This Day In Gay Utah History May 31st

31 May

1718-Pennsylvania revised its sodomy laws, making sodomy and buggery capital crimes. What the difference between the two was believed to be was not spelled out-but for a time "sodomy" referred to any "unnatural" intercourse.

1901 Sixteen-year-old Joseph Flaherty is committed to an  insane asylum in Utah for engaging in sodomy. He is released after eight months.

Abraham A. Brill

1933-Psychoanalyst Dr. Abraham  Arden Brill (1874-1948) presented a paper at a joint meeting of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychoanalytic Association in Boston on homosexuality and paranoia. He stressed that homosexuality was part of the normal sexual instinct and plays a useful part in social relationships, and that homosexuality was only pathological when combined with adjustment difficulties. However, he also equated homosexuality with paranoia by saying homosexuals experienced delusions of persecution.

Stuart McDonald

1977 Stuart McDonald's Plight of Homosexuals was published as a letter to the editor at Utah Daily Chronicle.

1979-Thurday The Village People Look A Like Contest was a fund raising activity for The Stonewall Club and was held at the Sun. The Stonewall Club was created to be a Gay political action organization. First use of the term Stonewall in Utah in relation to the Gay Civil Rights movement.

1987-President Reagan gave a speech about AIDS at a dinner of the

American Foundation for AIDS Research and particularly focused on increasing routine and compulsory AIDS testing.

1988  At Unconditional Support I decided to do the workshop I learned at Mountain and Desert States Conference “Discovering The Faggot Within” We had a fairly good turn out of about 30 people. Steve Brackenbury of Gay Fathers came briefly.  Anyway I think the workshop went well and it was a good experience for everyone to realize how similar we really area and that its the heterosexual world that keeps us apart and thinking that we are all alone. Mike Buck, John Reeves, Randy Olsen, Chuck Whyte and I had a brief Beyond

Stonewall Meeting after US at Dee’s. We have about 30 people signed up already!  We also talked about the Youth Group and why I feel I cannot support it any more. [Journal of Ben Williams]

1990 Two undercover Salt Lake City police officers joined Club 14 and stayed all night at the club to spy on Gay men. The two officers testified they saw men walking around in

towels, swimming nude and four alleged sexual acts, one involving two men, the others involving men who were alone.   One of the alleged incidents led to a man being issued a misdemeanor citation during a police raid on Club 14 early June 1.  Assistant city attorney Larry V. Spendlove filed written arguments in the city's attempt to revoke the business license. 

Pete Suazo

1992- David Nelson and GLUD organized a group of Gays and Lesbians who defeated Rep. Ted Lewis a 10 year incumbent Democratic legislator in his own party’s convention because he opposed the Hate Crimes Bill during the last legislative session,  He was eliminated by challenger Pete Suazo.

1994 -Ezra Taft Benson, 13th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and former U.S. agriculture secretary, died Monday of congestive heart failure at 2:35 p.m. in his Salt Lake residence. He was 94. The church leader had been in failing health for years. In 1990, Benson had two blood clots removed from his skull. After that, his condition steadily declined, until he barely could speak, had to be fed by a nasal tube and could not leave his apartment. No LDS president since Joseph Smith so thoroughly combined his politics and religion. During the 1950s and '60s, Benson was one of the nation's most vociferous critics of communism, calling it a tool of Satan. Yet he presided over the church when it was recognized by the Soviet government in 1991 and when the Soviet and Eastern European communist systems collapsed a few months later. During his administration, the First Presidency issued statements opposing gambling, particularly lotteries and pari-mutuel betting. In 1988, it made a statement on AIDS, expressing compassion for those afflicted with the disease, but re-emphasizing chastity before marriage, fidelity in marriage and abstinence from all homosexual behavior. While a church leader, Benson continued to espouse the ultra-right-wing tenets of the John Birch Society. Benson's son, Reed, once was a regional coordinator for the group, and his wife, Flora, was a member. But Benson never joined. In February 1980, Benson gave a speech at Brigham Young University called ``Fourteen Fundamentals of Following the Prophet.'' In it, he proclaimed the right of the LDS prophet to speak and act politically. ``Most people saw that as a warning of his own future intentions,'' said historian D. Michael Quinn. Perhaps Benson's most controversial address was to the women of the church in 1987. He urged them to marry at an early age, stay home and rear large families rather than pursue careers outside the home. (05/31/94  Page: A1 SLTribune)

 

2002 Deseret News Yee haw, cowboy! Rob Davis from Canada competes in the chute dogging event at the Utah Gay Rodeo Association's third annual Rodeo and Wild West Festival at the Utah State Fairpark, which began Friday [May 31] . The rodeo was packed with traditional rodeo events (some with unique twists) and some not-so-traditional events. The event ended Sunday [June 2] with an awards dinner at the West Coast Hotel in Salt Lake City.

Terry Nani

2007  In City Weekly’s May 31 Five Spot, Utah Pride Festival Director Terry Mitchell Nani talked about “the little festival that could” (June 1-3 at Washington & Library Square, schedule at UtahPride.org). Here is the entire conversation: You’ve upped the ante this year with this year’s Pride Festival, going three days with big-name entertainers. Why all this ambition?

• The festival was “just fine,” or good … but the community is ready for this festival to be great. It’s about greater outreach into the community at large, it’s about giving the community a quality, enhanced festival that the gay and lesbian community can even be that much more proud. It’s about increased awareness.

You’ll need lots of people to attend to pay for the entertainment, right? Do you envision nicely coiffed families from the suburbs driving in with their minivans to see Sheena Easton?

• It is, in fact, “A Celebration For Everyone,” regardless. And yes, a more enhanced festival certainly comes with a bit more of price. Where else do you find an entertainment bargain to see John Amaechi, Sheena Easton, EnVogue, The Pride Dance with Nick & Jesse, two full days of festival, A Tea Dance with DJ K at The Depot and more, for only $40 (or less, depending on the amount of “Pride” you are able to share)?!

Any advice on what to tell the kids about the festival beforehand?

