Wednesday, April 30, 2014

This Day in Gay Utah History April 30th

30 April
1891 The jury in the case of James Hamilton who was tried in the Third district court on Tuesday on the charge of committing an infamous “Crime Against Nature” came into court after being out several hours and announced that it was impossible to agree and were discharged. It is understood that the jury was equally divided six voting for acquittal and six for conviction. Messrs Reilly and Anderson the defendants attorneys appeared before Judge Anderson yesterday morning and demanded that Hamilton be tried at once or that the defendant be discharged This request was denied. Salt Lake Herald

1901  William Dean was put on trial before a jury in Judge Stewart’s court this morning on the charge of a “Crime Against Nature”. The trial occupied all day and went to the jury in the evening. Deseret News

1976 The Gay Community Center Service Center closed its doors at 11 South 400 West in Salt Lake City due to financial difficulties. The 24 Hour crisis line is replaced with call forwarding. The phone line is kept going by Ray Hencke. The Gay Community Center closed because there was no support from bar owners other then Joe Redburn.  They felt that the center was Joe Redburn’s project and wouldn’t accept donation jars in their bars.

1976-Demonstrators protested an appearance by Chief Justice Warren Burger in New York in response to the court's decision to uphold Virginia's sodomy law.

Fred Ringle
1977 "Remember When, Remember Tomorrow" 2nd Coronation
Paul North
was held with  Pepper Prespentt and Deanna Empress stepping down. The new elected officers were The Lambda Emperor, Emperor II Fred Ringle and the Cameo Empress, Paul North Empress II.  Prince Royale II was Greg and Princess Royale II was Jamie. The court, still being a new organization and defining its role in the Salt Lake Valley, found itself to be filled with surprises and at the time "camp."  This can be proven when Paul North was elected Empress, by a write in vote.  To date he is the only write in candidate the Royal Court has had winning the office.  At PR Ball, Fred and Paul reversed roles and Fred went in drag, while Paul went in Leather.  Paul only did drag twice the whole year he was Empress...something uncommon today. Imperial Court of Utah held its 2nd annual coronation at The Sun Tavern’s Country Room. Estimated 350 people attended. It was the

Imperial Court’s second coronation to select an empress and emperor but it was the first public coronation for the “Wasatch Empire of Utah”. Salt Lake Vice Squad tabulated the votes.  Paul North, a non female impersonator was crowned Empress II, and Fred Ringel was elected Emperor II. Ringel  was the first and only write in candidate to win. Both Prince Royale II was Greg and  Princess Royale Jaime left office before end of reign and Larry White was then elevated to Prince Suprema and Bree Chardonay, to Princess Suprema for Life to finish the reign.

  • Larry White 2018  I need to provide a brief history lesson. The second reign was the first to be elected by a public vote. At the time, pretty much anyone was allowed a vote and you could vote for balloted candidates or for a write-in candidate. The Empress candidate with the most votes became the monarch and the candidate with the second highest votes Princess Royal. The same for the Emperor and Prince Royal. Within weeks of Coronation and P.R. Ball rumors of voting irregularities and bias began circulating. Whether or not any of the rumors were accurate, it was obvious that the integrity and security of voting in future court elections needed to be addressed to avoid even rumors of impropriety. Amid the rumors of bias, combining disappointment, anger and very hurt feelings with a desire not to embroil themselves in a controversy or in any way be disruptive to the new reign, Prince and Princess Royal II Greg and Jamie chose to resign their titles. Both of them remained close friends and supporters. A few months after his resignation, Greg made his first move to Las Vegas. Yes, there was a second move to Las Vegas a decade later for his job. Several years and many drag performances after his resignation, Jamie (Jim Powell) accepted a new job and moved to Houston, Texas where he remained until his death. Greg recently moved from Las Vegas to Palm Springs where he is still very much alive. Shortly after Greg and Jamie vacated the P.R Titles, Empress II Paul and Emperor II Fred submitted P.R. nominations that were approved by the Board of Directors and yours truly, Larry White and Bree Chardonnay were crowned Prince and Princess Royal II.
1978 Sunday The Imperial Court of Utah held their annual Seagull Awards with The OPEN DOOR receiving its Humanitarian Award.

1983-Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus did a benefit performance at Madison Square Garden to raise money for the Gay Men's Health Crisis, drawing 18,000 people.

Ken Francis
1988-Saturday-Several of us went out to celebrate Ken Francis’ 27th birthday. The Sun was weird so we left and went to the in-between and had so much more fun. After the bar closed we went to the new restaurant “Our Place” to have a late night snack.  It just didn’t feel homey to me and I was insulted by this diesel dike who I guess didn’t want men there. I thought this is no fun.  I really did not enjoy myself and probably won’t go back. Ken died of AIDS age 33.

1989 Sunday Becky Moss and I taped 4 shows tonight for Concerning Gays and Lesbians including one with David Sharpton. David said that Rob Ivie has moved to Dallas, Texas so he's out of his hair now. But David said that he has lots of friends down in Dallas and they will blackball Rob if David makes the right calls. I told him to let it go. I know he still loves/hates Rob and probably always will. [Journal of Ben Williams]
David Sharpton

1995 Salt Lake Tribune Page: J8 Photo/Graphic:  Selina (David Martin) gets some help putting on her false eyelashes. Deirdre Eitel photos/The Salt Lake Tribune Natasha (Darryl Woods) primps before Miss Gay Utah Pageant, won by Felicia (Wade DeForest). DRAG RACE UTAH GAY `GIRLS' COMPETE FOR CROWN PAGEANT: UTAH GAY `GIRLS' VIE FOR CROWN Byline: By Deirdre Eitel THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE    She leans across a battered table, gazes into a mirror in an unfinished room above Salt Lake City's Sun Bar and concentrates as she finger paints foundation onto her freshly shaven face. Dressed in jeans, a blue plaid flannel shirt and heels, the transformation from Dave to Selina has begun. It is her first drag-queen pageant and Selina's hands tremble as she combs mascara onto her false lashes.  Time to pace the room, smoke a cigarette and take a few deep breaths. It is like putting on your mother's makeup, dressing in her clothes and playing make believe, but on a grand scale. The grown-up version adds a few more elements to the game. Contestants don casual wear, walk the runway, hurriedly change clothes and return in evening wear for a question-and-answer session.  Judges query them on gay issues and history. The questions range from the hypothetical (Which theme would you use if you were in charge of making a float for a Gay Pride Day parade? And why?) to the specific (What was the date of the Stonewall uprising and what was its significance to the gay community?) Finally, the girls change clothes one last time and return to the stage for a lip-synch performance. Despite the rigors of the contest, the real appeal of the pageant is the chance to show off in front of an audience and be among friends, not necessarily to become Miss Gay Utah. A few more drag queens-in-the-rough arrive packing tackle boxes of cosmetics and sequined gowns under their arms and the tension in the room eases. Makeup, accessories, wigs and outfits are swapped and the chatter increases as they help each other get ready.  ``Do you think I should go platinum blond,'' Regina asks as she pouts her lips and seductively runs her fingers through her false tresses. ``Or brunette?'' as she reaches for another wig.  ``Hey girl'' is a common greeting in this vamping parlor.  ``Oh, you b----'' is an endearing retort. In addition to providing variety to Salt Lake City's nightlife, the four annual pageants and a coronation double as fund-raisers for charities such as the Utah AIDS Foundation and the Utah Food Bank. The largest event, the coronation of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire will be at the Salt Palace Convention Center May 28.      Formal attire will be required for court hopefuls and audience alike.  Although a few contestants hope to win the Miss Gay Utah crown, most just like to dress up, be around supportive friends and perform in the pageant. Spyke, proud owner of the most enormous and gaudy handmade costume jewelry this side of New Orleans, drove from Idaho to perform between the segments of the pageant.     At 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, she hires a seamstress to sew her outfits.  ``Honey, I'm not getting bigger; it's just the stage keeps getting smaller,'' she claims.    Besides the eight contestants, about the same number of people take the stage to keep the entertainment rolling, dancing to songs ranging from pop to Liza Minnelli. As pageant time nears, the girls pin numbers on their dresses and crowd around the mirror to
Felicia
make final hair and makeup adjustments. Music of Janet Jackson, Cher and Madonna blares from speakers as one by one they strut, sway, shimmy and speak their way through the pageant in front of the standing-room-only crowd of about 250. A core of regulars who rarely miss a pageant are joined by friends and family of contestants, gay-friendly straights and 
members of the gay community.  After the final performance, the judges compile the points and award the Miss Gay Utah crown to Felicia, a red-sequined, kiss-blowing crowd pleaser who knows how to work an audience.  She receives no college scholarship, endorsements or big check. But hey, wasn't it fun?

