December 11
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1973- 20 year old Activist
Mark Segal interrupted a live broadcast of CBS Evening News with Walter
Cronkite to protest biased stories about homosexuals on CBS. He walked in front
of the camera carrying a sign which read "GAYS PROTEST CBS BIGOTRY."
It resulted in his fourth arrest.
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1975-David
Kopay, a former Washington Redskins linebacker, was featured in the Washington
Star's series of articles on homosexuality and sports, becoming the first major
professional athlete to come out voluntarily.
1977-The
Castro Steam Baths was destroyed by arson, one person was killed. This was the
third in a series of arson attacks on gay establishments in San Francisco.
1982-San
Francisco Mayor Diane Feinstein vetoed a domestic partnership bill.
1986-Austin
Texas passes an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against people with AIDS
1988-
Charles Van Dam age 52 died from complications from AIDS in Phoenix, Arizona.
He made accusations against Gordon B. Hinckley of the LDS First Presidency of a sexual never regained coherent speech so the last interview he ever gave anyone was
for the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society and Archives of Utah.
1988 Becky Moss
came by and picked me up to go to KRCL where we did 3 programs for Concerning
Gays and Lesbians with Jim Rieger. I did a Christmas Program on Homosexuality and the New Testament.
(memoirs of Ben Williams)
1990 SACRED FAERIES I spent a good part of the evening figuring out
a schedule for the Full Moon and Sabbat Celebrations for the Sacred Faeries and
giving them names from the Nordic, Celtic, Wiccan, Native American,, and
Backwoods Traditions. We also picked
names for the Festivals that had a nice sound to them and could be spelled
pretty easily. There will be 16 gatherings in 1991. January-Snow Moon, February
Horny Moon, March-Lilting Moon, April- Gay Moon, May-Merry Moon, June
Fallow-Moon, July-Hay Moon, August-Harvest Moon, September-Shedding Moon,
October-Honey Moon, November-Dark Moon, and December Wolf Moon. The Halloween
Cross-quarter day is Samhaim, the Winter Solstice is Yule, the groundhog Day
Cross-quarter day is Bridgett, the Vernal Equinox is Easter, May Day
Cross-quarter day is Beltane, The Summer Solstice is Litha, August 1st Cross
quarter day is Lammas and the Autumn Equinox is Mabon. We won't be having a gathering
in the month of January because of the way the full moons and the Saturdays a
line. Anyway this guy named Scott Spinks called me about 8:00 on the date line
and wanted to come over. Later as he was
leaving, he noticed a book on magic that I had left out and he asked me about
it. I told him about the Faerie
Circle and he wanted to know more about it so I
gave him some information about the Yule celebration. He gave me his phone
number so I could call him about having his medicine cards read. (memoirs of
Ben Williams)
1990 SUSC'S WINTER LECTURERS WILL RANGE FROM SINGER TO COMIC Winter
quarter lectures at Southern Utah State College will feature a diverse array of
speakers, ranging from rock music legend David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills, Nash
and Young, to "Vermont's Most Dangerous Comic." Convocation lectures
are traditionally held Monday in the SUSC auditorium at 11 a.m., and the public
is invited to attend. - David Crosby will begin the winter series Jan. 10 with
account of his experiences as a legend in the rock music scene to his
near-fatal drug addiction, years of imprisonment and reborn will to survive. -
College President Dr. Gerald R. Sherratt will speak on the "The University
Era" on Jan. 17. Under the stewardship of Sherratt, the school's 13th president,
the college has seen a blossoming of growth that began in the late 19th century
when it was established as a school for training teachers. - "Being
powerful in the Face of AIDS," is the topic that will be addressed by
David Sharpton on Jan. 24. Sharpton was diagnosed as having the dreaded disease
in 1986 and has since become a leading proponent of the rights of AIDS victims.