• Tell the kids that the world is a beautiful tapestry of different fabrics, threads and colors, and at this particular festival, we have an opportunity to acquaint with some of those rich colors and textures … and why not? We teach their kids, we nurse their wounds, we entertain them, we write the poetry they read, and we serve their food … and then some.

Speaking of pride, what is the Utah Pride Center most proud of?

• We all should be proud of the pronouncement of who we are, and celebrate that which makes us whole, even unique. The straight community, more than likely a bit more mainstream, may not have had the same challenges that a gay teen, or a lesbian trapped in a marriage, might have had in their process of discovery. Just as the black community, the Irish community or the Jewish community enjoy ways in which they celebrate their unique individuality, the gay community has a lot to be proud of in their journey, both individually, and collectively.

Can you offer any comebacks for the Bible-thumpers who feel it is their mission to stand outside the fence and pronounce judgment on festival-goers?

• They need to judge; we have no need, or desire, for comebacks. What’s the point.

Why is the Pride parade the parade of the summer? How does it compare with, say, Days of 47?

• This year with more than 50 wonderful and outrageous, all at once, entries, you decide!

Why should the entire community support the Pride festival?

• Well, first of all, a helluva-lotta fun. This will be a terrific festival. But be clear, sexuality does not define the individual, nor draw boundaries on a festival. And most “straights” in the more sophisticated corners of this town understand this very well. In fact, they enjoy, very much, their gay friends, and want to come and be supportive of what gay and lesbian men and women all over the world have brought to their social/cultural arena.

If someone wanted to walk in the Pride parade, is there a float they can join or be a part of?

• Yes, contact PFLAG, or Family Fellowship or The Pride Center. There is a place of acceptance, or membership, for everyone at this “church.”

Forget the headliner entertainment for a moment. What are the best little secrets of the festival and/or the best annual traditions people shouldn’t miss.

• The InterFaith Service is a unique and powerful experience (Thursday evening), as is our other kick off event, the Damn These Heels film festival. The kid’s area this year, as in the part, is hugely popular. The Dyke March, and Rally that follows, has a wonderful following. And check out Coffee Grounds this year. Go to utahpride.org for the whole story.

John Amaechi

Do you think Jazz owner Larry Miller will attend former Jazz player John Amaechi’s grand marshal’s reception?

• I tried. He was invited by myself! I’m not sure that Mr. Miller cares a great deal about anything having to do with the tapestry of humanity—clearly, not about this corner of the cloth.

What do you have to say to the cheapskates who try to listen to EnVogue from the Burger King parking lot?

• Enjoy the Show

2012 - The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston rules that the Defense of Marriage Act, (DOMA), discriminates against gay couples.

2012 Salt Lake Tribune The issue of whether gays can change their sexual orientation is again churning up debate. The author of a controversial 2001 study claiming that gays can do so has now disavowed his conclusions, but a Utah organization for Mormons plans to continue using so-called reparative therapy in its efforts to help or "cure" those with same-sex attraction.  In fact, Evergreen International tells The Salt Lake Tribune it has no plans to remove the research from its website. SL Tribune Even so, Robert L. Spitzer is backing away from his study. "I believe I owe the gay community an apology," Spitzer wrote in a letter to a psychiatric journal, according to a New York Times story last week.

2012 1 To 5 Club Posted By Gavin Sheehan City Weekly As we gear up for the Utah Pride Festival happening this weekend, several of the state's clubs and organizations have been stepping up big time to make LGBT issues a priority, while extending a hand to those who may not have known their help existed  --- One such group is the 1 To 5 Club, an outreach program that offers support to the bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, sexually fluid and asexual here in Utah. The group has been meeting weekly for nearly seven years, steadily growing in numbers as they strengthen a section of the community that sometimes may not feel fully represented. Today, we chat with the founders and several current members about the club's history and impact on the LGBT community, along with their thoughts on the local issues today.

·         Shauna: My name is Shauna Brock, I am a writer and activist who hails from SLC. I

Shauna Block

am absolutely obsessed with the idea of the modern fairy tale. No, not the princess and her frog prince, but the heroes and heroines we have created for today’s mythology. Our sports idols hold the same fascination for us as Zeus held for the Greeks. Our musical legends hold Christ-like status. To pay the bills while I write and ramble, I work with the Utah Independent Living Center. Every day, people a lot cooler than me come together to teach each other independent-living and peer-mentoring skills. In addition, I am the writer and editor of the Wasatch Scope, the Utah Independent Living Center’s quarterly newsletter. Over the course of my time in Utah, I have also been lucky enough to be involved with a number of activist movements, including working with the Utah Pride Center to create the 1 to 5 Club, a social and networking group for adults who identify as bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, fluid, and asexual. In addition, I am the moderator of the Salt Lake City Writer’s Group. My words can also be read on a regular basis over at utahjazz360.com, where I espouse my views on the state of Utah’s NBA franchise. I was also lucky enough to be a part of the creation of pageantzine.tumblr.com, a music and pop-culture webzine. All of my past articles and interviews are archived.

·         Danielle Watters: I am the director of community support and wellness services at the Utah Pride Center. I moved to SLC in December, after living in Boulder, Colorado, for five years. My work experience and passion lie in social justice, with a special emphasis on movements that work to dismantle gender and sexual oppression. I have a partner and a dog, with whom I spend all of my time, preferably outdoors.

·         Andrea: I'm Andi Martin, Shauna's sibling. We formed the 1 to 5 group together.

·        

Erica Head

Erica: I'm Erica Head, Andi's girlfriend. Like Stephanie, I'm pretty new to the 1 to 5 Club. I joined when I moved out here with Andi, who is a founding member. I had no second thoughts about joining the group because it is something I really believe in supporting, as I feel it is a strong part of who I am.

·         Stephanie: I'm Stephanie Novak, and in the relative scheme of things, I am one of

Stephanie Novak

 the newest members of the 1-5 Club. I've been a part of it for about a year or so, though even back in the darker days when I lived in Utah County, I was definitely subscribed to the e-mail listerv. In some ways, that listerv acted as a beacon in the darkness, reminding me that I wasn't alone and that all I had to do was pack up and move and I'd find a group devoted to bisexuality and sexual fluidity.