1996-Utah governor Mike Leavitt signed a measure banning Gay clubs in public schools.

2000-The Millennium March on Washington was held.The Millennium March on Washington was an event to raise awareness and visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and issues of LGBT rights in the US, it was held April 28 through April 30, 2000 in Washington, DC. The Millennium Pride Festival was held prior to the March, it was a huge event that saw thousands flock to the US capital. A march from the Washington Monument to the front lawn of the Capitol took place on April 30, where the crowd was addressed by several members of Congress and, via video, by President Bill Clinton. Estimates of attendance ranged from 200,000 to 1 million people. One of the weekend's more successful events was the sellout Equality Rocks concert produced by LGBT rights organization Human Rights Campaign. The concert was held in Washington's RFK Stadium and included stars such as Melissa Etheridge, George Michael, Pet Shop Boys, Garth Brooks, and k.d. lang. The event was criticized for a lack of inclusiveness and political focus as well as concerns over financial accountability. Allegations of theft from a vendor and severe financial mismanagement arose after the event. The final accounting showed the event ended with $330,000 in unpaid debt. In terms of the expense per participant, it was the least cost-efficient of any national LGBT march to date. The documentary A Union in Wait was filmed at the march.

2003 Chad Keller to James Hicks “I understand your frustration, and Gay Pride was mentioned last year in the calendars you mentioned on ABC 4 and Fox. Those community calendars are usually set up for nonprofit events which benefit the community at large. Having just returned from Los Angeles and the GLAAD Awards, lets not be quick to accuse people of discriminating against us just because they didnt have room or chose not to place an item in a calendar that has limited space. I have learned that it is better to work with them to create a partnership rather than torch a bridge. Utah is a total backwards society, and most of our broadcast media are behind us 100%. We teach people to be open minded and tolerant, we cannot force a person to love or accept. CK. 

  • James Hicks to Chad Keller, “Chad, Thank you for your comments. I understand that we might have to pay for advertising to obtain the type of publicity the Pride Day event deserves. However, it's also my understanding that our local networks have a calendar of events which is offered as a "free" public service for all of Utah or at least anyone who can pick up reception of our local network stations. This free calendar of events is provided three times each day during normal news broadcasts. Why is it so difficult to get our own local network stations to provide this as free coverage for our Pride Day celebration when it's offered as a free service for everyone else's local event? In addition, why do our local news stations prefer to cover events after they occur? As I said before, I believe we are being discriminated against and perhaps we need to discuss this discrimination with the folks at GLAAD or the ACLU. Thanks, James P. Hicks

2005 We are Queers In Action, the youth leadership group of the GLBT Community Center of Utah.  We are organizing several GLBTQ related events for youth, by youth.  This year we are organizing the second annual Queer Prom being held on April 30th, 2005. This event is very  important to us, as it gives us a chance to come together and be ourselves, which is so unlike our everyday experience at our various high schools. It is important to be able to take our dates to prom and not have to worry about harassment and violence so that we can just celebrate who we are and have a good time. We are looking for responsible adults to volunteer their time to help make this event possible.  We need people to help set-up the event, chaperone during it, and to help clean up afterwards.  We are looking for at least 20 volunteers. You can also make a monetary contribution through the GLBT Community Center of Utah specifically for Queer Prom 2005.  If you are interested in volunteering for any part, or all of the event, contact Gretchen Krebs Thank you so much. Queer Prom for all youth 13-20. The GLBT Community Center of Utah’s youth leadership group known as Queers In Action will hold its second annual Queer Prom, where the only thing not tolerated is hate.  All youth are invited to join us at the Salt Lake City Hardware Building, located at 105 North 400 West from 8p.m.-midnight on April 30,2005  Tickets are Eight dollars per person in advance and ten dollars at the door.  You can get your tickets at the GLBT Center of Utah or you can contact your local Queers In Action representative Until all schools are safe for queer students, Queers In Action will continue its efforts in providing safe spaces for queer youth. There is still time to for interested adults to volunteer their time to help pull off this amazing event. 

2005 Queer Prom offers an alternative By Lisa Rosetta The Salt Lake Tribune Showered in disco ball doughnuts, Scott Feeney whirled around the dance floor, his laughter melting into the happy shrills of chatty teenagers and pop music booming from speakers. The 16-year-old boy - who has been kicked out of school clubs and his LDS church - was energized by the moment. At the Queer Prom Saturday night, it was OK to be gay. "It's a safe place to go and hang out and to get to know more people like you," he said. Feeney jigged on the dance floor with his friend Emily Dalpias, a 17-year-old lesbian girl who traded in traditional prom dress garb for a black shirt and a tie that matched her cropped, flamingo pink hair. Dalpias brought her girlfriend of two years, Lindsay, so they could mingle with other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth and not get stung with taunts. While in most places it can be uncomfortable just to hold hands, here, at the Salt Lake City Hardware building, they could hug, dance - just be themselves. The Queer Prom is much like any school dance. Punch bowls, prom photos and a king and queen coronation are part of the event. Hundreds of colorful balloons hang suspended in nets strewn across the ceiling. But for the youth who attend, it's much more. It's validation. "I think it's a good way to get the gay community, especially the young kids, together," Dalpias said, as she picked at a plate of ravioli at Tucci's before the prom. "I'm excited," she said. Article Last Updated: 5/01/2005