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| David Sharpton |
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1997 Page: A1 `SILENCE' RETURNS: Utah Legislature Steered Clear of
Gay Issues in '97 Byline: BY PATTY HENETZ THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE A year after the Utah Legislature passed the
most notorious anti-gay law in the country, lawmakers apparently lost their
collective stomach for wrangles over sexual orientation. In 1996, legislators, appalled by a
high-school gay-straight student club, lowered the truncheon, ordering school
districts to rid themselves of nonacademic student organizations. In 1997, a
single gay-related bill was proposed. But just barely. And even the sponsor now
has trouble remembering what he was up to.
In the rest of the country, however, a total of 248 gay-related bills
were introduced in 49 statehouses this year. That was more than 1996, when 160 bills
were considered. Pros and Cons: An annual survey released Wednesday by the
Washington, D.C.-based National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has labeled 120 of
this year's bills favorable to the gay community. Of the 43 bills passed, 24
were considered favorable. Clear trends have emerged on both sides, said
task-force political director Rebecca Isaacs. ``The anti-same-sex-marriage
battle is still huge in the states,'' she said. ``But we also now have 11
states that have comprehensive civil-rights laws.'' Of the 19 ``unfavorable''
bills passed, six involved mandatory HIV/AIDS testing or disclosure of the
results to state agencies. Ten banned same-sex marriages. (In no state is
same-sex marriage legal; still, Utah in 1995 became the first state to pass a
law denying recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states. Utah also already has
mandatory HIV/AIDS testing laws on the books.) ``Favorable'' legislation
covered a wider variety of issues. Of 24 bills, eight involved HIV/AIDS
discrimination, education and care. Maine and New Hampshire banned
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. New
York and Hawaii
passed domestic-partnership laws. Five states included gays in hate-crime laws,
a protection already guaranteed in Utah . Absence of Debate: So the absence of
sexual-orientation debate in the
1997 Utah Legislature could be a matter of
being way out in front of the pack, trend wise. Or it could be a hangover from
the rancorous 1996 special session aimed at gay student organizations, said
Charlene Orchard, director of the Utah Human Rights Coalition. ``The year before there was a lot of open
conversation about gay and lesbian people and issues. And legislators didn't
like that,'' she said. ``So we've kind of gone back to our usual culture of silence.'' While she has not heard any rumors one way or
the other, Orchard said the 1998 Legislature might respond to the debate
surrounding Wendy Weaver, a Spanish
Fork High
School Nebo School District
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| Charlene Orchard |
1998 Page: A31 States Urged to Track HIV As Well
as AIDS Patients Byline: LOS ANGELES TIMES WASHINGTON
-- Federal health officials will
call upon states this week to track HIV infection as an integral part of their
AIDS reporting programs, urging that individuals be identified by name, as
states now do with those suffering from full-blown AIDS. But --
while officials believe name-reporting to be the best way to conduct
this surveillance -- the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention will leave it to the states to decide on their own systems,
including the use of so-called unique identifier codes. The CDC said, however,
that whatever systems are chosen must meet specific requirements established by
the agency, including strict safeguards to ensure confidentiality. The issue
has been an extremely contentious one. Virtually everyone agrees that because
infected people are staying healthy longer with the help of powerful new AIDS drugs,
it is imperative to track HIV by infection as well as by AIDS cases to better
understand the scope of the epidemic, where it is spreading and among what
groups. Such comprehensive information will better enable health officials to
target areas eligible for federal AIDS funds for treatment, access to other
services, and for education and prevention programs. But AIDS activists and
others worry that tracking those infected with HIV by name will result in
people becoming reluctant to undergo testing because of privacy concerns, and
possible discrimination if their infections are discovered. Officials said the
data is needed to track the progress of HIV infection and to target resources
where they are needed most, given the changing nature of the epidemic. ``We
understand that the concerns about privacy are very real,'' said one official,
who asked not be named. ``CDC believes that names reporting gives the best
surveillance results, but the states can choose any system they want, and CDC
will work with them to make it the best system it can be.'' The new guidelines
are scheduled to be published in this week's federal register and will be open
for public comment for a 30-day period before final guidelines are issued. States
will have several years to implement their reporting systems; while the
recommendations are not mandatory, the CDC will provide federal funds to states
designing systems that meet performance criteria established by the agency. The
recommendations give the states a choice of using either names, or an
alternative ``unique identifier'' code that still provides demographic
information without specifically identifying the individual. ``We're very
relieved,'' said Steven Fischer, a spokesman for the Washington-based lobbying
and education organization AIDS Action. ``There's never been an argument over
HIV surveillance, just the methodology. Unique identifiers is the way to go.