·       

Jason Huber

  Jason Huber: I’m Jason, and I moved here from Boise after graduating from college, primarily for the skiing and also to live in a larger metropolitan area where more opportunities were available. I became somewhat active in the bisexual community for a couple of years then had to drop out when I returned to school. Since graduation, I decided to become active again and gain experience in activism, education and community organizing. I am one of the four moderators and I have been in this position for about six months.

Gavin: How did each of you take an interest in becoming active members of the LGBT community?

·         Danielle Watters: I grew up in Massachusetts with very progressive parents. I attended Boston Pride Festival since I was a little kid! So yeah, I think it started there.

·         Erica: LGBT rights were always something I supported. When my younger sister became an upperclassman in high school, she began identifying as bisexual, which only encouraged me to show my support more. I myself had friends in the LGBT community growing up. When I met Andi, my own identity began to change and I became an active part of the community.

·         Jason: I wanted to become a part of the greater LGBT community, but more specifically, the bisexual community. From my experience, bisexuals have largely been ignored, marginalized and discredited from not only the L and G community but also from the heterosexual community, as well.

·         Stephanie: When I moved up to Salt Lake, I immediately became a volunteer with the Utah Pride Center, and had a great time getting to know people within the community and the Center's amazing force of volunteers. Finding a community has always been important to me, because it's where you meet people – which is extremely important when you're new to an area – and also because being involved with the LGBT community means that I have the chance to get stuff done and ensure that dialogues about the issues I care about are happening throughout the city of Salt Lake and beyond.

·         Shauna: I was raised with a knowledge of the HIV/AIDS crisis and how unfairly the LGBT community was treated during it. When I was in high school, Cottonwood High was fighting for its gay straight alliance program and so rights came onto my radar screen again. But my interest in personal rights came when I went to college in Austin, Texas. I came out as bisexual and started attending socials and support groups. This was at the same time the Lawrence v. Texas case was starting to make its way into the national conversation. I started working with Bi-Austin’s leadership and helped to organize protests and marched with the group.

Gavin: Prior to the club, what had each of you done in the community and with other programs?

·         Shauna: As noted with my time in Austin, I also participated some in some minor activism for marriage equality in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In North Carolina, I was on the leadership group for the Pagan Pride Festival, as well.

·         Jason: I volunteered briefly with the UMFA; however, school consumed most of my time.

·         Andrea: Not too much, to be honest. We formed the group on my first real venture into Salt Lake's LGBT community.

·         Erica: I have been a member of Human Rights Campaign and GSA since when I was in school.

·         Danielle: I'm new to Utah, so most of my community work was in Colorado. I worked for a sexual-health clinic with a focus on reproductive justice. I've also been a volunteer HIV tester for five years.

Gavin: Where did the idea of the 1 To 5 Club come from, and what's the meaning behind the name?

·         Andrea: The name comes from the Kinsey Scale, which is a scale created by Alfred Kinsey to measure human sexuality.  The original version of the scale ran from 0 to 6, with the numbers 1 through 5 representing various levels of bisexuality. The idea for the group came from a town hall meeting my sister and I attended with former mayor Rocky Anderson, which was facilitated by the Utah Pride Center.  A lot of ideas were thrown around, including a community group for bisexuals and bisexual allies.

·         Shauna: I remember being at a town hall meeting in 2005, right after I’d moved back to Salt Lake from North Carolina. I was with Andy and we were in a round table with Jennifer Nuttall, who was then the community programs director at the Pride Center. Andy and I asked if there were any bi-focused groups at the center and it went from there. At the time, the bi community was working almost exclusively with the Utah Polyamory Society but unfortunately, the two groups were not reaching each other well. With the separation of the groups, the two now work very closely together, as many of the conversations each group has flow around things such as sexual fluidity.

·         Danielle: I defer to those who came before me! What the name communicates to me is the understanding that people cannot be defined by merely a box. Our attraction, relationships and identities are unique and often fluid.

Gavin: Before the club was formed, was there a perception that people who weren't exclusively homosexual weren't being properly represented? Or was it more the idea that their voice was already represented and others needed a voice?

·         Stephanie: I can say that the B in LGBT element is often left out of the larger conversation, things like "gay" marriage and slogans like "legalize gay," so having a group like the 1-5 Club is incredibly important, because it gives all of us who identify as bisexual, pansexual, asexual, sexually fluid, or any other identity other than explicitly gay or lesbian a place to call home, a place to connect with others who don't quite fit into the 100% gay or 100% lesbian picture.

·         Danielle: I don't know about the history specifically, but I do know that biphobia is very real and present, even within the queer community. As with many marginalized populations, creating a separate space is important for strong communities and voices.

·         Erica: What I can say on this topic is a lot of times people who don't identify as either gay or straight are often overlooked. When it comes to LGBT rights, we hear a lot about "gay marriage," for example. Only recently have we started to hear statements about "marriage equality." It seems that people not identifying as gay or lesbian often times get overlooked.

·         Andrea: I had a perception that there wasn't a bisexual voice in the community, in that I had looked and not found a place that specifically welcomed bisexuals, though there were certain many LGBT groups that welcomed all.

·         Jason: Typically, clubs and organizations are formed by and for those who feel they are not represented.

·         Shauna: Both. The truth is, people who aren’t exclusively homosexual are often maligned in the gay community. I think I’m just going to link you to some of the articles I have written regarding the issue. Also, I am including a link to a report that was released a couple of years ago that details the issues the bi community faces. It is only 42 pages long but a very frightening read, especially when looking at mental-health statistics. Bisexual Invisiblity – Impacts and Reccomendations, A Call To Action: A Letter to Rachel Maddow (written in response to her use of “gay marriage” rather than “marriage equality”), Call To Action: Why Language Matters and My Thoughts on Culture.