2006 Sunday Good Discussion Helps Drives Public Policy Activity on this board proves my original contention that this topic is too controversial for the Center to send out a message without community input. The boycott was known for weeks. Is the Center too imperial to have sent out a statement that they were considering doing this before they did a fete accomplete? That is what I see is one of the problems with the center, little seeking of community input except for asking for money and volunteers and talking to themselves. Yes some agreed with their decisions and some did not. I would have been happy to come in after work and greet the Gay who may have finally had the courage to walk in those doors only to find them closed. Tim I agree with you that many have made this issue of "ILLEGAL" immigrants a "racist issue" on BOTH sides of the spectrum. However calling a criminal action a criminal action does not demean a person's dignity, the act of doing something illegal does. My parents gave me the birthright of citizenship to change laws I disagree with. I count that one of my greatest gifts besides my life. It was a gift but one given out of two hundred years of struggle to build this nation. I certainly do believe that all men are created equal and endowed with their creator inalienable rights that of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That is the AMERICAN EXPERIMENT and with that came responsibility to support the Constitution that protects those rights. I support all legal immigration to this country but to let some come illegally while maintaining keeping others out who are trying to come through a legal way for is NOT EQUAL! That is not JUSTICE for all. To me it's theft. I am all for creating legal ways of moving across borders masses of people but in a LEGAL way. Due Process it’s the American Way contrary to what criminals like Bush and Cronies would have us believe.  Again I stand by my statement that immigrants have a "LEGAL" way to become citizens of this country. Gays did not have a LEGAL way to enjoy basic human rights until they struggled do have them. All progressive people support basic human rights but not everyone supports open borders and without any criterion for citizenship. Is that all America is about- a place to make money? I don't think so? America is a special unique place and just because NEO CONS are trying to usurp it doesn't mean that we should devalue it either. Many people who are deported come back, return through legal channels when given the opportunity. Comparing mass deportation with the Trail of Tears and the Holocaust is quite extreme. No one is calling for extermination of Illegals. We have even given Mexican homosexuals political asylum in this country where when is the last time you heard of an American Gay seeking political asylum in Mexico? Or any where else for that matter. Not once have I said anything about deportation except for those who have a criminal record either here or in Mexico or any other country but don't you believe they owe America something? An oath of Allegiance, would be nice, and renounce their duo-citizenship. As to bilingualism why is Spanish given preference over Chinese or Vietnamese, or Tongan, or German, or Arabic? Because of the sheer numbers of people who expect accommodation I would suspect. When the burgeoning 3rd world nations want to dispose of their excess populations will they be as welcomed by you also because they want jobs? How much is too much? I don't know. You may live to see an America with 500 million people divided by culture, class, and language with Global Corporations exploiting the masses but I doubt it will be anything that would be recognized as American. I've noticed that there is a little bit of a generation gap going on in this forum also. It seems that those of us who are Baby Boomers and had fathers who fought in the 2nd World War have a different view of America then those who grew up under Ronald Reagan. I have been a card carrying liberal all my life, never once voted Republican, been a Socialist, a Libertarian, a Gay Liberationist, anti-War activist and volunteered more hours and given more money to further support social justice causes then most I know but I have done it because I believe in the AMERICAN dream, I fought for my rights because I am an American, and I will fight along side those who wish to become an AMERICAN for I still think its the last great hope for the ideas of John Stuart Mills, Voltaire, Rousseau, John Locke and the great humanist enlightenment. I have to laugh at being called a racist and a bigot. I have sucked too many Mexican cocks and been fucked by even more to be anti- Latino but can't one be called pro-American before being called anti- something? Still if immigrants (legally and illegally) are flooding America to become AMERICANS what does that tell you about our system? If they are flooding America to seek only economic gain what makes any person different from a plunderer? I will tell you what I am for.. more transparency at the Center... more open dialog with the community...more open books on finances...and a little warning before they make a decision that DOES reflect on the whole community or STOP calling themselves THE CENTER As someone who has served on the Board of Directors of the UTAH STONEWALL CENTER, the GAY and LESBIAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL, PRIDE DAY, and various other organizations, if we could do it why is it so hard now? I think I have put enough of my life energy into helping build a Gay community in Utah these past 20 years to be afforded respect without name calling. PS Sing the damn National Anthem in English I am still a Proud Gay American even if I am not proud of everything our leaders do in our name. But then the struggle goes on. God Bless all hard working Americans of what ever color, creed, or national origin!

2006 Sunday Bill of wrongs: No need for federal marriage amendment Tribune Editorial Salt Lake Tribune It's hard to claim you are campaigning for states' rights when the measure you are promoting would rewrite all 50 state constitutions in one stroke. And it's hard to claim you are campaigning for individual rights, or for religious rights, when the proposal you back would impose a federalized definition for the very personal and, usually, religious institution of marriage. The proposed "Marriage Protection Amendment" has drawn support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a spectrum of other faiths, known collectively as the Religious Coalition for Marriage. That group argues, as unconvincingly as everyone else who makes the point, that the growing acceptance of same-sex unions threatens the institution of marriage. This unwise move to amend the basic law of the United States follows successful campaigns to change a few state charters, including Utah's, to ban same-sex marriage. But, beyond being merely redundant to those state efforts, the proposed federal amendment also picks up a serious flaw that was part of 2004's Utah Amendment 3. Utah's constitution does not merely bar same-sex couples from the legal institution of marriage. It prevents them from crafting any "other domestic union, however denominated." That, despite the misleading reassurances of the measure's supporters before the vote, has since been shown to be a useful tool for knocking the pins out from under simple and reasonable domestic partnership agreements that should be the right of any adult to enter, and within the purview of any religious order to sanctify, or not, as it chooses. Likewise, the federal proposal would reasonably preserve the term "marriage" for the traditional arrangement of "a man and a woman." But, again, it would unreasonably go on to dictate that every state read its own constitution to deny any constitutional protection to the notion that marriage "or the legal incidents thereof" should be extended to same-sex relationships. Such an overbroad, if not downright nasty, attack on domestic partnerships is not necessary to reserve the title of "marriage" to its traditional understanding. It doesn't belong in any state's constitution. And we certainly don't want it cluttering up the Constitution of the United States.

Michael Aaron Green
2006 Golden Spike Awards held at the Trapp Door. Michael Aaron recognized for life time achievement. The 27th GOLDEN SPIKE AWARDS should be scandalous this year. Nominees for the Humanitarian Award include Chris Buttars, Larry H. Miller, and Evergreen International; the Community Service Award nominees include Larry H. Miller, Gayle Ruzicka, and LaVar Christensen; the Lifetime Achievement Award nominees include the Utah Republican Party, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

2010 -Gay teens Salt Lake Tribune editorial When gay students and their friends at East High School in Salt Lake City attempted to organize Utah’s first school club for LGBT teens in the mid-1990s, it took about five years and several court cases to finally win the board’s approval. In 2006, after a Gay-Straight Alliance club was formed at a Utah County high school, students had to battle the bigots in the Utah Legislature who tried but failed to ban the clubs, essentially support groups for LGBT students. But this year, all it took was some correspondence from the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah to grease the skids for the kids in the Washington County School District. GSA clubs at four of the district’s five high schools ­— Dixie, Desert Hills, Snow Canyon and Pine View — will officially form this fall. The request wasn’t exactly rubber-stamped. Several high schools had restrictive policies regarding clubs that may have made it difficult for the groups to organize if not for some ACLU-inspired intervention from the district office. But it didn’t take a federal court case for the clubs to frame their charters, and that’s a positive sign. These types of clubs, which work to combat intolerance, stereotypes and teen alienation, pay dividends for members and nonmembers alike. Attendance, and thus academic performance, by gay club members will likely improve. According to a 2007 survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, LGBT students in schools with gay-straight alliances report an enhanced sense of belonging, have better attendance records and are less likely to be harassed.  Plus, LGBT teens will learn that they are not alone; that it’s OK to be gay. Straight kids will learn that we’re all a lot more alike than we are different. And, the world will become a better place by opening one mind at a time. Jason Osmanski, a gay Snow Canyon sophomore, said he hopes the organizations he helped form will bring an end to the harassment LGBT teens experience at school. Logan Hunt, a gay Dixie High senior who also helped organize the clubs, said he wants to “create more tolerance in our community.” Those are very modest goals — to be tolerated, and not be harassed. To be allowed to be yourself. It shouldn’t be a thing you have to fight for.  Hopefully, thanks to the courage and leadership shown by kids like Hunt and Osmanski, hearts and minds will be changed, and future generations of gay Utahns will find not only tolerance, but inclusion and acceptance as well.