People could be living many years with HIV, and we don't need to be collecting
their names. Our big fear is that names reporting will discourage testing. We
need to get people into testing, and telling them their name is going to be on
a list is not going to do that.'' The CDC does not agree; a six-state study
released earlier this fall suggested that tracking infection by names would not
discourage peoples' willingness to be tested. However, the CDC, recognizing the
considerable opposition to the idea of names reporting, decided to propose a
policy allowing flexibility for alternative systems, and promised financial and
technical support for those states who choose that route. The CDC also urged
the continued availability of anonymous testing services, and recommended that
states provide such options among its AIDS programs. While all states track
full-blown AIDS cases by name, 32 states report infection by name, including
three that report only pediatric infections by name. In the United States , about 700,000
individuals are HIV-positive and know it, while an additional 300,000 are
infected and unaware of it, according to AIDS Action.
1998-At a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Denver , a resolution was
passed rejecting reparative therapy. It stated that attempts to change a
person's sexual orientation can cause depression, anxiety, and self-destructive
behavior. A similar resolution was passed by the American Psychological
Association in August 1997. Dr. Nada Stotland, head of the association's public
affairs committee, told the Denver Post that the very existence of reparative
therapy spreads the idea that homosexuality is a disease or evil and has a
dehumanizing effect resulting in an increase in discrimination, harassment, and
violence against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
1998-The mother of Tyra Hunter was awarded $2.9 million in a
wrongful death lawsuit against
the city of Washington DC. Hunter, a
pre-operative transsexual, died of injuries sustained in a car accident in
1995. Emergency medical technicians at the scene were abusive and withheld
treatment, and a doctor at DC
General Hospital
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| Tyra Hunter |
1999 The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Utah (GLCCU) celebrated
its 1st anniversary of operations with food fun and entertainment including
Chris Coyote, Gigi Love and Meridian.
1998-A Suffolk Superior Court judge struck down Boston's health
plan for same-sex partners of city workers.
2002 Angles Coffee Shop 511 W 200 South SALT LAKE
CITY 7:30 Hosts Pillar Staff and Pillar Contributors December will serve as a
Holiday party, the official meeting as usual will be limited. The Pillar
encourages the Members of the Boards of the Community's many organizations to
attend. RSVP for the numbers from each
Organization's Board that will be in attendance is requested. Thanks!
Chad Keller
Facilitator Community Leadership Forum The Pillar
- Community Leadership Forum A service of the Pillar
Incentive Program & Forum Services • Unlimited
access to the Pillar Community Calendar in print and online for GLBT and
GLBT friendly organizations in regular attendance. • Weekly and weekend reminders in the
Pillar Community Update an email service to the subscribed online
community of the upcoming events. Sponsorship points awarded for
organizations that commit to the development, growth, and betterment of
the community through regular attendance at The Community Leadership
Forum for advertisements, pullouts, and other printed promotional items
in the Pillar. • Information and news clearinghouse for
GLBT community organizations to the local and regional mainstream
publications. • Access to the
Youth Intern Program to activate and involve the youth in the many
community organizations through a on hands learning and mentoring experience
facilitated by professionals in the fields of education and social work.
