8 May
1890 The grand jury came into court and reported two indictments
under the United States laws and two indictments under territorial laws. They
also reported that the case against Thomas Hanrahan charged with sodomy had
been Ignored. Salt Lake Herald
1967 America’s changing attitudes towards illicit sex, gambling,
drinking, and abortion require less strict criminal laws, says President’s
Crime Commission. Numerous so called sin laws tie up police who could otherwise
concentrate on matter’s threatening public safety the commission said. Although
strong laws should be enforced in cases of rape, child molestation, and
organized vice, “the situation is less clear “ regarding acts between
consenting adults including fornication, adultery, sodomy, and homosexuality,”
the commission said. Ogden Standard Examiner
1967 The country’s first Gay student organization was formed at Columbia University
in New York .
It was called the Student Homophile League.
1968 Wednesday Salt Lake City’s
perennial counter culture
activist Charles E. Artman “Charlie
Brown”, dressed in a bat man cape and wearing a cross, appeared before SLC
Council to make an application to hold a
HAPPENING-LOVE-IN at Liberty Park. He invited the council to come “Fly kites,
blow bubbles, and listen to rock bands with the barefoot youths”. (05/08/68
SLTribune page 39)
Ken Kline |
Nikki Boyer |
1984- Women Aware met at Nikki Boyer’s home to determine if Women Aware
would continue as a group or dissolve.
1991 The U. Academic Senate approved policy changes ensuring that students
are not harassed because of their sexual orientation. The hiring and promotion
of faculty and staff also would have to be done without regard for sexual
preference. The changes were developed following campus incidences where Gay
and lesbian students and faculty were discriminated against and verbally and
physically harassed, said Rocky O'Donovan, a U. student and
member of ALGEBRA -
Alliance of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Rights Advocates.
Connell O'Donovan |
1997 Legislature was anti-gay, group says Action on one bill was enough to put it in
that category, panel adds. By Bob
Bernick Jr., Staff Writer A national gay and lesbian group says the Utah
Legislature can be considered "anti-gay" for its 1997 work. Actually,
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force rated as "anti-gay" the
action on only one bill in Utah 's
1997 session. More than 700 bills and resolutions were introduced in the
session. But action on that one bill was enough to put Utah in the anti-gay category of the 50
state legislatures reviewed, the group said.
The group found no bills or actions in the Utah session that it characterized as
"pro-gay." The task force says
it is the leading group monitoring various legislatures on
"gay-related" laws. The group, based in Washington , D.C. ,
was founded in 1973. While the Utah bill is not listed
by name in the NGLTF report, it is likely
Rep. David Ure's HB134. During the
session, Ure, R-Kamas, said he introduced the bill at the request of the Utah
Statewide Association of Prosecutors. The bill's main purpose was to increase
the penalty for forcible sodomy against a victim younger than 16 years. But it
also would have removed the criminal penalty, a Class B misdemeanor, for the
act of sodomy between consenting married adults. Homosexual acts are defined in
other state statutes as acts of sodomy. Ure's bill failed, thus keeping sodomy
a crime between unmarried, as well as married, consenting adults regardless of
their gender. The bill never had a hearing; it was never sent to a House
standing committee. Having only one
"anti-gay" action in the Utah Legislature, and it being the rather
mild HB134, could be seen by some as a good year for gay-rights advocates in Utah . In the 1996
Legislature, the Senate held an illegal meeting to discuss a perceived
"pro-gay" agenda in public schools. And the Legislature as a whole
passed a bill aimed at banning support clubs
for gay and lesbian students in
public junior and senior high schools. By comparison, the NGLTF said the
Mississippi Legislature had 12 "anti-gay" bills or actions with no
"pro-gay" bills or actions. The Rhode Island Legislature had 11
"pro-gay" pieces of legislation with only two "anti-gay"
actions. Utah Senate President Lane Beattie, R-West Bountiful, says the Utah
Legislature is "pro-heterosexual," not anti-gay, and that is an
appropriate posture "based on the makeup of the state's
population." "I don't believe
we discriminate against anyone," said Beattie. "But I can say that
(the Legislature as a whole) will do everything in its power to make sure that
the homo-sexual/lesbian lifestyle is not taught or condoned in any way in our
public education system. I'd say that the majority of the state believes that
the homosexual lifestyle is not a lifestyle that can be recommended. "But
I add that we also believe that their (homosexuals') civil rights shouldn't be
violated, either," Beattie said.