2010 Dear Award Recipients,You are receiving this email as past recipients of the prestigious Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award.  Each year, we ask recipients to come together, collaborate and choose the next Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award recipient.  This year's award will again be presented at the Utah Pride Festival's Grand Marshal Reception & Awards Celebration scheduled for Friday, June 4, 2010 at the Jewish Community Center ( 2 North Medical Drive , Salt Lake City ). The nomination process will draw to a close on April 30th.  On Monday, May 3, we will reconnect with all of you to begin the voting process.    We've attached the 2010 Call for Nominations which is being distributed widely.  Please help us by forwarding this announcement to your friends/colleagues to ensure those most deserving of recognition are part of the process. Nominations (100 word justification) should be emailed to nominations@utahpridecenter.org by April 30th!   Please feel free to call or email with any questions you may have. Valerie Valerie A. Larabee Executive Director Utah Pride Center 355 N. 300 W. Salt Lake City, UT   84103
•         Patty Reagan To: Becky Moss ; Ben Barr ; Ben Williams ; Brenda Voisard ; Brook Heart-Song ; Bruce Harmon ; Charlene Orchard ; Chuck Whyte ; Craig Miller ; Doug Tollstrup ; Doug Wortham ; Douglas Fadel ; Dr. Kristen Ries ; Jackie Biskupski ; Jane Marquardt ; Jeff Freedman ; Kevin Hillman ; Kim Russo ; Ladonna Moore ; Laura Gray ; Lucia Malin ; Marlin G Criddle ; Nikki Boyer ; Rev. Bruce Barton ; Rev. Kelly Byrnes ; RGSSE College of Monarchs ; Snyder, Maggie ; Stan Penfold ; Tami Marquardt ; Val Mansfield ; Valerie Larabee Subject: Re: 2010 Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Awards - Call For Nominations & Pride Awards Press Release I think it may be time to change this process.  Those of us who were early recipients may be less familiar with today's movers and shakers.  I know that I feel less qualified to select a recipient.  I wonder if maybe the last 5 or 6 recipients should comprise the committee.  Or perhaps there is another suggestion.  I'm also good with the status quo as long as I can opt out gracefully given my lack of personal interaction with many community leaders.  I generally just know people vis a vis media sources.  Thanks for considering this suggestion.  I do remain honored to be named among you. smiles,  patty
•         "Becky Moss wrote: I agree with the “opt out” feature, but looking over this list, I see a lot of early recipients who are very actively involved and do know the movers and shakers.Becky Moss
•         From: nikki boyer “I'm still active.  Nikki Boyer”
•         From: Brook Heartsong I agree with Becky and Nikki.
•         From Maggie Snyder" wrote: I agree with Becky Moss.
•         From Douglas Tollsrup wrote: Hello, Can someone send me the list of nominees? I don’t have any attachments.  I would appreciate it. I will go along with whatever everyone decides about the process.  I understand both viewpoints. Thanks! Douglas Tollstrup (aka Clariss Cartier)
•         From Kevin Hillman wrote; really like this dialogue that is going on here and do agree that change would be good. That said I still believe we all need to be involved as much as possible and agree that we do need more information about each of the nominees to place an educated vote. Also I really believe that this call for nominations needs to go out to the community at large so that they can also help in bringing to light who they feel has moved our community forward over the past few years.  This gives us a much broader range of people to select from and it can also reach into the out lying areas of our state.  By the way you don't have to live in Salt Lake to be nominated. I received this e-mail yesterday and now have to have a nomination in by friday giving me two days to put together the information I feel that needs to be provided to each of us so that we can make a much better choice on who should be this years recipient.  This is way too short of a time frame to be working with.  Kevin Hillman
•         From: Chuck Whyte To: Valarie Larabee Subject: Dr Kristen Ries Community Service Award Could you please forward this e mail to all the past recipients Just some thoughts.... I feel that the community as a whole should nominate, but the past recipients should be contacted annually and given the option of voting for the new recipient(s), We should be given at least 14 days to cast our vote. The past recipients present at the Grand Marshall reception should be called up to the stage before the new recipient(s) are announced, This will teach those present who both the past and present leaders of our community are. Our community has a bad habit of once someone is out of the spotlight to forget them. We all need to remember without a foundation the house will crumble. I wish all the past recipients continued joy and happiness, and always look forward to seeing you all soon. With Community Pride Chuck Whyte -1990 Dr Kristen Ries Community Service Award Recipient

•         From Ben Williams Wrote The Kristen Ries Award was set up that only recipients could vote on nominees. Last year I wasn't even cotacted and I am hardly inactive.  If recipients chose not to vote that is their privilege but when some are not even contacted that robs them of their decision. Personally I think a committee of former Recipents should be tallying the vote and overseeing the process. I value being a recipient of the award and I'd hate for it to be only a prize to be handed out to flesh out someone's resume. PS I nominated Donald Steward

2014 ‘Gay’ not an option in Mormon survey on sexual orientation  THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
During the past week, the LDS Church has been surveying Mormon “millennials” (those born between 1980 and 2000) on their attitudes about marriage and same-sex attraction — without ever mentioning the words “homosexual,” “gay,” “bisexual” or “transgender. The survey was emailed to students at Brigham Young University and to members who attend a Young Single Adult Mormon congregation in Utah. Responders were told that, based on their answers, they might be contacted to participate in a larger study of the issue. The original survey included the following question: “What is your sexual orientation?” Here were the only choices: 
• “I am heterosexual, but I struggle with same-sex attraction.”
 • “I am heterosexual and do not struggle with same-sex attraction.”
 • “Other, please specify.”
 On Monday, that exchange was reworded, according to LDS Church spokeswoman Jessica Moody, “to better convey the intent of the question.” It now reads: “Do you experience same-sex attraction?” — with possible answers being: yes, no or other (the latter being an open question with space for a written response). The survey is part of the Utah-based faith’s “broader research,” Moody said in a statement, “to understand the attitudes and opinions of millennials.” Not surprisingly, gay-rights activists were incensed. “In the minds of the Mormon church’s top leadership, either someone is heterosexual, or they are heterosexual and ‘struggle’ with a problem,” writes The New Civil Rights Movement. “Actually being gay, lesbian, bisexual or any other orientation is not within the realm of possibility — as if the entire concept of homosexuality just does not exist.”