The Intern program is monitored, and structured to provide accreditation
at a later date with educational institutes. Interns for most
organizations are 18 years of age. Youth under 18 may participate with a
parent or guardians permission and involvement. Organizations will commit
to report bi-monthly on the progress of the assigned youth. Youth will
also report monthly on their experiences. •Unlimited Access to the Pillar
Community Volunteer Services to staff events and programs hosted by
participating organizations some restrictions apply. Further Incentives to
be Added in 2003! Audit Services Distribution of the Calendar and
community information with major tourism and related information offices.
Watch For: The return of the DIG Awards--APRIL 2003 The Community
Leadership Summit--MARCH 2003 The Pillar's 10 Year Anniversary Community
Celebration The Community Leadership Forum A service of the Pillar Mission Statement The Community
Leadership Forum exists to positively influence the mission of the Pillar
in building, uniting, and informing the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender community through open and ongoing dialog. As a service of the
Pillar it also exists to provide educational and training opportunities to
encourage, inspire and assist the many leaders of the gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender community in their personal growth and the
ongoing development of the organizations of which they have been
entrusted. The Pillar Proudly established in 1993 to build, unite, and
inform the Utah’s Diverse GLBT community The Community Leadership
Forum is a service provide free of
charge to the GLBT community of Utah
2004 Happenings and Goings -
On at the Stonewall Coffee Shop: Get DOWN here! This Saturday, December 11th,
we will be having our first open mic.
This is for musicians, writers & poets. Everyone is welcome to come and support the coffee
shop, share your written work or play a
cool song or two. I know this is short
notice, but that's okay, because we will be having OPEN MIC night the 2nd
Saturday OF EVERY MONTH. If you can't
come this week come next month either to participate or just enjoy the local
talent, homemade baked goods, & specialty coffee. Also,
Adeitia, the all female band that packed the house lastThursday, will
now be providing their seductive brand of folk rock for your listening pleasure
on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month!
Come and check it out!
2005 A Campy Candy Christmas Performed in the 500-seat Jeanné
Wagner Theatre of the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in downtown Salt Lake
City near some of the finest restaurants so you can make an evening of it.
Jeanné Wagner Theatre Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center 138 West Broadway, Salt
Lake City 7:30 pm
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| Melissa Helquist |
2012 Mormons make the case for gay marriage BY WILLIAM SALETAN SLATE No religion has fought harder against same-sex marriage than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2008, the church supplied as much as half the money and 90 percent of the early campaign volunteers to pass California's Proposition 8. But this year, it ducked similar fights. And now it's rethinking its advice about homosexuality. The Mormon case against gay marriage is beginning to collapse. The latest sign is a new LDS website, mormonsandgays.org. The site affirms the church's ban on gay sex but offers several concessions. First, it acknowledges homosexuality as a deeply ingrained condition, often impervious to change. More than a dozen people tell their stories on the site, emphasizing the depth and persistence of their feelings. In a companion video, Todd Christofferson, one of the church's 12 apostles, cautions that while some Mormons have felt a subsidence of same-sex attraction, others have experienced no change at all. Second, the site says same-sex attraction "should not be viewed as a disease." In fact, it presents as exemplars Mormons who embrace a homosexual identity. In one video, Ted, a convert, introduces himself: "I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm also gay." In another video, Suzanne, a young woman raised in the church, says: "This is part of me, it is going to be a part of me, and I'm OK." Judy, an older woman with a gay child and two gay grandchildren, declares, "I can't think of a group of people I esteem higher or love more than those who are openly gay and fully active in our church." In its text, the site concedes "our common needs for intimacy and companionship." It includes, without comment, testimonials from at least two people who seem to have rejected the LDS policy against gay romantic relationships. But the church says it can go no further. Its Law of Chastity demands "abstinence from sexual relations outside of lawful marriage." And marriage must be heterosexual, since, "by divine design, both a man and a woman are essential for bringing