the
window, James expressed his indignation in the Basque language which nearly wrecked all the
neighboring awnings. Fined $10.00
 |
| Spencer Kimball |
1954: Spencer W. Kimball,
“Be Ye Clean,” Speeches of the Year, (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press
1954), Spencer W. Kimball BYU talk: “I explained: One must come to the
realization of the seriousness of error. There are sins that cannot be
forgiven, but fortunately most can be remitted. * * *Next to the unpardonable
sins come the diabolical crimes of sexual impurity which raise their ugly heads
in many different forms, including aberrations of self-pollution {masturbation}
and the abhorrent and unnatural practices {homosexuality} involving other
people. Conscience tells the individual when he is entering forbidden worlds
and continues to prick until silenced by the will or by sin's constant
pressures. Can anyone truthfully say he did not know such things were wrong?
These unholy practices, whatever may be their unmentionable names with all
their approaches and numerous manifestations, are condemned by the Lord and His
Church. Some may be more heinous than others, but all are sin, in spite of the
statements to the contrary of those who falsely pretend to know. The Lord's
prophets declare they are not normal. The world may have its norm; the Church
has a different one. It may be considered normal by the people of the world to
use tobacco; the Church's norm is a high plane where smoking is not done. The
world's norm may permit men and women social drinking and cocktail parties; the
Lord's Church lifts its people to a norm of total abstinence. The world may
countenance pre-marital sex experiences, but the Lord and His Church condemn in
no uncertain terms any and every sex relationship outside of marriage, and even
indecent and uncontrolled ones within marriage. And so, though many self-styled
authorities justify these-practices as a normal release, the Church condemns
them and could not knowingly send such people, unrepentant into the mission
field or give them places of trust or positions of responsibility. Such unholy
practices were condemned by ancient prophets and are today condemned by the
Church. Paul lashed out against these unholy evidences of the vulgar mind and
of uncontrolled passion and desire: Wherefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies
between themselves. (Romans 1:24) There are those who with vicious tendencies
or weak wills say "The Lord made me this way, gave me these desires and
passions, and He will not condemn me," This is untrue. 5.Speech
given May 4, 1954.
1989 Large
turnout at Gay and Lesbian Community Council of Utah. David Sharpton
 |
| David Sharpton |
resigned
from the AIDS Subcommittee tonight due to his other commitments in the Gay Community, such as
trying to bring a National AIDS Conference to SLC in October. He also said that
The PWAC is going to sue the Red Cross for discrimination since they refuse to
use moneys allocated for AIDS education towards educating Utah's Gay Community.
Robert Austin was chosen to take David's place as chair of the subcommittee.
[Journal of Ben Williams]
1991 A fund raising
Western dance was held at the Northwestern Multipurpose Center with all
proceeds going to the Utah Stonewall Center.
.jpg) |
| Phillip Austin |
1994 PHILLIP AUSTIN SEX
CRIMES (05/04/94 Page: D3) JUDGE APPROVES KIDNAPPING CHARGE byline: By Tom Quinn SPECIAL TO THE
TRIBUNE OGDEN -- A Weber State
University administrator was bound over Tuesday to District Court to face
charges in the kidnapping of a 20-year-old man at gunpoint for the purpose of
committing a sex act. Phillip O. Austin, 42, WSU director of academic
advisement, was ordered Tuesday by 2nd Circuit Judge Pamela Heffernan to stand
trial on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated kidnapping following his
preliminary hearing. Colby Clifford, West Point, was the only witness to
testify. He said he was picked up at a bus stop in Clearfield on March 12 by a
man he identified as Austin. According
to Clifford, Austin asked him directions to McKay-Dee Hospital and then offered
him a ride to Roy. Clifford said Austin asked for oral sex. When Clifford
refused, Austin used the automatic door-lock button to lock all the doors, pulled
a gun, and said he was driving Clifford to Austin's Ogden apartment where the
sex act would take place. On April 14,
Clifford was at WSU's Office of Academic Guidance getting a transcript of
grades when he recognized Austin. Clifford called police and Austin was
arrested.
1995 Utah Power Play- Utah
Power Play started out as a 3x5 card posted on the board at the Utah Stonewall
Center in Salt Lake City in the spring of 1995. It gave a brief description to
the effect that they were looking for other people interested in BDSM and the
sharing of knowledge and information. It had a phone number and was signed with
the pseudonym of Spike. Hazel J was the originator of the group and five other
people responded to the ad: Ronnie N, Sunny C, Beverly B (aka Phoenix), Rachael
M, and Grant H, most of whom Hazel already knew through other avenues. The
first meeting to discuss the formation of a group for those interested in BDSM
in the Salt Lake area was held in Hazel's parents' driveway, while Hazel
changed the oil in her car. This meeting occurred in mid-April of 1995 and
various people among those gathered volunteered to do the jobs that were needed
to get the group started, including checking out the Stonewall Center as a
meeting place and arranging to use a room as a meeting space. Hazel set up a
phone mailbox so that people could contact the group for information. A half
page flier was written up announcing the formation of the group and the
scheduled time and date for the first meeting and several hundred fliers were
printed. In the following couple of weeks, several people distributed the
fliers everywhere they could think of that seemed appropriate: all the sex
stores, the few slightly kinky stores, the Stonewall Center, and at the Gay and
Lesbian Pride celebration. That was the only planning/organizing meeting held
before public meetings began. Power Play was officially founded in May of 1995,
with their first open public meeting held on May 4th at the old Stonewall
Center. It's Purpose: "Power Play is a non-profit, pan-sexual
educational/support group open to all adults 18 years or older. They help to
teach the safe practice of the many varieties of BDSM and other activities.