Gavin: How big of a community is there in Utah for people who fall into that 1-5 scale?

·         Danielle: I imagine a lot more than we know!

·         Jason: Not sure. Last I heard, 4% of Americans identify as LGBT, and bisexuals apparently make up 1.8 percent of that figure, according to ABC in April 2011.

·         Andrea: There's a huge community of people who fall somewhere in the 1 to 5 range. The original Kinsey reports listed almost 10% of both men and women as being squarely in the middle of the scale at 3. And of course, our group is not just for bisexuals, but for any and all who want to participate. Our doors are open for people identifying as bi, straight, gay, pansexual, asexual and any other identity that can be experienced.

·         Shauna: I’d like to think we’re bigger than we are. I think part of the problem is that there is a gay community, but it at times can be very exclusive. This is part of a larger, national problem. People know we exist, but there is a fear of coming out, so to speak. Often, places where the gay community gathers have felt isolating in the past. But I think the community is there and wants to embrace themselves as sexually fluid beings; the question is logistics.

Gavin: What was it like first forming the group, and what were some of the early meetings like?

·         Andrea: The early meetings were a lot of fun. We had a lot of interest right away, and we had some great people get involved immediately, many of whom are still involved today.

·         Shauna: We have full support from the Pride Center. Early meetings were small, and often academic in nature, as a lot of the founding members were working with Lisa Diamond’s classes at the time. We talked a lot about phobia and perception of bisexuality.

Gavin: What kind of support do you offer the community and how much of an effect has it had over the years?

·         Danielle: I refer all sorts of community members to the club – people who are looking for support and healthy social engagement. The members of the club are so welcoming and affirming. I feel very confident referring folks to the club because I know they will have a positive, fun experience!

·         Andrea: I'd like to think that we offer a place where all are welcome, that gives people a chance to meet and be with those they can identify with; a place to ask and answer questions about orientation and identity, about myths and realities of bisexual living. I can never be sure what kind of effect we've had, but judging from some of our members, it's been a positive one, and I hope to keep that going for years to come.

·         Erica: As new leadership, we are trying to approach things from a couple different directions. We offer meetings to talk about various important topics and offer support to anyone who may be interested or needing a place to go to talk about certain issues. We also offer a social aspect in monthly coffee groups and various social events where people can come and meet others.

·         Stephanie: The 1-5 Club is great because we offer both social gatherings on every first Monday of the month, and our official meetings where we talk about issues affecting the B in LGBT. Topics can range from "how do I come out as bi?" to conversations about the myths and misconceptions about bisexuality that are consistently thrown around  -- bi now, gay later for example -- and how to make sure that bisexuals continue to be part of the larger LGBT conversation through various forms of activism.

Gavin: What was your relationship like with the Utah Pride Center early on, and how was it interacting with the organization to utilize its facilities?

·         Andrea: Though I was involved in the formation of the group, I never interacted with the Pride Center in those early years, so I can't speak to that. I know that since assuming more of a leadership role in the last few months, the Pride Center has been a great partner to have and we couldn't ask for better support.

·         Shauna: Again, we had full support and often were key volunteers at Pride. Our only issue was a consistent rescheduling of meeting times due to other groups wanting our time and space, but that is part of the nature of the business.

Gavin: How has it been for you interacting with other organizations and groups in the state, and what kind of projects have you worked on with them?

·         Shauna: Our closest allies have been the Utah Polyamory Society and TransAction. Both groups tend to fall on the sidelines of mainstream gay and lesbian culture and as a result, we not only form strong bonds but many members are part of multiple groups. There have been socials, potlucks, panels, etc.

·         Andrea: We've had some really great experiences with Transaction, a local transgender community group, and with the Utah Polyamory Society.

·         Jason: I am not sure of other groups that we have worked with other than the support we have received from the Transaction group in coming to our meetings, supporting and participating in our events and getting the word out about our group.

Gavin: The club has been around for nearly seven years. How have you grown both as an organization and as individuals since joining it?

·         Erica: Since I have joined, I have been able to meet and work with some great people. I feel like one step at a time we are striving to make a difference. Every time we bring people together and work on important issues, we're growing as a group.

·         Andrea: The club has changed over the years. It has functioned as a support group at times, and at others it has been more of a community social group. In recent months, we have been discussing bringing more of a focus on activism and bringing awareness of bi issues to both the LGBT and straight communities.

·         Jason: I have really only been active for the past seven or so months, but I feel I have grown in learning the mechanics in organizing and moderating a group.

·         Stephanie: In my short time as one of the core leadership members, I'm learning that every meeting, every coffee, every opportunity we have to bring people together is a chance for us to grow, and I'm very much enjoying this opportunity to learn more about what we can do.

·         Shauna: Speaking as a founding member, I burned out. Sometimes, we work just too hard and get too invested and I needed to step back. But what I have found is that more and more people are not afraid to speak the word bi, and we are more able to have conversations about being pansexual, omnisexual, asexual, and fluid. I think also the core members have found that we do have a political stake in what happens with our community, and that our focuses should not just be on things like marriage equality but equality in relationships, in health care, and in the discussions of bullying. As for me, I’ve found right now my “activism” comes in my writing. I am also not afraid to piss off leaders in the community who don’t want their ideas of “gay” culture challenged. While I hate burning bridges, at the same time being nice doesn’t always work. I am looking forward to eventually returning to the fold, though, new ideas in hand.

Gavin: What kind of an impact do you hope the club will have on the LGBT community, and what's the overall goal of the 1 To 5 Club at this point?

·         Danielle: From my standpoint on staff, I hope that the club gains more visibility to increase participation and garner community support. I hope the club continues to be a supportive presence to individuals and takes advantage of opportunities to educate the community, like during Bisexual Awareness Month in January. Farther down the line, I would love to see them host workshops for our age-specific programming and for the public.

·         Stephanie: The overall goal is to build a community where people who identify under the B in LGBT have a place to go. We also strive to make sure that the larger conversations included bisexual/pansexual issues and that we're not a forgotten element in the quest for equality.