David Ure |
Lane Beattie |
1997 The Salt Lake Tribune Utah's State Bird Comes Out of Closet By
Lee Siegel In a state where the gay rights debate is contentious, here's a
surprise: Utah's state bird -- the California gull -- sometimes is homosexual,
according to a Utah State University researcher. During two decades of
research, Michael Conover found that when males are scarce, up to 2 percent of
female California
gulls get inseminated by males who already have mates, then court females to
share nests and raise chicks. Scientific papers call them
"homosexual" pairs. The gull's same-sex pairing is ironic because
many Utahns, invoking biblical injunctions, call homosexuality an "abomination."
Gayle Ruzicka, president of the conservative Eagle Forum, said: "Two birds
living together who help each other baby-sit their children -- like two single
mothers living together -- doesn't constitute gay." Told that female gulls
mount each other, Ruzicka said: "My question is, who has been doing all
this bird-watching?" Utah
gay activist David Nelson predicted: "We may see an increase in
seagull-bashing." If so, the American Civil Liberties Union won't help.
"We don't do birds," said director Carol Gnade.
Richard Teerlink |
1999THE DESERET NEWS Gay group disrespectful Concerning the controversy surrounding the Gay/Straight Alliance presentation at East High recently, some people have cried that those who opposed the presentation are being intolerant. Tolerance is a word that is often used to elicit an emotional response. But those supporting the presentation don't really believe in tolerance. They believe in forwarding an agenda. If these people really believed in tolerance and respect, they would have tolerance for others' religious beliefs. The Gay/Straight Alliance knows very well that many parents of Utah high school students believe homosexuality to be morally wrong, yet in their intolerant and disrespectful way chose to parade their agenda across the stage at East High to a captive audience. If that is not a blatant disregard for the feelings of others, I don't know what is. For many in this community, this is not a cultural issue, it is a religious one. Don't wave the word "tolerance" in front of the parents who are only trying to protect their children according to their religious beliefs. Jennifer Beckstrand Centerville
1999 Seminar set in Ogden on hate crimes OGDEN -- A two-day National Hate
Crimes Symposium next week will feature federal prosecutors, judges, the director
of the National Task Force Against Hate and church leaders. All are
participating in "The Changing Face of Hate in Utah," a comprehensive
symposium that will examine the anatomy of hate crimes, hate groups and hate on
the Internet.The U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City announced on Thursday
the two-day event, which is being held at the David Eccles Conference Center
and Peery's Egyptian Theater, 2415 Washington Blvd. Co-sponsored by the Simon
Wiesenthal Center, an international human rights organization, the conference
is May 18-19. The keynote speaker is Bill Lann Lee, acting assistant attorney
general for civil rights at
the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.,
and Sen. Pete Suazo, D-Salt Lake. , who sponsored a failed hate crimes bill
during the last legislative session. Lee will be speaking May 18 at noon in the
conference center's Ballroom A. Suazo, elected to Utah Senate in 1996, is a
member of the judiciary standing criminal justice
appropriations committees.
Suazo, who said he has not given up on getting improved hate crimes legislation
passed, will speak at 9 a.m. May 19 in the Egyptian Theater.A community roundtable at 10
a.m., May 19, will feature multiple participants, including Steven Clark of the
American Civil Liberties Union, Salt Lake Police Chief Ruben Ortega, and Robert
Gallacher of the FBI. During the conference, a document called "The Voice
of the People" will be drafted. The paper is aimed at influencing the
passage of more comprehensive hate crimes legislation in Utah.
Bill Lann Lee |
Pete Suazo |
2004 SATURDAY May 08, 2004 Protest planned Gay and Lesbian
Democrats and their supporters plan to protest during U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson's
speech at the State Democratic Convention today. The Stonewall Democrats voted
nearly unanimously in a caucus Friday night to stand up and turn their backs to
Utah's lone Democrat in Congress because he says he will vote for the
constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. The move was prompted by University
of Utah Lesbian and Gay Student Union President Evan Done, who said Matheson
had turned his back on gay supporters. Caucus Chairman Mike Picardi abstained
from the vote because he questioned its purpose. "He knows we're pissed
already," Picardi said. Matheson said Friday night that he has always
believed marriage is between a man and a woman, but still respects the
Stonewall Democrats viewpoint. "I respect the fact that we disagree on
this," he said. Thomas Burr Salt Lake Tribune
2005 Gay Muslims Gay Lebanese U
of U fears deportment USHS Note: In 2000
a Jordanian Lesbian was kidnapped by her family in SLC to return her to Jordan
to face punishment. She escaped and family was punished in Utah criminal courts.
In the Middle East 1000's of homosexuals have been imprisoned as well as
executed. This student's fears are legitimate. Are there any fundraising groups
that could help?