They offer a place to meet others with common interests, while providing a
supportive network for the leather community." Hazel and Ronnie became
co-presidents and Phoenix was named the secretary, with Grant becoming the
treasurer. Sunny held a major part in the group's organization as she was asked
to fill in for various positions. As personal matters took some of the founders
away from Powerplay or Utah and no new elections were held, Sunny eventually
became the only officer left, although there were others at the time who were
still helping to run the group. However, rather than burn out, she called a
meeting and told everyone who came that she was unwilling to be the only one
with any official duty to run Powerplay. It was at this time that the first
Powerplay Council was formed and it has continued to have responsibility for
running the group ever since. A decision was made at that meeting that some of
the people would serve a six month term and some a three month term, and that
all terms would be three months long after that, with the seats that were up
for election alternating with each election. The original council was composed
of five council members and one alternate. Those six were all the people we
could muster who would agree to actually make the commitment and do the work to
make Power Play continue. Once the Council was in place, Power Play began to
stabilize and to become better organized, eventually becoming a legally
incorporated organization. As things continued to get better and increasingly
stable, council members were willing to commit to a six-month term. Some of the
first activities of Power Play included walking as a group at first Pride Day
Parade in Salt Lake City and selling Pepsi products at the Pride Day
Celebration as a fundraiser for the group. They also handed out flyers to
promote the group to interested individuals. They have made an effort to have a
booth at every Pride Celebration since. Shortly after the weekly meetings
began, many of the attendees started to meet at Dee's restaurant for coffee and
more informal conversation after the meeting ended. Meeting at Dee's was never
an actual Power Play meeting. It was always a social time after the regular
meeting. It became a regular practice to go out for coffee after meeting for
Power play for a very long time and we met at Dee's most every week, though
occasionally meeting somewhere else. Dee's got so used to us coming that they
started having our table space set up for us before we arrived. In early 1997
some of the people started going to the Deer Hunter (a local gay bar) for
drinks instead of to Dee's for coffee, so the after-meeting get-togethers
became divided. After the Stonewall Center closed, the group was held at a
private residence of one of the members until the Gay and Lesbian Center opened
and the meetings were moved there. The group most recently was holding their
meetings at a private residence that had been converted for gatherings. The
group dissolved due to legal difficulties in 2003. During the time that they were holding the
meetings at a separate residence after the Stonewall closed, there was
dissention from a group of people who came from Ogden (a town about 45 miles
away) as to how things should be run and they decided it was kind of far for
some of them. So a small group of around eight members ended up leaving Power
Play and holding their own meetings in a separate residence in Ogden. Their
group lasted less than a year before disbanding.
1996
Saturday, SEX CRIMES UTAH INMATE CHARGED WITH RAPING
ANOTHER INMATE A Utah State Prison
inmate was charged with raping another inmate Thursday afternoon in 3rd Circuit
Court. An inmate told corrections officials that another prisoner entered his
cell and forced him to have sex with him, court documents said. An examination
of the inmate indicated he was telling the truth about the rape. The 26-year
old suspect was charged with forcible sodomy, which is a first-degree felony
and punishable by life in prison.
Deseret News Publishing Co.
 |
| Andrew Sullivan |
1997
Sunday, Spare
young gays from lonely lives, advocate says
By Spencer P. Young, Staff Writer Andrew Sullivan remembers what it was
like to be young and gay. It hurt to think he would never have the opportunity
to marry. It was painful to know that his Catholic religion denounces the type
of relationships he wanted to have.
"You are taught that you cannot (be gay) so you do your best to
push it away, forget about it or ignore it," Sullivan said. "But the
vast majority of gay people - no matter what denomination they belong to - find
that impossible." Sullivan, a
33-year-old advocate for gay and lesbian rights, gave the keynote address at
the Intermountain Conference on Homosexuality at the University of Utah Friday.
The conference was sponsored by the Graduate School of Social Work and Graduate
School of Education at the U., in conjunction with Family Fellowship and PFLAG
(Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). He said he chose to be a gay-rights
advocate because he doesn't want anyone to have to go through what he did as a
young homosexual. Sullivan talked about his latest book, "For Better or
Worse? Same Sex Marriages, Pro and Con," during the speech. The fact that
homosexuals cannot marry gives them a sense that they will live lonely lives,
he said. It's social factors like this one that causes the suicide rate to be
much higher among gay teenagers. © 1997 Deseret News Publishing Co.