·         Erica: I'd like to see groups reaching out to each other more, offering each other support. I'd like to see support coming from new directions in the LGBT community. I'd like for other groups to see that we have something to bring to the table. And I'd definitely like our voice to be heard.

·         Shauna: I’ll let the current leadership comment on current goals, but my hope is that we can eventually do away with the letters and embrace the word queer. We are lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, trans, and everything in between and beyond, and when we hold tightly to our individual letters we isolate our conversations. It isn’t about “gay marriage” but equality for all relationships – heterosexual, homosexual, polyamorous, etc. It’s about being able to be comfortable as a community with ourselves as sexual beings, no matter how we identify.

·         Andrea: Hopefully, the club will serve as a way to bring the bi community closer to the rest of the LGBT community as a whole.

Gavin: Moving on to local stuff, what are your thoughts on Utah's LGBT community as a whole at this time?

·         Andrea: I've traveled all over, and there are few local LGBT communities that seem more devoted to supporting each other and creating safe spaces for all.

·         Stephanie: One of the most striking things to me when I moved up to Salt Lake was how prominent the LGBT community here was, and it was definitely something I appreciated. Visibility makes it harder for us to be ignored, and ultimately, we are all human, all striving to be treated fairly and justly. I think we are definitely making great strides and it will only get better from here.

·         Jason: I haven’t been as active as I would like to have been, but from reading about the community I am impressed with the solidarity and activism of the community.

·         Shauna: This is a link to the manifesto I wrote after last year’s Pride Festival. I don’t see much has changed. A Call To Action: Looking At You Through the Glass.

·         Erica: Salt Lake has a very prominent LGBT community, and it's a great thing to see. I will second what Stephanie said, and say that visibility is super-important. The more the community can come together, the better.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make LGBT issues and needs more prominent in the public eye?

·         Shauna: I think we need to just keep talking and keep writing. President Obama’s statement that he favors marriage equality was important not just for marriage but for the conversation. The LGBT community comes in all races, levels of ability, religions, political parties, etc. We need to have the conversation. That changes things.

·         Erica: Just be out there as much as we can, both in the LGBT community and our group. Be open about it, tell people we are here, and bring people together to get our voices heard.

·         Jason: Shift the discussion from LGBT issues and needs and equate it to human issues and needs.

·         Andrea: Get mainstream media to take an interest in LGBT issues. When LGBT issues show up in the mainstream community, from news media to entertainment and everything else, then the broader community will be able to get to know us better.

Gavin: What's your take on the way local media, both print and broadcast, have reported on stories involving LGBT issues?

·         Erica: Specifically involving bisexuality, I feel like we're not recognized enough in the media. When it comes to LGBT issues, gay issues are getting the most recognition. I personally would like to see bisexuality as well as other identities take a more active place in the media. Even portrayals in the movies and on TV are very much focused on gay characters. It'd be nice to see some bisexuals and trans people recognized.

·         Jason: I don’t pay attention to television media. However, what I have seen overall in print media, radio and the Internet I feel has been decent. The papers I do read are the Salt Lake Tribune, City Weekly, Q Salt Lake, SLUG and Catalyst. I’m an avid NPR listener and I stay away from Deseret News, local papers and anything from Fox.

·         Shauna: I tend to get my hackles up at all local reporting, but that’s partly because it is so focused on the word “gay.” I’m not gay, and while I get that sometimes a word is just a word, it turns me off. I think though that the media is more willing to embrace the conversation, which is the best start. I remember when I was a kid -- watching what happened with the Gay/Straight Alliance fight and how it was couched in the media to how it is today, I think we’ve come a long way.

Gavin: What's do you think about the current conflicts between the LDS Church and the LGBT community at this point, and what do you believe could be done to help resolve them?

·         Jason: The conflicts are between made-up beliefs and real life. Most adults I know outgrew Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. People simply need to outgrow religion, where the discrimination, intolerance and hatred stem from; conflicts resolved.

·         Shauna: I think it’s the same as in any predominant religious culture. Look at what just happened with North Carolina. Fear breeds ignorance, and the LDS Church is still frightened of reality. But, also, as with the Catholic Church and its politics, members often do not reflect leadership positions. So again, it goes back to being willing to sit at the table and have a conversation.

·         Andrea: Religious issues are difficult from all sides. I've seen a lot of people hurt deeply because of intolerance that stems from religion. But some of our staunchest allies are deeply religious, and many of them are LDS, as well. I think that no harm can result from keeping dialogue open, and always trying to achieve understanding of those you differ from.

Gavin: What can we expect from all of you, as well as the 1 To 5 Club, over the rest of the year?

·         Stephanie: In addition to our coffees every first Monday at Coffee Connection from 7-10 p.m. and meetings every third Monday at the Utah Pride Center from 6-8 p.m., we also expect to have a great presence at Pride, some great events in September for Bisexual Awareness Month and more! We'll definitely have some more bar nights, movie nights, and social events. If we know how to do anything, it's have a great time, so keep an eye out for our Facebook page for the most up-to-date notifications.

·         Andrea: We expect to have a great presence at the Pride Festival, we'll be marching in the Parade, and we have some great events brewing for Bisexual Awareness Month in September!

·         Erica: Aside from the usual monthly meetings and coffee socials, we're going to have a great presence at Pride this weekend. We are planning on making September Bi Awareness Month and will have some great stuff planned for that. Also, expect other fun social events throughout the summer.

·         Danielle: I hope that the 1 to 5 Club will have a strong presence at our annual Gender Conference in November -- save the date!!

·         Shauna: I’m taking the year off. I’m not even going to be at Pride. I will ,however, be there next year, bells on. I do know that plans are underway for Bi Awareness Month festivities, so talk to the current leadership structure about that.

Gavin: Aside from the obvious, do you have anything you'd like to promote or plug?

·         Shauna: My first novel, which is about gay and bisexual rockstars, is available for pre-order at PubSlush.com! I need to get 1,000 pre-orders to get a deal, and I’d love to see my numbers go up. Find out more here.