- U OF U
STUDENT IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE Dear LGBT community and allies,I am the new
coordinator at the LGBT Resource Center and am working with a gay
international student who is having immigration issues right now. This
student is here on a student visa from Lebanon. His father found out he
was Gay and cut off financial support. He didn't enroll in classes last
semester because of these money issues. Now he finds he is "out of
status" and needs to return to Lebanon. He is afraid for his health,
well- being, and safety if he were to return to Lebanon. He believes he
will be killed, by family or strangers for being Gay were he sent back.
His father is requiring him to return home after this semester -approx.
May 8th. the time crunch is problematic. The hope is that an asylum case
could be in process at that time and he could stay, perhaps get a work
permit, and put school on the back burner until the case is decided.
Unfortunately financial resources are a problem for him. I am hoping
various people within our communities who do have the res ources to help,
could step up and assist financially. I realize not everybody is in the
position to be able to do this, and respect that. I am asking for your
financial assistance in getting this person a lawyer. We have found a
lawyer who will, for a $2,500 retainer, represent him in an asylum case.
If you would like to donate, please contact me at the LGBT Resource
Ruth Hackford-Peer
2014 Mormons Building Bridges won’t be in Days of ’47 Parade Organizers reject application, say the group is too
controversial.BY LINDSAY WHITEHURSTTHE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Days of ’47 Parade organizers have denied a float
application from Mormons Building Bridges, saying an entry from the group
founded to improve relationships between Latter-day Saints and the gay
community would be too controversial. “The parade is very specific in its requirement that no
float can enter that will create controversy,” Executive Vice President Greg
James said Tuesday. “We wouldn’t have the Mormons Building Bridges float in
there any more than we’d have the NRA [National Rifle Association] or something
else that might turn people off.” The July 24 event, which celebrates the Mormon pioneers’
1847 arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, is Utah’s biggest parade. “We’re nonpartisan. We don’t take a position on any issue,”
James said. “One of the problems in the country right now is everyone is too
polarized. We’re just trying to stay as neutral as we can.” Mormons Building Bridges, founded in 2012, has won cheers
for two straight years when marching by the hundreds in Utah’s second-largest
parade, which takes place during the Utah Pride Festival and celebrates the
state’s LGBT residents. For its first Days of ’47 appearance, Bridges proposed a
convertible car with eight people on board from Utah arts, business and
nonprofit organizations, explained group co-founder Kendall Wilcox. Those on
board would be Mormon or have LDS heritage and also be lesbian, gay, bisexual
or transgender. “We felt we were shying away completely from any sort of
politics. ... We worked hard to stay within their guidelines,” Wilcox said,
adding that he thought the 2014 Days of ’47 theme, “Pioneers Pushing Toward Our
Future,” matched the group’s mission. “Members of the LGBT community are part of the Utah
community,” he said. “ ... They really are pioneers today leading to a better
Utah, so why not celebrate them?” Other LGBT groups, including Utah Pride, Equality Utah and
PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), have also seen
applications rejected, Wilcox said. Mormons Building Bridges organizers tried
to appeal by meeting with Days of ’47 organizers but were denied, he added. The
group plans to apply again and may attend the parade this year in Mormons
Building Bridges T-shirts. James said Bridges was also rejected a few weeks ago because
its application was late, incomplete and the group wanted to pass out
pamphlets. Wilcox disputed that, saying the group wasn’t told about problems
with the application and didn’t ask to distribute fliers. Organizers believed their decision was justified when
Mormons Building Bridges mentioned making the rejection public, James said.
Bridges announced the denial on its website Tuesday. Mormons Building Bridges wasn’t the only organization whose
application was denied, James noted. The parade also doesn’t allow political
candidates, for example, though it does welcome officeholders. Most years, about a dozen applications are denied. More than
100 end up part of the parade, which attracts some 250,000 onlookers and a
roughly equivalent TV audience. Typically held on the state’s July 24 Pioneer
Day holiday and sometimes dubbed the “Mormon Mardi Gras,” the event is run by a
private nonprofit organization, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints is a large sponsor. Leaders, including LDS Church presidents, are often
part of the parade. The LDS Church has never publicly commented on Mormons
Building Bridges, which Wilcox says seeks to “convey a message of love and
acceptance” in the historically strained relationships between LDS and LGBT
groups. Growing by up to 200 members a month on its Facebook group,
the group convenes monthly “community conversations” at libraries, participates
in a suicide-prevention walk and helps outreach centers for homeless youths. The organization seeks to sidestep political conversations,
Wilcox said. Bridges allies, for example, are asked not to campaign for or
debate same-sex marriage on the group’s Facebook page.
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