1998-The Arizona state
senate approved an amendment prohibiting state and local government from
discrimination based on sexual orientation.
 |
| Jan Graham |
1998- A feud developed between Gov. Mike
Leavitt and Utah Attorney General Jan Graham over whether the state should
oppose efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in Vermont. Leavitt believes Utah
should join the fray; Graham does not. `Your reasons for wanting me to join
this brief are purely and simply so (the conservative group) Eagle Form will
not be mad at you,'' Graham wrote to Leavitt. ``You have no interest in the
case, legally or policy-wise, as your letter so carefully states. ```Political
sensitivity' was all you could speak on Wednesday on the telephone, and you even
took it upon yourself to warn me of the `political consequences' to myself....
Why do you allow them (the Eagle Forum) to push you around?''
 |
| Gayle Ruzicka |
1999 Outspoken conservatives from Utah's
Eagle Forum are waging opposition to proposed changes in the health curriculum
for the state's junior, middle and high schools. Gayle Ruzicka, president of
the politically powerful organization, led the group's position against adding
any talk in classrooms about contraceptives, communicable diseases, self-exams
for genital cancer and gender roles at a public hearing Monday on the revised
lesson plans. "I suggest the
committee throw out (this) curriculum and start over," Ruzicka said from a
classroom at Orem High School. Her prepared comments were broadcast to schools
statewide over the Utah Education Network's video-conferencing system.
Ruzicka's group and other concerned parents prepared similar statements to read
during the public-comment period of the meeting. In contrast, many parents and
educators supported the plan, saying that teens need solid health and medical
facts to help them make decisions. Members of a committee that updated the
12-year-old curriculum only took comment and did not respond to questions or
comments. Within the revamped curriculum, teachers would be asked to explain to
students the reproductive anatomy of males and females, help identify means to
prevent early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and list options,
including adoption, for young women who are pregnant. Teachers also would be
asked to explain the importance of some nutrition, medical and health issues,
including nutrition supplements, breast and testicular self-exams and Pap
smears. Ruzicka said a "mixed message" is sent when information is
given about both abstinence and contraceptives. Condoms, she said, are
obviously not as effective as abstinence in the fight against HIV, AIDS and
pregnancy. "I would strongly suggest that programs such as these . . . run
counter to beliefs of people in this state," added Scott Bradley from a
site in Logan. He said the lesson plans would further strengthen secular
bureaucracies and usurp the authority of parents to deal with sex education.
State law requires teachers to receive parental approval before starting
discussions about contraceptives. In addition, the Utah State Board of
Education's policies restrain teachers from advocating contraceptive use for
unmarried minors. Utah teachers also must advocate abstinence and cannot
discuss erotic behavior, sexual stimulation or homosexuality as a preferred,
alternative lifestyle, said Margaret Rose, health education specialist of
Utah's State Office of Education. "Some of the health issues our young
people face have changed," said Rose, explaining why the curriculum was
rewritten by a committee of educators, health professionals, parents and
administrators. "Back then, there wasn't such a thing as Creatine and
breakfast-in-a-can." Rose said that in two public hearings, parents on
both sides of the debate about teaching safe-sex methods have spoken out.
"Parents are addressing both sides of that issue," she said.
"Really, it is a parental rights issue." Added teacher Sandra Vauser,
a proponent of the curriculum: "More students are going to make poor
decisions if they haven't been given the facts." Also included in the
curriculum are ways to help teens develop healthy relationships with their
peers and parents. Teachers also would broach issues swirling around suicide,
anger management, mental illness and nonviolent ways to settle conflicts. Given
the tragedy at Colorado's Columbine High School and the rash of deadly threats
in schools across the Wasatch Front “we
need at our schools to address being kind to one another," Rose said.