Victor Rax
2014 Accused child rapist dies in apparent suicide at Salt Lake County jail Inmate • Officials say Victor Rax’s death does not appear suspicious. BY JESSICA MILLER AND MICHAEL MCFALL THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE A man accused of molesting teenage immigrant boys and forcing them into the drug trade died at the Salt Lake County jail Monday evening. Authorities believe Victor Manuel Rax, 42, committed suicide Monday evening. An officer doing routine checks found Rax unresponsive, having hanged himself, about 8:25 p.m., said Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder. Medical personnel tried to revive him, but he died in the jail, Winder said. The same officer who found Rax asphyxiated was the same person who last saw the man, at 7:40 p.m., prior to his suicide attempt. Each inmate in the segregated area is normally seen every 45 minutes like that, a time gap that Winder asserted as “very rapid” for the size of the population. The death does not appear to be suspicious, authorities said. Rax has two relatives in the jail, and counseling is being made available to them, Winder said. The sheriff described Rax’s behavior in the jail as “bizarre,” but declined to elaborate in deference to his family. Rax’s serious charges affected him and he had spent time in the jail’s mental health unit, Winder said, but he had more recently moved to the administrative segregation area — where people are kept in one-man cells and away from the general population — after he showed signs of improvement. Winder added that the inmates are their counselors’ clients and their deaths are devastating for them. Rax had been charged in 3rd District Court with 63 felonies for crimes ranging from sodomy on a child to human trafficking to drugs. Investigators believe Rax raped undocumented immigrant children as young as 9, then threatened their families in order to force them to sell drugs and submit to abuse. Police from multiple agencies arrested Rax in February and prosecutors later charged him with 34 felonies. The number of charges nearly doubled in March after police identified 16 victims, according to the Utah Attorney General’s office. All but one of those victims were children when Rax allegedly abused them, the AG’s office added. A trial had not been set in Rax’s court case, though he had a scheduling conference set for May 16. Among other things, one witness told police Rax had “black magic” and “spoke in dialect to his god Santa Muerte.” He also allegedly drugged some boys to unconsciousness as he abused them. Rax also used the boys as drug dealers in Utah high schools, police say. Rax was long a target of police investigations, but prosecutors struggled to mount a case against him because victims were too afraid to testify. In one instance, prosecutors even threatened to deport the victim if he wouldn’t take the stand against Rax. The victim, however, wouldn’t budge, instead challenging authorities to “deport me to hell.” The current case against Rax began when three victims finally came forward: a 15-year-old who was 14 when the abuse began, an 18-year-old who was 16 when the abuse started, and a 17-year-old, according to jail documents. “Although any loss of human life is upsetting and Mr. Rax was presumed innocent, we are relieved that the 16 alleged victims, 15 of whom are children, will not have to face the trauma of testifying in criminal court proceedings,” Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement. “Moreover, while his guilt or innocence will now never be proven through the justice system, if he was guilty as we alleged, then we are comforted that many children and their families will live in fear no more.” Reyes’ office is currently assessing whether Rax’s death will have any impact on his two jailed relatives’ cases, the statement adds.

2020 UofU awards Dr. Kristen Ries honorary degree The University of Utah Board of
Dr. Kristen Ries
Trustees awarded the university’s highest honor to Dr. Kristen Ries who, along with Maggie Snyder, became the first to address Utah’s HIV/AIDS pandemic. She received the degree at the 2020 campus wide convocation on Thursday.
“Our honorary degree recipient exemplified courage, compassion, and service during her professional career,” said Joe Sargetakis, chair of the Board of Trustees’ honors committee. “Through her affiliation with the University of Utah, Dr. Ries helped the university succeed in its duty to serve the state.” Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who have achieved distinction in academic pursuits, the arts, professions, business, government, civic affairs, or in service to the university. The Honorary Degree Committee, which includes representatives from the faculty, student body, and Board of Trustees, reviews nominations and then consults with an advisory group of faculty, staff, and administrators for additional input. Finalists are presented to the university president, who selects recipients. Ries is a professor emeritum of internal medicine and retired infectious diseases physician who was at the forefront of treating patients in Utah at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “Ries fearlessly provided loving, compassionate care at a time when the disease was highly stigmatized,” the board said in a statement. Ries received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Pennsylvania State University and a Doctor of Medicine with honors from Drexel University, where she also completed her residency, fellowship, and spent two years as a faculty member in infectious diseases. She left Drexel University to join the Indian Health Services at Rosebud, South Dakota, where she cared for Lakota Sioux. She then went to Vermillion, South Dakota, to serve in the National Health Service Corps. Ries moved to Utah in 1981 with the goal of treating more patients with infectious diseases — arriving the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report about a new infectious disease affecting gay men. Ries initially worked for FHP as the head of adult medicine, and then as a physician at Holy Cross Hospital, where she created Utah’s first comprehensive HIV/AIDS program. For many years, Ries and Maggie Snyder, her physician assistant, were the only medical professionals willing to treat AIDS patients in Utah. They found creative ways to serve patients and provide them with the expensive drugs then used to treat HIV/AIDS. Working with the nuns at Holy Cross, Ries and Snyder set up an end-of-life care network because nursing homes refused to take dying patients. In the early 1980s, patients diagnosed with AIDS had a life expectancy of about six months. The refusal of health care professionals to work with AIDS patients was a national problem at the time, an issue that led the U.S. Surgeon General to publicly chastise doctors who wouldn’t take patients with the disease. In a lecture at the University of Utah in 2017, Ries paraphrased a comment by Mother Teresa that the greatest pain in life is caused by isolation, abandonment, and feeling unloved. “I think that so describes how the patients felt with this disease back then and how they were treated by our own people,” Ries said. When Holy Cross Hospital was sold in 1994 and became Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, Ries joined the University of Utah’s Division of Infectious Diseases and brought 500 patients with her; the HIV clinic she set up within Clinic 1A, the Infectious Diseases Clinic, is still operating. In 2000, Ries and Snyder led efforts to establish a treatment clinic in St. George, which also continues to serve patients today. Ries was president of the medical staff for the University of Utah Hospital & Clinics and served as the clinical director of infectious diseases/HIV at U of U Health. In 1988, Ries was named as one of Newsweek magazine’s “Unsung Heroes”; she has been recognized by the University of Utah School of Medicine, the Utah Department of Health & Human Services, People with AIDS Coalition of Utah, Salt Lake County Health Department and the Utah Medical Association. In honor of her work, the Marriott Library has established an archive that collects oral histories and archives documents and other memorabilia related to the history of treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Utah. Ries and Snyder were the subjects of the documentary Quiet Heroes, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2018. Ries and Snyder married in October 2013 in San Francisco during a lunch break at a medical conference.



Tuesday, April 29, 2014

This Day In Gay Utah History April 29th

 April 29-
1849 - First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve make following decisions concerning sex in
Brigham Young
marriage "not to unite with woman in view of impregnation till 7 days after the cessation of the menstrual discharge in order for the most healthy procreation. Also that after childbirth if delivered a son she should continue 40 days in her purification [without sexual intercourse with her husband]. If daughter she [the new mother] should be 70 days separated as unclean for a man. As to sexual connection during pregnancy, do just as they please about that - suit themselves." This is the earliest known LDS discussion of what is appropriate in sexual relations of married couples. These rules are based on Book of Leviticus, rather than on current medical writings.


1953-- Utah Board of Pardon may “exercise its discretion” on whether to grant or deny a parole to a person committed by the state courts to Utah state hospital as result of a sex offense. 
ER Callister
Utah Atty. Gen. E. R. Callister (1916-1980) and his assistants thus advised the Board of Pardon Tuesday after the board had been advised by the state hospital doctors that one of the boards’ charges at the Provo institution “Has overcome his abnormality.” (SLTribune 04/29/53 Pg. 19-6)

1955 The Utah Supreme Court rejects drunkenness as a sodomy defense. In 1955, in State v. Turner,the Utah Supreme Court unanimously rejected the defendant’s contention that his voluntary intoxication excused him from culpability. "The offense with which defendant was charged could not have been committed by accident or while intending to do some other act."