·         Jason: Come to our monthly social/support group, our monthly coffee socials and join us at Pride. Also, the Bisexual Awareness Month this year will be in September. So, come out to any or all of the events, learn about the group and socialize with others whose orientation does not fit neatly in either polarized end on the sexuality spectrum; hence, 1-5.

·         Danielle: THE 1 TO 5 CLUB!!!!! Oh, I suppose that's the obvious. I encourage folks to look to our website for updates, www.utahpridecenter.org . I also invite community members to submit suggestions for events and programming to us at any time. We are always looking for feedback from our community! Oh, and be sure to attend the Gender Conference in November!

·         Stephanie: In addition to my work with the 1-5 Club, I also run the When She Speaks I Hear the Revolution open mic, and I frequently host LGBTQ-themed open-mic nights. The next open mic will be Saturday June 9 at Jitterbug Coffee Hop (1855 S. 700 East) at 7 p.m. and will be a chance for everyone to share their pride and art, all at once! As far as the 1-5 Club goes, make sure to look out for us during Pride. Pink-purple-blue -- we have the best colors! And join our Yahoo listery if you'd like to get monthly reminders about our events. If you ever have any questions for us or want to get involved, please do! We're an ever-expanding group and we would love to hear from you! The best place to get in touch with us is through Facebook.

Cristy Gleaves, Keri Jones

2013 By Ray Parker The Salt Lake Tribune It's been a year since a group of 300 Mormons marched alongside thousands from Utah's gay community during the Utah Pride Festival — and they plan to do it again Sunday, when both drag queens in 4-inch heels and white-shirt-and-tie men in wingtips will walk the route. Erika Munson, a Mormon mother of five, created Mormons Building Bridges, inviting her straight, church-going friends to show a more welcoming stance toward gay men and lesbian women by participating in the Pride Parade. The festival has special significance, gay leaders said, because it's a weekend when gay Utahns can forget the smirks, stares and meanness they sometimes encounter. This Sunday, hundreds, possibly thousands, of church-going Mormons — including Mormons for Equality and Scouts for Equality — will join the march through Salt Lake City. Although that support may not include gay marriage, on which Mormons Building Bridges has not taken a position, it does mean greater social acceptance, perhaps even friendship, Munson believes. Keri Jones of Salt Lake City joined the parade last year with her wife — they were legally wed in California before Proposition 8 ended same-sex marriages there — and their daughter. "We have the greatest Mormons in our life, warm and accepting," Jones said. "The hierarchy of the church speaks so differently than the arms and fingers of it, and I think it's beautiful." Jones and others in Utah's gay community feel the year since the last Pride parade has been paradoxical, as the tone of the neighbors and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has softened toward them but some laws in the Beehive State and in the nation remain barriers. The church created a new website, Mormonsandgays.org, which showed a warmer consideration of those with "same-sex attraction," but its doctrine did not change regarding noncelibate gay people: It's a sin. "There is no change in the church's position of what is morally right," the website's main page reads. "But what is changing — and what needs to change — is to help church members respond sensitively and thoughtfully when they encounter same-sex attraction in their own families, among other church members, or elsewhere." Shortly after being criticized for its role in supporting California's gay marriage ban, the LDS Church supported a 2009 ordinance in Salt Lake City that protected people from housing and employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.  But in the past year, the LDS Church did not support a similar statewide proposal at the Legislature. Also since the last Pride parade, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments — and is expected to rule in June — on the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8. Both define marriage as between a man and a woman. This year has special meaning for Jones, as it marks a decade since she began a legal fight in Utah courtrooms for her right to be a part of her first daughter's life. She and her partner, who was the girl's biological mother, had drafted co-guardianship documents and wills agreeing to raise the girl together, Jones said. The couple broke up shortly after the girl turned 2. Jones went to court in 2003 and argued the more caring adults looking after a child, the better. She convinced judges she should play a role in the child's life and won visitation rights.  But her former partner, Cheryl Barlow, appealed. The Utah Supreme Court ruled in Jones v. Barlow in 2007 that relationships between children and adults who have acted as their parents — but have no legal or biological ties to them — have no protection under Utah law.  "If a heterosexual couple gets divorced it's just as wrenching," Jones said. "But there are no legal protections for children of gay couples. It's tragic for the child." Years later, Jones worked it out with her former partner and now is able to see her daughter.  "They lived in Texas and I visited her every other weekend, but after [the Utah Supreme Court ruling] visitation was cut off completely," Jones said. "Then [my daughter] showed up. I hadn't seen her for three years. "I don't parent her, it's not a parenting relationship, but both Cheryl and I agree that the court was not the way to solve this problem." Today, Jones has started a new family with her partner Cristy Gleave, and they've adopted their daughter, Glory, who is 3. Jones won't say where they adopted her because "cohabitating" couples still have no adoption rights in Utah. But the Salt Lake City area recently topped a list of large U.S. cities with the highest percentage of same-sex couples raising children. According to an analysis of census data, 26 percent of same-sex couples in the Utah capital city and its suburbs are sharing parenthood, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.  The irony is not lost on Jones. "We'll celebrate Pride, but we're going to just watch this year. We usually march," Jones said. "We'll be in the kids' area."