"These character values are values we would want for members of our
community," she said. "We are all aware that this is an area we need
help in. Spend time in any junior high or high school and you'll see we need to
take an active role in that." A draft of the changes can be found on the
Internet. Rose said members of the state education board will receive the final
recommended copy at the end of this week and plans to address the proposals May
14. Parents can submit written comments about the health curriculum until that
time. DN
 |
| Rick Santorum |
2003 Salt Lake Editorial Consenting Adults It
might seem odd that one Republican senator is catching holy heck in the
national press for condemning homosexuality -- equating it with polygamy --
while another has received almost no notice beyond his home state for remarks
that have been heard by some as acceptance of polygamy. Perhaps the polygamy
remarks, by Utah's Orrin Hatch, are being written off by a condescending press
establishment as the kind of thing Utah politicians are expected to say to
their constituents. Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's slam on gay sex,
meanwhile, may be seen as noteworthy for going against the grain of his more
cosmopolitan state. Whatever the reason, it does seem that it is
Hatch who has drawn, or stumbled upon, true ethical distinctions rather than
issue the kind of blunderbuss condemnation favored by Santorum. Santorum, you'll remember, recently
expressed concern that if the Supreme Court overturns a Texas law that
criminalizes certain acts when performed by same-sex couples, but not identical
acts between heterosexual partners, it will be no holds barred. Allowing adults
to engage in gay sex in the privacy of their bedrooms, the Pennsylvanian
opined, means the law will also have to allow incest, polygamy, adultery and,
in the senator's words, "the right to do anything." No, it won't. Not all sex acts are created
equal. Those involving consenting adults, adults who are not married to someone
else or related by blood to one another, generally do not present a hazard to
individuals or society. Adultery and incest are prohibited because they have
serious potential to damage those not willingly participating -- unsuspecting
spouses in the case of adultery, inbred offspring as a result of incest. Even then, the lack of a complaining victim
means those laws are seldom enforced. The level of police snooping that would
be necessary to enforce them -- snooping that occurred in the Texas case only
after a bogus report of a man running amok with a gun -- is intolerable in
cases where no unwilling or underage victims are involved. Meanwhile, even as
gay rights activists objected to the way Santorum compared their relationships
to polygamy, Hatch was describing some polygamists of his acquaintance as
"very fine people," and challenging those who allege widespread child
abuse within polygamous families to present him with evidence. While largely unnoticed by the national press,
Hatch's remarks did draw attacks from Utah groups campaigning against polygamy,
particularly the sort that drags under-age girls into plural marriages. And, if
Hatch were casting a blind eye on the abuse of children, then he would deserve
to be castigated. But the Utah senator's inability to work himself into high
dudgeon over matters of other adults' sex lives should not trouble the true
small-government conservatives of his state or his party. Maybe that is why his
remarks have drawn little attention. Rick Santorum should take note.
.jpg) |
| Gordon Steele |
2003 Ben, Although I
wasn't involved in the 4th reign of the Court, I am 99% sure Gordon Steele and Candy Steele are two
different people. Gordon was a man, Candy is his cousin. Gordon left town after
the scandal. Candy still contends the ICU is a valid organization and she
proclaimed herself Emperor 5. Check with Marita, but this is what I remember.
Alan [Anderson]
- 2003 [Marita] Marty Pollack-
Gordon Steele was about to be impeached as Emperor 4 for mis-use of court funds
and his attorney was present when the entire congregation turned in their court
cards and walked out, leaving him and Candi Steele to run the de-funct ICU. The
court had already filed new papers to form the new RCGSE upon the night of the
resignations in mass. He left shortly after his scandalous affair with the court
members in 1980 and move to Chicago.
.jpg) |
| Larry Tidwell |
2005 Lavender Tribe Larry
Tidwell Topic: "Crystals and Crystal Healing"
Larry has been a student and teacher of crystals and crystal healing for about
6 years. He will discuss different attributes of crystals and different ways to
work with them. Lavender Tribe is a non-profit organization dedicated to
helping others find a spiritual path. We meet at the Gay and Lesbian Community
Center of Utah (GLCCU) in the black box room (across from the Stonewall Coffee
Shop). 361 N. 300 W. Although the group is centered around the GLBT community,
ALL are welcome. Please join us and bring a friend. If you know someone who
would like to speak to our group, please let us know!
2005 Wednesday, 7pm Front
Meeting Room Diverse City Writing Group This is a diverse creative writing
group that is open to everyone.Facilitated by the Community Writing
Center. Come try out your writing and
get helpful feedback for improvement!
1st & 3rd Wednesdays of every month.
2005 For all Graduating
Seniors out there!! Mark your calendars for May 4th, 2005, at 7:00 PM The 2nd
Annual Lavendar Graduation will occur. If you are a graduating senior and
identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender, we would liketo celebrate
the completion of your degree at the University of Utah. Please email me so I can put you on the list
of honorees.
2006 The new 2006 Utah Pride policies and venues
are a welcome change to include
 |
| David Nelson |
gender- and sexual-minority firearms owners and
advocates at all pride events in June. More pride venues than before are
welcoming of legally concealed firearms and no venue prohibits them. Instead,
the policies reiterate federal and state laws by prohibiting "illegal
weapons" which don't include legally concealed firearms. The change is
commendable. I hope that this leads to future full inclusion of firearms owners
and advocates at every part of Utah Pride. David nelson
.jpg) |
| Nova Starr |
2006 Thursday, Pride in SLC Salt Lake City pride day is
right around the corner, a time that gay and lesbian men and woman get our day
in the sunshine here. A day were everyone whomever you are can come out and be
seen and make a statement that we're here and queer get used to it. But I have an issue with pride day... Salt
lakes pride has turned into a political statement of "Utah Pride Day"
instead of Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. The word Queer used in place of the word
gay men or lesbian or bisexual or transgender.... I am most certainly not
Queer... I'm not strange, I'm a self affirming cock sucking drag performing
flaming gay man in the United States of America. AMEN. And I think the pansy
pride committee herein SLC needs to get off their damn asses and start
representing the people who make pride what it is. THE GAY AND LESBIAN
COMMUNITY. Not a bunch of scared politically correct morons who hide from cops
and politicians. We need to stand up more, represent more, be who we are as it
is protected under our federal and human rights. Change happens from within not
without. And how can we expect to make a change with our own voice if that
"voice" is not representing right? Oh yeah by the way GOSSIP the club
I work for has booked AMERICAN IDOL KIMBERLY LOCKE for Pride Day. And it's
gonna be one hell of a party. With her first album going platinum with 8th
World Wonder and her new album coming out 3 days before our pride event we are
doing her first album release party and it's gonna be fantastic. Her new MTV
show debutes the Monday after our pride and we can't wait to see what’s in
store. We expect a sold out show that day at tickets going for $7 a piece right
now. I wonder what else or who else we have planned to be there.....