Ernest Wilkinson
1965 - BYU President Ernest L. Wilkinson makes first reference in his diary to receiving reports from student "spy ring" he has authorized and which becomes national scandal within ten months.

1977 Friday A group of anti-pornography picketers outside the Gallery Theater 595 South 600 West Salt Lake City (since demolished) were attacked by three men at 10:15 p.m. The protesters were hit with their own signs and sprayed with a Mace like substance. (05/01/77 SLTribune page B13)

Davyd Daniels
1993 Davyd Daniels wants to stop what he calls the ``madness'' of infant circumcision. The 38-year-old Mr. Daniels has joined a growing chorus of men who are protesting what was done to them without their permission.   ``Men are coming to terms with a lot of things that have caused them pain,'' said the Murray resident, who wants to make a film about circumcision. ``I want to be a voice. To me this is a way I can contribute to the education and plead with parents to stop the madness. Salt Lake Tribune

1993  Abby Trujillo Maestas, executive director of the Rape Crisis Center, said figures for 1992 and the first quarter of 1993 show that forcible rapes continue to increase. During the first quarter of this year alone, a total of 133 victims of such crimes were seen in local hospital emergency rooms, an increase of 106 over last year, Maestas said. The severity of the problem is reflected in the fact that 51 percent of the 133 victims were children under the age of 14, she said.
Gary Remafedi

1998 Gary Remafedi, an expert on adolescent homosexuality, delivered the keynote speech ``Caring for Gay and Lesbian Youth,'' at a three-day seminar, ``Our Children at Risk,’’ sponsored by Family Fellowship, a support group for parents of Gays and lesbians. Other speakers include Nancy McDonald, international president of Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and Doug Haldeman, chairman of the American Psychological Association Committee on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns

Jan Graham
1998- Utah Atty. Gen Jan Graham refused Gov. Mike Leavitt's request to allow Utah to join a Vermont court fight against Gay marriages.. The Mormon governor said he abhors Gay marriage. Graham said she also opposes Gay marriages on moral and religious grounds however her refusal to file was a stand for the independence of the state's in-house legal department. In the pubic flap that emerged, Leavitt criticized Graham for refusing to join the amicus. It would cost the state nothing and would put Utah on record as being opposed to same-sex marriage, he reasons. `The people of the state want the law defended,'' says Leavitt.

Pam Mayne
1999 The Center’s Free Lecture Series “Our Fascinating History” presented Pam Mayne - one of the very first Gay Liberationists in Utah and lesbian grandmother at the Center. Presented by the Utah Stonewall Historical Society

2001 The Wasatch Leathermen's Association held its first meeting at Club Blue.Wasatch Leathermen's Association (WLA) The Wasatch Leathermen's Association was a social organization for individuals who share a common interest in the leather lifestyle. It is founded upon the principles of Brotherhood, Pride, Respect and Service. It exists to facilitate the individual growth of its members; to foster a better understanding of the lifestyle; to teach safe, sane, and consensual sexuality; and to enhance the community through charitable events.  Bryant B is credited as one the forces that helped lay the foundations of the WLA. The first chairperson was Neil S, the co-chairperson was Rod F, and Kenny was the secretary. There were 20 men in attendance at that first meeting. The officers in 2002 were: Neil S, Chair  Tom G, Co-Chair  Brett W, Treasurer  Rich H, Photographer and Historian  Evan P, Director of Media In their short
time, they have established two major events: the "Mr Salt Lake Leather Competition" and the "Blue Alley Fair," which is held at the end of summer. You could also find them arresting people on a regular basis at the UGRA rodeo and Pride day events for the jail and bail to raise funds for a variety of charitable programs such as PWACU (People with Aids Coalition,) Utah Aids Foundation, and Angel Tree.  People paid to have their friends arrested and placed in a cage and then the person who was detained needed to convince someone to pay their bail to get them out of the cage.  The Meet and greet for the group was held on the first Friday of every month. It was originally held at Club Blue, but after the club was shut down the regular meeting place was not found and the  group dissolved in 2005 or 2006 due to lack of those interested in running the organization.

2003 AUTHOR TO SPEAK AT PFLAG MEETING ON MAY 13 Marc Adams, author of the Lambda Literary Award finalist and Silver Pen Award recipient autobiography, The Preacher's Son, will speak to the Salt Lake City Chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends ofLesbians and Gays) on Tuesday evening, May 13. The meeting will be heldat the City Library, 210 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, and will beginat 7:00 p.m. The library closes at 9:00 p.m., so we're starting half anhour early so there is ample time for questions and answers at the endof Marc's presentation.Parking can be accessed only by driving eastbound on 400 South. Watchfor the sign at the east end of the library directing you to theunderground parking. Or, if you'd prefer not to drive, Trax stops at thelibrary. The Preacher's Son chronicles Adams' life growing up gay as the son ofa fundamentalist Baptist minister in rural Pennsylvania.  He went on to attend - by choice - Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.  During histime as a student there, he was also employed by the university in thestudent recruiting/ university relations department.  His book articulately reveals life at Liberty and the struggle to conform to thestandards for which he was prepared to die.  The book culminates withhis coming to terms with being gay and his coming out to hisfundamentalist family.In his talk at PFLAG, Adams will share much of his life's story, sharefrom his other books, Light, Still Water, Do's and Don'ts of Dealingwith the Religious Right, as well as talk about HeartStrong.  Adams co-founded HeartStrong with his partner as an outreach to gay, lesbian,bisexual and transgendered students (current and former) at religiouseducational institutions.  It is the only outreach of its kind in the world.  The talk will be followed by an open forum Q& A session withAdams."Being born into fundamentalist Christianity and a practitioner andfundamentalist recruiter for almost 20 years," Adams illustrates, "I am aware of what they are doing as well as the belief system responsiblefor all they do." "I remember a decade ago when I was an open fundamentalist Christian," Adams continues, "I spent a lot of my free time proselytizing and doing everything I could to recruit people into the fundamentalist Christian lifestyle. I believed that if I did not bring everyone I came in contact with to my side, that their blood would be on my hands.  That was my motivation." "However," Adams continues thoughtfully, "Even though I managed to break the chains and free myself, millions of others have not.  I climbed the hill and made it. Everything I do now is to show the path to others." All of Marc Adams' books and resources will be available to purchase at the event. The event is free of charge and is open to the public. Receptacles will be available for donations of canned food such as peanut butter, soup, stews or canned meat, which will be given to Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Utah for use by the youth. I think it will be a very informative evening.

Clayton Vetter
2003 Sex in the Dark: Promoting Healthy Sexuality 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm  Event Location: Officer's Club - Fort Douglas Notes: Sex is fun.. Sex is a part of who we are... I believe in sex... Do you know what it means to have positive sexuality? From the beginning we are told that sex is "bad", we need to stay away from our "private parts"; it is time that we view our sexuality in a positive light. Come and discover with us how we can do this. This discussion series will be presented in two parts and will be facilitated by Clayton Vetter. If you attended the Gay Men's Health Summit in 2001 you may remember Clayton from "The Mirror has two faces and in one of them my butt looks huge".