children into mortality" and raising them. In Mormonism, marrying and having kids isn't just a blessing. It's central to God's plan for the universe. That's why the church fought for Prop 8 and for many years counseled homosexuals to marry opposite-sex partners. That counsel, however, has yielded to bitter experience. Ted says his marriage to a woman "made me feel worse" and led to a miserable divorce. Christofferson confesses that steering gays into straight marriages is "not always successful. Sometimes it's been even disastrous." Those days are over, says the new site: "Unlike in times past, the Church does not necessarily advise those with same-sex attraction to marry those of the opposite sex." How, then, can a person with same-sex orientation fulfill God's plan? And what reward can console her for a lifetime of imposed abstinence? Here, the Mormons offer an unusual answer: "Faithful members whose circumstances do not allow them to receive the blessings of eternal marriage and parenthood in this life will receive all promised blessings in the eternities." In other words, you can marry in the next life. And, yes, this applies to homosexuals. You might be gay in this life, but you'll be straight in the next one: "With an eternal perspective, a person's attraction to the same sex can be addressed and borne as a mortal test. It should not be viewed as a permanent condition. ... Though some people, including those resisting same-sex attraction, may not have the opportunity to marry a person of the opposite sex in this life, a just God will provide them with ample opportunity to do so in the next." To non-Mormons, this might sound bizarre. But it permeates the testimonial videos. One after another, the speakers circle back to the "eternal perspective." "I'm looking at the long picture," says Ted. "I hope for an eternal family," says Suzanne. "Whether you get married in this life or the next is of no matter," says Ty, a young man who has struggled with homosexuality. But if that's true — if gays who can't form sustainable straight marriages in this life can do so in the next — why not let them, for the time being, marry each other? Wouldn't these marriages end at death, freeing each partner to create a heterosexual family in the life to come? This question runs into a tricky aspect of Mormon theology. Unlike Catholics, Mormons believe marriages can and should last forever. "Much of the work that we do has a central focus on families being eternal," says Roger Carter, president of the church's San Francisco stake, in a companion video. "A husband, wife and children can be sealed together for beyond this life." Christofferson adds that "marriage between a man and a woman, and the families that come from those marriages — that's all central to God's plan ... . (H)omosexual behavior is contrary to those doctrines — has been, always will be — and can never be anything but transgression. It's something that deprives people of those highest expectations and possibilities that God has for us." But that answer won't wash anymore. For those whose homosexuality is immutable, the church has already conceded that beginning an eternal marriage in this vale of tears may be unwise. Furthermore, the Mormon doctrine of eternal matrimony pertains only to "temple marriage." The church also recognizes "civil marriage," an "earthly contract, completed in the death of either party." This two-tiered policy gives Mormons an easy way to accept gay civil marriage while preserving eternal marriage as the preferred — and exclusively heterosexual — ideal. Indeed, the Mormon emphasis on getting hitched makes same-sex marriage all the more logical. As the church's new site observes, "Sexual intimacy is a powerful and beautiful thing. For this very reason it should be treated with care, within the boundaries of commitment and responsibility." Is it crazy to suppose that Mormons, the fiercest fighters against gay marriage, would yield to such a reversal? They've done it before. In 1890, the church renounced polygamy. In 1978, it scrapped its ban on blacks in the priesthood. Mormonism is a young, dynamic religion open to revelations in which broader cultural transformations suddenly appear in the voice of God. If the stampede of public opinion toward same-sex marriage follows the course of civil rights, are you sure God's voice won't be heard again? It's already being heard. You can hear it in the testimonials and reflections at mormonsandgays.org. This beautiful website pulses with human anguish and aspirations. Some of the testimonies will shake your beliefs. Others will make you cry. Behind them, the site's message is gentle and wise: Accept these good people as they are. Be patient. Have confidence that with time, God will guide them to the light. But that message, meant for gays, is really about Mormons. They're struggling with homosexuality and its place in a moral world. It's a journey. Give them time.
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