hehehehehehehehhe Nova Star
 |
| Andrea Moore Emmett |
2010 NOW's New Director Women's-rights
advocates look to the future. By Stephen Dark Salt Lake City Weekly In January,
National Organization of Women’s National President Terry O’Neill asked Andrea
Moore-Emmett, a former president of Utah’s NOW chapter, to find a new volunteer
director for Utah. Moore-Emmett’s trawl of Utah-based feminists she knew from
her NOW days of grass-roots advocacy was made more urgent by multiple bills in
the Utah Legislature targeting women’s reproductive rights. In late April, she
found her woman. She wasn’t a high-profile professional, but rather a
fresh-faced newcomer to politicking for Utah women’s rights, Westminster
College graduate student, Eva Rinaldi. “I’m not sure what I got myself into,”
laughs Rinaldi, who says she’s “over 35.” She’s currently operations director
for the Park City-based arts nonprofit Sundance Institute during the day and
pursues a master of arts in community leadership at Westminster at night,
encompassing a two-year women’s studies program. A former City Weekly
contributor, Moore-Emmett’s experiences may well be a salutary introduction.
“In Utah, feminism is the other f-word,” she says. When she took over NOW in
January 2004, it had disintegrated. All that was left, she recalls, “was a
rain-soaked cardboard box with checks that hadn’t been deposited and had
expired.” Moore-Emmett learned a Utah NOW chapter president is “a lightning
rod.” That’s because, she
 |
| Eva Rinaldi |
says, Utah “is behind enough in its mentality of men
and women’s roles and their equality that feminism is seen as destructive to
the roles that [conservatives believe] women are supposed to have—in the
kitchen, mainly.” She kept a folder of hate mail, which included a letter from
one man telling her, “You are the leader of the most diabolical organization in
the world.” The NOW phone rang 24 hours a day, mostly calls from women dealing
with sexual abuse or harassment at work. “There’s not a lot you can do to make
change in Utah, but you can be in their face,” she says. She and her 14-member
board increased NOW’s visibility by campaigning for reproductive rights, gay
rights and Walmart employment issues, among others. In the years following
Moore-Emmett stepping down from NOW’s leadership in January 2006 to move to
California, NOW, which claims half a million membership nationally, eventually
saw its Utah arm languish into inactivity. Even their Website has not been
updated since 2007, despite a promise of a new home page soon. Her quest for a
new Utah chapter head proved trying. The Utah feminists that Moore-Emmett
approached in recent months to front NOW, she says, complained of exhaustion
and burnout. “They asked, ‘where are the younger women, the new generation?’”
she says. “It’s their turn.” NOW National Vice President Erin Matson says media
trend stories about young women ignoring NOW are inaccurate. “A shift is taking
place in feminism right now, a transition to including more young women in the
movement,” she says. While the core fight for equality hasn’t changed, the
tools have. She identified online activism by “women engaged to protect women’s
health” as a growing movement. Nationally, she added, NOW is focusing on
expanding abortion access, work-life balance, fair pay for women and NOW’s
“Love Your Body” campaign. Former ACLU
 |
| Dani Eyer |
Executive Director and Westminster
College lecturer Dani Eyer suggested Rinaldi, one of her students, as a
potential NOW chapter leader to a frustrated Moore-Emmett. After so many “nos,”
a “yes,” even from someone relatively unschooled in the demanding art of
women’s-rights advocacy in Utah, proved welcome to Moore-Emmett. Rinaldi, who
acknowledges, “NOW is looking to revitalize here,” is initially focusing on
assembling a board. She hopes the board, in conjunction with other women’s
groups, will help shape an agenda for her chapter. She credits her single
mother with having raised her as an independent spirit. “[She taught] me to
speak for myself.” She will perhaps bring a different approach than
Moore-Emmett’s more confrontational style. “I don’t want to be antagonistic,” Rinaldi
says. “I don’t think it helps.” When Moore-Emmett left NOW, it had 300
due-paying members. A NOW spokeswoman declined to release the current number of
members. Rinaldi, who agreed to take on the two-year position at the end of
April, is keen to cultivate new members. “I hope there are women out there
looking for someone to represent their voice,” she says, regardless of
religious belief, whether they are homemakers or professionals. “I don’t want
to be a judge. I recognize women are equal to men, whatever form that takes.”