2014 U.S. announces effort to mark LGBT historical sites Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

announced Friday [May 30]at the Stonewall Inn, scene of the riots widely credited with starting the modern gay rights movement, that the National Park Service will begin marking places of significance to the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. The shift comes after years of debate about how LGBT people fit into America’s historical narrative and whether they should be included in textbooks. In 2011, California state legislators passed a first-in-the-nation law requiring public schools to teach students about the contributions of LGBT Americans in state and U.S. history. The park service is convening a panel of 18 scholars who will be charged with exploring the LGBT movement’s story in areas such as law, religion, media, civil rights and the arts 

Seth Anderson

2017 Salt Lake City’s hidden LGBT history documented in new book Historian J. Seth Anderson talks about his new book, LGBT Salt Lake, during a salon in a private home in Salt Lake City, Wednesday May 31, 2017. By Jennifer Dobner The Salt Lake Tribune.  Published: June 4, 2017 New book is a mostly pictorial walk through the secrets, struggles and triumphs of Utah’s gay community. The picture on the flier shows three smiling performers in bathing-suit-like strapless costumes adorned with a puff of tulle netting and elbow-length gloves. Long feathers protrude from the piles of their teased hair, and the text proclaims the act “Salt Lake City’s most unusual show.” It might have been. The year was 1966, and the group known as The Missfits were men in drag performing at an old downtown establishment called the Tin Angel. It’s a rare slice of gay history and just one of the gems found in the new book “LGBT Salt Lake” by J. Seth Anderson. Published in May by South Carolina-based publisher Arcadia Books, the 95-page book offers a mostly pictorial walk though the secrets, struggles and triumphs of Utah’s gay community, from the anti-gay territorial laws that put men in prison in the late 1800s to the city’s first gay bars, early gay pride celebrations and the legalization of gay marriage. “Salt Lake is a very queer place,” Anderson said. “And I mean that in all the layers of the word: peculiar, odd or unusual. It’s a place that defies binaries. It’s both parochial and worldly. A

big town and a small town. It’s Mormon and non-Mormon.” Salt Lake’s historical record also has two sides: the well-documented public history and the hidden stories held close by those who lived them, but whose place in the community was often at the fringes. Anderson’s goal in writing the book was to bring those hidden stories to light and show that LGBT individuals have long carved out their own vibrant space in Salt Lake City. That’s exactly what it’s done for Joanna Smith, who attended an Anderson-led discussion of his work in a private home last week. “I found it interesting and just beautiful that people were able to find each other, even underground, even when hiding in the closet … and were able to build a niche and an identity and a community,” said Smith. “It’s tragic, as well, that they had to do that.” The book has helped Smith wrap context and understanding around events and individuals that were already familiar to her. “I’m finding that I knew a lot of this, but didn’t know it affected me,” she said, adding that the connect-the-dots quality of the work makes it a must-read for anyone interested in Mormon scholarship. But the book isn’t focused on gay Mormons or the relationship between the LGBT community and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Utah-born Anderson said. “I didn’t want to make [that] the center of the book,” he said. “Although you can’t untangle a regional history of Utah without the Mormon church.” To research the book, Anderson combed the Utah State Archives and libraries at Brigham Young University, Utah State and the University of Utah, where he earned his master’s degree in history. He also turned to Utah’s LGBT elders who were part of the gay liberation movement of the 1970s and helped open the doors for gays and lesbians to live their lives in the open. All were generous, digging out boxes and albums of memorabilia to share, or pointing the author to others who might offer help. Ben Williams was among those Anderson turned to. An activist who in 1991 helped found the Utah Stonewall Center, a precursor to the current Utah Pride Center, Williams has been chronicling Utah’s gay history for decades on the blog Utah Stonewall Society Archives. “I think, really, Seth’s book is groundbreaking,” said Williams. “There isn’t any other like it. It’s a primer on gay Utah history.” The book’s format offers readers a comprehensive glimpse at LGBT history that is easily accessible to all and will point the curious toward sources for deeper study and understanding. And because gay history has more often been examined or chronicled in academic works, to have it available to all on the shelves of a local bookstore is “huge,” Williams said. Among the other historical treasures pictured in Anderson’s book:

• Rare streetscape photos of Utah’s first known gay bars, the Crystal Lounge and the Radio City Lounge, which opened in the late 1940s and early 1950s on Main Street.

• A protest outside the LDS Church’s Temple Square in 1981 by Affirmation, a support group for gay church members. The protest marked the first time Salt Lake City granted a gay-rights group a permit to demonstrate on city streets.

• An emotional portrait of Clair Harward, an Ogden man who was excommunicated from the LDS Church after telling his bishop that he had AIDS. The 1985 pictures were published in The Salt Lake Tribune and shows Harward’s body ravaged by Kaposi’s sarcoma.

• Several pictures from the 1977 protest march and candlelight vigils held when former beauty queen Anita Bryant brought her Save Our Children campaign — to protect children from homosexuality — to Utah for a rally.

“I consider that Utah’s Stonewall,” Anderson said, referencing the 1969 riots outside a New York bar, the Stonewall Inn, that was a haven for gays. “This is the first time the [Utah] community gathered to protest in public … the first time the community thinks of itself as having rights and fighting back.” The book also includes of photo of Anderson and his husband, Michael Ferguson, who can claim their own spot in Utah’s queer history. The couple were the first to marry on Dec. 20, 2013, after a federal judge struck down Utah’s laws that banned gay unions. The ruling was the first in a series of judicial decisions that led to the legalization of gay marriage nationally. Anderson said he hopes readers will find inspiration in the pictures and stories of courage and perseverance found in the book. “It’s my love letter to Salt Lake City,” he said during the Wednesday night presentation. “That’s how I thought of it.”

2017 The Pride awards will be distributed at the second annual Pride Spectacular, Wednesday, May 31st at Marriott City Creek.

This year, the Utah Pride Festival celebrates 30 years of presenting the prestigious Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award. Since establishing the Utah Pride Awards in 1987, four additional awards have been added. Awards are given to community members who have shown commitment to improve and enhance the LGBTQ+ community. The recipients are selected by past honorees as well as community members as a whole. Please join us this year for a SPECTACULAR event to honor the following award recipients:

Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award ~ Todd Bennett

This award recognizes outstanding service to the greater LGBTQ+ community in Utah and is given to individual(s) who are dedicated to continuing that legacy of service.

From the Utah Pride Festival: “Todd Bennett has been extremely generous, with both his money and his time, serving the LGBTQ+ community for over two decades. He organized the Wasatch Mountain Bears (now Utah Bears, Inc.), and has been active since that inception in 1996. Prior to that, he was a volunteer and group facilitator for the GLCCU/Stonewall Community Center in Salt Lake City. Todd has served both as a board member of the Utah Pride Center for four years, and as Entertainment Director for the Pride Festival. In the early 2000s, he became more politically active. Todd is a former board chair of the Utah Stonewall Democrats, where he worked for equal rights for Utah’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and their families.”