2003 Mr. Wockner; I just returned from an energizing weekend in Los Angeles.  On the way home I began to thumb through the many Gay publications the area had to offer.  While thumbing through Fab! I found an article that was written by you that stirred excitement, and made me realize that I was not to put it in Utah terms "Freakn' Crazy" Your article on the use of the acronym GLBTIQTTQS (wait got that wrong LGBTIQTTQS) was well put and point our in as non confrontational as possible the folly that is becoming a major part of our community identity. As a regular contributor and member of the editorial staff, and new editorial board for the Pillar, Utah Gay News, I have watched time and time again as professional Gays stumble over enunciation and correct pronouncement of the acronym. This has been an issue that we have sought to address for some time. The acronym has become an embarrassment.Some of our wiser "community parent" types have lately expressed concern of the over the top politically correct acronym and have in their writing begun to  reintroduce the words "stonewall" and "lambda" to our vocabulary, which for now, is providing a safety zone from the acronym and the many heated conversations and debates that are brewing here and in Gay communities across the world.  Our newly re-established historical society, Utah Stonewall Historical Society, www.utahstonewallhistory.org in writing their articles of incorporation, flatly refused to continue to degrade the community, and has dropped all but the word Gay.  Their boldness has been noticed, and has started an under-rumbling in Utah of shameful actions and lack on inclusiveness. The acronym has become an embarrassment.As our publisher read the article, he and I agreed, this was the answer to get the Utah Gay Community back on track, and functioning as a whole rather than separate pieces.What are your terms to reprint this article?  If there is a cost what would be your rate.  Traditionally we have set payment for  columnists/contributors at $25.00 per story per month.  The Pillar is a monthly publication.  Would you be even be interested in having your writings appear in our publication. We are very interested in discussing specifically this article and setting up the terms to run it in our May edition.  We also would love to work out the details in hopes of bringing you on as a regular by our July edition.I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely Chad Keller Pillar Publishing Salt Lake City

2005 Prince Royale 23 Kim Russo Princess Royale 26 Kyra Prespentte, Princess Royale 28 Krystyna Shaylee In Conjunction with the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire presents  "WET N' WILD" at The Paper Moon 3737 SOUTH STATE $5.00 Suggested donation at the door a benefit for the ROYAL COURT'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND 

2006 Saturday Queer Prom 2006: Masquerade! Unmask your heart. Unmask your mind. Unmask yourself. We are Queers In Action, the youth leadership group of the GLBT Community Center of Utah. We are organizing several GLBTQ related events for youth, by youth. This year we are organizing the Third annual Queer Prom being held on Saturday April 29, 2006. This event is very important to us, as it gives us a chance to come together and be ourselves, which is so unlike our everyday experience at our various high schools. It is important to be able to take our dates to prom and not have to worry about harassment and violence so that we can just celebrate who we are and have a good time. We are looking for responsible adults to volunteer their time to help make this event possible. We need people to help set-up the event, and to help clean up afterwards. And like last year, in order to chaperone you need to help out with the set-up or the clean-up. You can also make a monetary contribution through the GLBT Community Center of Utah specifically for Queer Prom 2006. If you are interested in volunteering for any part, or the entire event, contact us through Stan Burnett Thank you so much. Queers In Action

2006 Hugo Salinas wrote: Dear Ben, What happened to the website of the Utah Stonewall Historical Society? Hugo. from: "Ben Williams" To: "Hugo Salinas" It was taken down last December from lack of contributions and interest. Hope you are well Ben. Hugo Salinas wrote: NO WAY! In Affirmation we have bandwidth and we would be happy to host it if you still have the documents. Let's preserve that wonderful site! Hugo. From Ben Williams" To: "Hugo Salinas" Let me think about it. Yes I do have all the documents. I will be out of school in June but I will need help setting it all back up. Had a teenage neighbor  boy help me the first time LOL Ben. Hugo Salinas  wrote: I'm sorry I might not be as appealing as a teenage boy ;)  But seriously--consider this offer for web space if you need it. Assuming the site needs little maintenance, I volunteer to set it up and maintain it. I know you have posted some very interesting materials. They deserve to be preserved and promoted. Your friend, Hugo. From: "Ben Williams" to  "Hugo Salinas"  had two sites. An actual web site and a yahoo group site...which one are you interested in? Neither took a lot of time. The Web Site was just a financial burden and after the teenage boy left I couldn't remember how to update it so it just languished LOL. Hugo Salinas wrote: Didn't you have a website that served a repository for documents? For instance, it would be fantastic if we could post there issues of the newsletter you published around 2003-2004, articles you wrote following different aspects of Utah's gay past, and similar materials. I know you published several articles on the SL Metro in recent years, and they also deserve preservation. I'm not necessarily interested in the mailing list/Yahoo group, which would only make sense if there's a committed group of people willing to engage in dialogue. Hugo. From: "Ben Williams" To: "Hugo Salinas" You are quite right about the Group Site, it was more a current affairs forum then a history forum. I can send you the pages I have for the Web Site and you have my permission to use them in any manner you wish but I would appreciate recognition for myself and USHS. Here is a sample of two pages I had. Is this want you wanted?

 
David Bell
2009
Defense gets its way in child kidnapping case Attorneys for a man beaten by his South Salt Lake neighbors after he allegedly kidnapped two young children last year were elated Wednesday following a pretrial hearing in 3rd District Court. Prosecutors had told Judge Paul Maughan they were withdrawing an objection to jurors hearing of the attack on David J. Bell, who is gay, and his partner, Dan Fair. "It's a huge victory," said defense attorney Susanne Gustin. SL Tribune