2010 Valerie Larabee wrote: Dear Past
Recipients/Members of the 2010 Award Selection Committee, The following are the
nominees for the 2010 Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award (see attached
for detailed nominations):
Nominees
Christine Johnson Nominated By Lucia Malin,
Donald Steward (Ruby Ridge) Nominated
By Ben Williams,
Gary Horenkamp Nominated
By Barry Gomberg,
Josh Newbury
Nominated By Matthew Siemionko,
Jude
McNeil Nominated By Jackie Biskupski,
Kerry
Bell Nominated By Brook
Heartsong
Mark Swonson Nominated By Lucia Malin
Michael Nabor Nominated By Rev. Bruce Barton
Troy
Williams Nominated By Lucia Malin Your
vote is valued and important! Please
cast your vote for one nominee by replying to this email. Please vote by 5PM on
Monday, May 10th Thank you in advance for your quick response!
Valerie
Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award 2010
Nominee Submissions
 |
| Troy Williams |
- Troy Williams Nominated by: Lucia Malin Troy
Williams is a smart, young leader who is always pushing the envelope by raising
the hard questions. He challenges the status quo while at the same time
respecting the community elders. He is tireless and outspoken. His ability to
bring Sister Dottie to life in such a big way to create a kind, funny and
poignant character who disapproves of and works to eliminate discrimination
against gays and lesbians is phenomenal. He delivers strongly needed political
messages raising the level of debate about LBGT issues within the LDS community
to a higher level. He uses his voice to reach many people who otherwise have no
conduit to learn how to accept differences in lifestyles or even to realize
that different ways of living are an option. He realizes the privilege he has
as a good looking, smart, white man and at the same time he is aware that
sometimes he needs to compensate by sitting in the back of the bus.
- Christine Johnson Nominated by: Lucia Malin
Christine Johnson has given her all to
 |
| Christine Johnson |
represent the LBGT community at the
legislature. She fearlessly initiated conversations and successfully created
liaisons with very unlikely old, white, male, LDS legislators - those whom we
most need to be on our side. I believe we need activists who push back at the
system and refuse to go along such as Troy, but we also need leaders who work
to change the system from within. This is a much harder task because so many
don't recognize this as an appropriate political strategy. Making alliances
though negotiation necessitates compromise. Walking on egg shells comes to mind
as to how one has to behave when attempting system change from within.
Christine has weathered attacks from all sides but remains steadfast in her
convictions that it is possible to improve the attitudes of many Utahns who are
uneducated about the realities of the lives of LBGT people. It could not have
been fun to create these pathways with the likes of Howard Stephensen and then
get lambasted by the very people she was working for. If you make people mad at
both ends of political spectrum, that means you are doing something right.
Christine has exhibited the utmost in personal sacrifice by agreeing to carry a
baby for a gay couple who could not otherwise have a child. I was shocked when
I first read about this in the Tribune. But as I have seen Christine so matters
of factly proceed with her life in a totally open way that I only have
admiration for her integrity, courage and resolve. I saw her exhausted and
discouraged at the end to the 2010 legislative session, but never beaten down.
She is even now, in her last trimester, working hard to make sure her vacated
seat is filled by a dedicated progressive who will vocally support LBGT issues.
- Mark Swonson Nominated by: Lucia Malin Mark
Swonson is one of those behind the
.jpg) |
| Mark Swonson |
scene guys who is everywhere. Mark is at
every event, volunteering his time, manning a booth, selling tickets, always
contributing to make LBGT events a success. He never seems to say no. I can’t
imagine the number of hours he dedicates to various organizations but it’s a
lot. The community needs leaders but it also needs the pack mules who
steadfastly plod along and provide the elbow grease it takes to get the job
done. He uses Facebook to great advantage and constantly disseminates
information and publicity for events. If just a few other community members
would show half as much dedication to taking on the unglamorous tasks that need
to get done, imagine how much work could get done!
- Kerry Bell Nominated by: Brook Heartsong I
have known Kerry Bell for at least 15
 |
| Kerry Bell |
years. I first knew him as an out lesbian
police officer. He is now an openly transgendered police officer. Kerry belongs
to the LGBT Public Safety Committee which is an informal group of representatives
from several police agencies. These committee members work to help LGBT and
transgender people understand the police but more importantly they coach police
on how to respond to cases of same-sex domestic violence and other related
issues. In November Kerry was profiled in the Salt Lake Tribune. The article
was in depth and contained pictures of Kerry. Kerry is performing an invaluable
service by living openly and honestly and volunteering to educate people about
our community. Kerry also serves as a role model for the youth in our
community. Kerry truly does “exemplify everything that the award has stood for:
compassion, leadership and courage.”
- Donald Steward (aka Ruby Ridge) Nominated by:
Ben Williams Donald Steward (aka
.jpg) |
| Donald Steward |
Ruby Ridge) has been an active member of the
community for 25 years and personified the meaning of community service. Few in
this community have given their time, energy, and money as unselfishly as
Donald. Among his contributions to our community are: · One of the founders of
Horizon House for People With AIDS · One of the founders and organizers of Camp
Pinecliff for People With AIDS and their families · One of the founding member
the Cybersluts- a fundraising group that raises thousands of dollars for
charity · Chair of the Utah Pride Parade for 5 years or more · Organizer of 3rd
Friday Bingo Fundraiser which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Gay
and non Gay non-profits. Donald Steward is long over due to be recognized as a
Dr. Kristen Ries Award recipient, an award that epitomizes unselfish service to
building and nurturing our Queer Community.
- Michael Nabor Nominated by: Rev. Bruce Barton
From before the beginning of the Court in Ogden Utah, Michael Nabor has worked
tirelessly for all kinds of programs and fundraiser's to improve the LGBT
community of Utah. I have watched him as he spent
 |
| Michael Nabor |
many hours and personal
finances to meet goals and enact change. I have seen him tired and not really
ready to try again, yet he did-and does-try and succeed. I believe that one of
the areas Michael has been influential and highly successful has been in
raising funds and awareness for not only for Northern Utah but our whole state
has been for HIV causes. He has been involved in the formation of organizations
or supporting organizations that have made a huge impact on the challenge that
continues in our lives and with our friends. This has been for the most part
without recognition and without expectation of being recognized. I sincerely
believe that OUR people like Michael Nabor gives us the guidance and role
models for your next generations to follow. We are helped and guided by
examples like Michael, and I, for one, am humbled and blessed by him.
- Jude McNeil Nominated by: Jackie Biskupski
Although Jude McNeil isn’t looking for
 |
| Jude McNeil |
recognition, she certainly deserves it.
She began her career working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT)
people 10 years ago when she completed an internship with the University of
Utah LGBT Resource Center. During graduate school, Jude worked with Pride Counseling
as a therapist serving LGBT clients of all ages. She volunteered with the Utah
Pride Center for two years before being hired on as the Director of Youth
Programs in 2006. That same year she completed the Master’s of Social Work
program at the University of Utah earning her MSW. In her time at the Center
Jude has been responsible for a very successful training programming regarding
homeless LGBTQ youth. According to the Volunteers of America Homeless Youth
Resource Center, 42% of Utah’s Homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. In an effort
to prevent youth homelessness Jude played a leadership role in establishing a
collaborative effort with the Department of Human Services to deliver youth
safety trainings to professionals working for DCFS, Juvenile Justice Services,
and with foster parents statewide. Very few states are doing this work and are
slow to acknowledge the over representation of LGBTQ youth in out of home care.
As a result, LGBTQ youth are not receiving equitable care and often end up
homeless. Jude has trained over 2,000 professionals and has presented at
several local and national conferences including the National Foster Parent
conference. Jude has been a visionary with the programs she has created at the
Utah Pride center to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth. In her first year at the
Pride Center, Jude started and facilitated a support group for transgender
youth and a support group for parents with transgender youth. Due to the
success of the program she has been able to greatly expanded resources for the
transgender community and their families. Jude has helped many professionals
working with transgender youth gain a better understanding of how to best
support and create safety for transgender youth. Following this effort she
pioneered two more support groups, one for LGBTQ youth and one for their
parents. Now all support groups are facilitated by licensed mental health
professionals. Jude also supervises a youth activity center that serves LGBTQ
youth ages 14-20. The youth center offers a safe place for LGBTQ youth to
socialize with peers, receive positive adult support, and positive feedback
about who they are as people. Her work does not end there. Jude created a
gender variant play group for children and a gender activist group, known as
TransAction. TransAction has gone on to be the community voice for transgender
people living in Utah. TransAction had its first annual gender conference in
2009 and is they are organizing the first annual trans march in the State of
Utah during Pride 2010. In addition to her work at the Pride Center, Jude’s
compassion for homeless youth has lead her to co-found Operation Shine America
(OSA) and currently serves as the board chair. OSA is an organization that
works to raise awareness of the homeless youth epidemic in America. As part of
her work with OSA, Jude helped to organize youth nationally to participate in a
conference and successful march on Washington which took place in October 2009.
Jude’s outstanding service extends even further and she currently serves on the
Salt Lake County Commission on Youth (COY) to advocate for and develop a 5 year
plan to improve services and education for youth. She also is a member of the
Volunteers of America Homeless Youth Task Force. A committee that addresses
youth homelessness by bringing together community members and organizations
that work with homeless youth to look at existing services, identify potential
gaps in our community, and find ways to fill those gaps. Last but not least
Jude is on a committee that is looking for alternatives to youth incarceration
through prevention and effective interventions.
- Josh Newbury Nominated by: Matthew Siemionko
I began formally working at the Utah
 |
| Add caption |
AIDS Foundation two months ago; prior to
that I was a student intern, and before that a general volunteer with the
organization. During my two years of experience at UAF, I have seen Josh
Newbury in two capacities: as a case manager and now as our HIV Prevention
Specialist. Volunteering in the office, I was able to see Josh working with
clients, many of whom are gay or bisexual, to obtain critical services and
access to medications and medical care. His ability to work with people living
with HIV/AIDS to face the unique challenges they encounter as a result of a
dual stigmatization (for being gay and being HIV+)in their daily lives was
remarkable. The number of times I saw him interact with a client not only as a
professional, but as a caring and compassionate person made me come to respect
and admire him all the more. Now that he is our HIV Prevention Specialist, his
primary job is to work with young gay and bisexual men to reduce the risk of
HIV infection in young people. Through innovative programming and coordinating
our Test Site for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, Josh comes into
contact with a variety of people, again, many of whom are lesbian, gay, or
bisexual. Through his coordination of the Test Site specifically, he works with
a group of dedicated volunteers (again, many of whom are LGB and our allies) to
promote healthy sexual behaviors to keep Utahans safe from infectious disease.