2009 Out at the Old Ball GamePride League softball provides recreation with a unique social function. By Geoff Griffin Salt Lake City Weekly At first blush, it seems like any other recreational softball league holding games on the weekend. Teams with names like “The Family,” “Softball Heroes” or “Trash Talkers” come and go throughout the day. Friends and families of the players show up and eat picnic lunches while watching the games. Children of the players run around and play in the area outside the field. People take time to talk and get caught up with longtime friends. There’s good-natured kidding when somebody misses a catch and cheering when somebody gets a hit. It’s pretty much everything Norman Rockwell would want for one of his paintings of Americana. This is the “Pride League,” created by and for Salt Lake City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, and games are played on Sunday at Jordan Park on the field sitting smack-dab next to an LDS Church ward house. Perhaps the scene is an apt metaphor for current relations between the two groups since the upheavals of November’s elections. Neither group is planning on leaving the space it occupies, and both are going on about their business side-by-side without much interaction. Pride League began in 1992, and according to league chairman Jarrod Ames, the balance of gay-to-straight players is about 50-50. The league plays co-ed rules with five men and women in the field for each team, but since there are sometimes more women than men, teams are
allowed to play with more than five women. Ames emphasizes the general philosophy of the league is low-key. “Everybody out here is just here to have fun,” he says. “Everybody is welcome, no matter what their skill level. During the games, there’s a whole social atmosphere going on.” Interested players can either form their own teams or contact the league to find out about being placed on a team. Pride League, like many others recreational softball leagues, is administered by Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation. Aaron Smith, who has played in the league since its early days, reports the league was started by gay male players who “got tired of being the one gay team in the league. They said, ‘Let’s just form our own league.’” Pride used to be the only local league that played on the Sabbath, but there are several others now. He also remembers that the league typically had about six to eight teams that were typically sponsored by gay bars and sex shops through the first decade, but has expanded over the past few years to the point where 18 teams sponsored by a variety of businesses are being fielded this season. “There’s always some evolution with this league,” Smith says of the changes. Eighteen teams in a gay league that has been around for nearly two decades is notable. “It was a little bit of an eye opener,” says Jessica McKenzie, who moved with her partner from Texas to Utah a couple of years ago and now plays in the league. “They say the gay community here is big, but I didn’t see it until I found this league. The gay community here isn’t as insular as other places. Once you find it, you’re immediately welcomed.” The concept of getting to know people in a new place is a common reason for joining the league. Ames says, “I get e-mails all the time from people saying, ‘I’m new to the Salt Lake area and I don’t know anyone.’”  Another common reason for getting involved is, as Adah Maycock says, “It gives you something to do with the [LGBT] community that’s not the bar scene.” Having a place to congregate outside of the clubs is important in a city not necessarily known for its nightlife: Gay or straight, “The bar culture here isn’t as big as in other cities,” McKenzie says. While players regularly sign up for social reasons, it’s also often the case that softball becomes a favorite hobby. Maycock joined because “I didn’t know anybody in the community. I found the league on the Pride Center Website and called up and asked to be put on a team.” And even though she had never played before, “they were super-happy to have me.” She’s now been in the league 14 years, has served as league chairman, and has developed a love of the game to the point where she plays in leagues almost every night of the week. And what’s the difference between those other rec leagues on weeknights and Sunday afternoons at the Pride League? “It’s community—that’s it,” she says. “It’s fun. Everybody knows everybody.”

2010 No Tea Parties in Log Cabins In Section: News Blog Posted By: Jesse Fruhwirth Salt Lake City Weekly It doesn't fit the narrative coming from FoxNews where Tea Party rallies are the top story in politics this year, but Log Cabin Republicans have shown new influence in Utah politics in ways never seen before. At a recent debate, the organization hosted six of eight Republican senate candidates--or their representatives--including incumbent Bob Bennett, an impressive feat for a Utah organization that focuses on queer issues. To avoid overestimating their impact, however, note that the organization will not issue a formal endorsement of any candidate for fear that it would hurt rather than help the endorsed candidate. Nevertheless, 2010 may go down as the year that the Log Cabin Republicans Utah achieved measurable influence in Utah politics--and that could change everything for queer Utahns, says the organization's vice president
James Humphreys
James Humphreys. If you're not already familiar with the dynamics of the race, check out Republicans Against Bob Bennett, our Dec. 16 cover story by Katharine Biele. There's now a lot of focus on this race nationally because Bennett might actually lose, which rarely happens to incumbents. Since Biele's article was published, the Republican field has jumped to eight candidates. "We think in an eight-way Senate race at the state convention that our votes will make a difference," Humphreys says. Two Democrats also seek the Senate seat, but Humphreys assumes, as many do, that they have very little chance and the real competition in this race is only among conservatives. Those Log Cabin votes, Humphreys says, include over 200 Republican delegates who have signed on to support Log Cabin Republicans Utah. He says he has a list, but wouldn't release it. There are about 3,500 (see below for a correction) delegates who will vote at the convention. The organization is aiming to increase their delegate count before the state party convention May 8 and have roughly 10 percent of delegates wearing Log Cabin paraphernalia at the convention. Humphreys admits his delegates may not vote as a rigid block, but undeniable visibility--if the group is as successful as they hope to be--may be impossible for candidates and party officials to ignore. "We think we'll have 10 percent of the delegate vote," Humphreys said. "These are people who trust our judgment because we share a similar background." In many cases that's a background in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says Humphreys, a returned missionary whose husband is also a returned missionary. Many of the Log Cabin-supporting delegates, he says, identify as heterosexual and are loyal Mormons, but have loved ones who identify as gay, lesbian or trangender. Humphreys says Log Cabin was invigorated in Utah after the failure of several bills sponsored by Equality Utah, called the Common Ground Initiative. Equality Utah is a non-partisan organization, where as Log Cabin, Humphreys says, "is not a GLBT organization. We're a Republican organization that supports GLBT equality." The Common Ground initiative, he says, was good for publicity and seized on just the right issues--hospital visitation for same-sex couples, non-discrimination in housing and employment, etc.--but the effort "slapped" Legislative Republicans in the face, he says, and "it probably hurt us." He argues that Republicans are vital to LGBT activists in Utah who want change on the state level and says the organization provides a conservative alternative to most LGBT organizations, most of which lean left politically. Related content Friday gay rights rally on Capitol steps planned Cali LDS Temple Kiss-in Bob Bennett's Terms of Service Another gay-friendly Mormon Legislator Temple Kiss-in in Cali Secret Gay/LDS Meetings Related to:gay rights bob Bennett The Tea Party brand, Humphreys says, has been co-opted by far-right religious organizations lead by people who "love their religion but they don't love their fellow man," which is to say they're religious and homophobic. He said the anti-gay rhetoric from the Tea Party movement has been relatively quiet and in the background, but over the last year has been creeping up and threatens to take economics off of the movement's focus in favor of social issues like gay marriage. He points to the New York district 23 special election and recent developments in the Florida Senate race as evidence that the Tea Party is dividing the Republican Party to negative effect. Humphreys says his organization in 2010 is focussed on fiscal responsibility. They support repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and the Defense of Marriage Act, but the real priorities for Log Cabin Republicans Utah is to fix the country's finances. While not a formal endorsement of any of the Senate candidates, Humphreys was willing to share his views and preferences in the race. •Tim Bridgewater and Bob Bennett top Humphrey's list, not entirely because of their position on LGBT issues. They also have the right priorities, Humphreys says, and focus more on fiscal not social issues in their talks and literature. •Bennett opposes a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, Bridgewater has been quiet on the issue, while others in the race support it. •Mike Lee is too unpredictable and inconsistent. Humphreys accuses Lee of wanting it both ways with states rights and the Constitution: Lee wants gun manufacturers and buyers to be exempted from federal gun regulations so long as the gun was made, bought and sold in one state; but is opposed to giving states the right to regulate gay marriage •Cherilyn Eagar, Humpreys complains, inappropriately focuses on social issues more than any other major candidate, but he applauds her for being the most forthcoming among the candidates regarding her positions on a wide variety of issues. The only question remaining is whether the Log Cabiners will make their presence known--will the buttons be ubiquitous or rare on the convention floor?--and whether their visibility will have any impact anyway. Will 2010 be their year? In some ways, it already has been.



Michael Aaron Green
2014 The 10th Anniversary of Michael Aaron's QSalt Lake celebrated at Mountain Land Design, 2345 S Main St, Salt Lake City On April 29, 2004, QSaltLake had a huge opening party with news anchors and reporters, politicians, business owners, and our fabulous community members. It was so big, the wait to get in was over 45 minutes. For our 10th anniversary, we are at the incredible Mountain Land Design, 2345 S Main St, Salt Lake City, so there will be PLENTY of space, parking and FOOD from FABBY winner Le Croissant Catering. This will also be the FABBY Awards ceremony — our equivalent of the Oscars! Help us celebrate 10 years of QSaltLake and all the best of LGBT-friendly Utah. Ben Williams was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.