Being a gay man myself, I have always felt at ease with Josh, and feel that he
is a strong advocate for members of my community. In addition to the work I
have seen him do with people regarding healthy sexuality and behavior with
primarily gay and bisexual men, I know that Josh is also extremely passionate
about his volunteer work at the Inclusion Center. He has been involved with the
center since his early teen years, first as a participant in their Camp Anytown
program, and then moving on to become camp counselor and eventually a camp
director for the program. He continues to this day volunteering time for the
organization, facilitating workshops and raising funds to help support the
program. His dedication to an agency who's core values include confronting
oppression, building community, and fighting for justice makes him a strong
candidate for an award that is focused on community service. The Inclusion
Center's determination to confront prejudice includes heterosexism and
homophobia; it also targets racism, classism, sexism, etc. He is determined to
work towards reducing the stigmatization of LGBT individuals, but also to
reduce prejudice against people of color. This again shows Josh's dedication to
working with communities that might face a dual bias (for being LGBT and a
person of color). To me it is a great strength of a person to not only care
strongly for and about people in the LGBT community, but for those at
potentially greater risk of oppression, prejudice, and discrimination because
of their HIV status or the color of their skin. His hard work and dedication to
this agency and a community partner makes him a truly amazing person, but also
a passionate, dedicated member of our community working towards a brighter,
less prejudiced future for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in
Salt Lake. I am grateful to be able to work with him, and I feel he is a strong
candidate for this award.
- Gary Horenkamp Nominated by: Barry Gomberg . OUTreach
Resource Center The
OUTreach Resource Center nominates Gary Horenkamp for the
2010 Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award. Gary is a tireless and
courageous pioneer in creating a stronger and safer GLBT community in Northern
Utah. In the past six years, he has served as the only paid Program Director of
OUTreach. During that time he has implemented programming for the GLBT
community three nights each week. Activities include a youth drop in center, an
adult drop in center and a youth focus group. He has mentored countless teens,
many of whom do not have other supportive adults in their lives. A measure of
his compassion is the invitations he accepts every year to attend high school
graduations of OUTreach participants. Gary has also facilitated longer stays at
the homeless shelter for youth whom he refers. Gary has established strong ties
with local gay organizations - Weber State University's Gay Straight Allliance,
the Imperial Rainbow Court of Northern Utah, and Ogden's new PFLAG group. He
was awarded Board Member of the Year by the Northern Utah Coalition, HIV/AIDS
Project. Gary has faithfully facilitated a twice-amonth gay/bi men's group at
the Pride Center. Sadly, it still takes courage to be "out" in Ogden,
but less so, thanks to Gary. He has joined a dozen community organizations, and
in all but one of them, he is the only openly gay member. For example, Gary is
a community presenter for NU Hope, a youth suicide prevention program. He was
also elected Treasurer for the Ogden Area Youth Alliance. Finally, Gary was the
first spokesperson for the sexual minorities in the Coalition for Tobacco Free
Utah. These achievements would be admirable for a person supported by a staff.
The amazing thing is that Gary has accomplished all this while working only
part-time. These accomplishments speak to Gary Horenkamp's passion to improve
the lives of GLBT people throughout Northern Utah
- Jane Marquardt wrote: These nominations are
really impressive. It's good to be
reminded of how many people work so hard on behalf of our community.And - maybe
we should give Luci Malin a special award for taking the time to put three
nominations together. Thanks Luci!
Regards - Jane Marquardt
2010 Val Holley Subject: Michael Aaron's
Solicitation of Nominations Taking the liberty of
.jpg) |
| Michael Quinn |
sending you my suggestion of
Mike Quinn: D. Michael Quinn would make a fine honoree because of his courage
and grace under pressure. He has survived a lot of intense effort by the Mormon
Church to disgrace him and discredit his achievements. Formerly a top scholar
in the BYU history department, Quinn apparently reached a point where 1) he
could no longer submit to the academic muzzling they imposed on him, and 2)
despite having a wife and children, could no longer deny his homosexuality. To
me, Quinn represents the finest of what a gay person can achieve in academics.
His work on Mormon history is superb. You could say he beat the straights at
their own game. It took an amazing amount of guts to for him to publish
Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth Century Americans: A Mormon Example. The
Mormons have done all they can to make life impossible for Quinn, seeing to it
that he can't be hired anywhere. I don't even know where he lives. In a cover
story in the Wall St. Journal 2-3 years ago, he was living in his mother's
condo in L.A. In any case, Quinn, for his courage and grace under pressure,
would be a deserving recipient of your award, and it would also be a nice
nose-thumbing at the Mormon Church.
No comments:
Post a Comment