Pete Suazo Political Action Award ~ Rep. Angela Romero

This award is presented to an elected Utah official (past or present) who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community of Utah through legislation, policy and/or declaration. 

From the Utah Pride Festival: “Rep. Angela Romero has always had a passion to serve. In 2012, she won election to represent House District 26 at the Utah Legislature. Working with local government, Angela oversees community programs and initiatives in the Division of Youth and Family Programs, including supervising the YouthCity Government Program.  At the state legislature, she champions for issues including victim’s rights, preventing sexual assault and domestic violence, and promotes clean energy initiatives that will provide Utah a sustainable and stable future. In addition to her professional career and legislative duties, Angela currently chairs the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislator’s Education Task Force and serves on the Latina Legislative Initiative Committee, Utah’s Rape Kit Processing Work Group, Friends for Sight Board of Directors, Salt Lake Acting Company Board of Directors and is the National Foundation for Women Legislator’s Utah State Director. Rep. Romero also received the 2015 YWCA Public Official of the Year Award for her work on sexual violence, immigration, economic and environmental justice issues.

Lifetime Achievement Award ~ Susan Marquardt

The Lifetime achievement award recognizes an exceptional individual who has dedicated their lifetime to supporting and advocating in our greater community.

From the Utah Pride Festival: “Susan Marqurdt’s volunteer service is legendary, as is she. From the early days of the AIDs crisis, Sue was a weekly volunteer in delivering food to homebound patients. When her daughter came out in the 1980s, Sue quickly organized a group at her Presbyterian Church to study LGBT issues and to advocate for the ordination of LGBT clergy. She has probably walked in more Pride parades than any other straight ally. In her career, Sue used her MSW from the U of U to work for many years as Associate Director of Youth Corrections and then Services for People with Disabilities. Sue has served as board president of the Utah ACLU, the Salt Lake Rape Crisis Center, the Utah Chapter of the American Association on Mental Retardation and Ten Thousand Villages. Currently, at the young age of 88, she volunteers at the Road Home, the St. Vincent de Paul Soup kitchen, the Care Fair, and the Women Helping Women clothing program.”

Breaking Barriers Award ~ Misty Snow

Breaking Barriers award recognizes an individual who has helped to improve understanding and communication between people who have different opinions and cultures.

From the Utah Pride Festival: “Misty K. Snow is one of the leaders of her generation. Misty ran for US Senate against incumbent Senator Mike Lee in the November 2016 General Election. She made HISTORY just by running.  Although she lost the General Election, she has won the hearts of so many and she was awarded the “Best Trailblazing Candidate” by City Weekly, and the “Person of the Year Award by QSaltLake. She is the first transgender woman to run as a nominee for US Senate.  She is the first woman to run in Utah history.  She continues to be an inspiration to thousands of people around the World.  Misty has been asked to travel across the United States to be a motivational speaker since the Election.  She will continue to be a voice and role model.  Misty K. Snow represents the future of both our state and our nation, and is set to become one of the leaders of her generation.”

Local Icon Award ~ Luis Lopez 

Luiz Lopez

Local Icon Award to honor and celebrate individuals who have and will continue to shape the LGBTQ+ communities in Utah. From the Utah Pride Festival: “Luis, who describes themselves as loud and campy, adores both their dog Rosie, a ‘warrior princess,’ and Janelle Monae. They’re currently a justice studies student working towards a future career as a professor, and is passionate about finding solutions to and understand the world’s biggest social problems. This passion, as well as their values of restorative justice, humor, and optimism clearly shine through in their work within the community, ranging from being an adult advisor at Salt Lake Peer Court to working with The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art on this year’s Out Loud program to participating tin the Utah Pride Youth Activity Center’s Queer Youth Activist Collective.”

2017  Utah Pride Center building sold for $1.6 million  LGBTQ services • Building housing the nonprofit is sold.  By Jennifer Dobner The Salt Lake Tribune Four years after it moved to the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, the Utah Pride Center is planning another move. The center sold its two-story building at 255 E. 400 South last Friday for $1.6 million, director Carol Gnade said. The decision to sell was driven by the fact that the much-needed renovations once imagined for the space were just too expensive, she said.  "It's a very exciting turn for us," Gnade said. "It makes all of us working here hopeful for a place that does not have to be renovated." Gnade now will search for a location that better meets the needs of the center and its programming, which continues to evolve. Among the priorities for a new site: Access to public transit and other support agencies, ample parking, ADA access and better meeting spaces. Gnade would also like a facility that would allow for sharing

space with other area nonprofits. The 6,000-square-foot building was bought by a company that owns a gaming store in Salt Lake City, which plans to renovate the first floor for retail space, she said. Under the terms of the sale, the Pride Center can remain in its current location for six months while it searches for a new home, Gnade said.

 2017 Formerly the Grand Marshall reception, the Pride Spectacular was at the Marriott City

Todd Bennett (right)

Creeki. The event was conceived  by Michael Aguillar and introduce in 2016 as the Sapphire Spectacular from a grant of $5000 from Mark Miller Suburu. Tickets and sponsorships to this event sold out in the first two weeks and we quickly outgrew our venue with over 340 attendees. Utah Pride hosted the Spectacular. Todd Bennett was given the Kristen Ries Award at the Award Banquet.  

 2019 Friday Excerpts from Ben Williams' Journal, "Sometimes I forget I am no spring chicken. After working in the yard this afternoon I was down at the City County Building to help set up for Pride Day tomorrow. I carried a crate with some books and a typewriter for about 2 blocks until I just gave out. Fortunately at Washington Square two young volunteers Amy and Julie said they'd carry it the rest of the way to the Utah Queer Historical Society’s Pavilion. While working with the Board Members setting up the displays I got really dizzy and had to sit down. Too much physical exertion with little liquids I think did me in but we got a lot accomplished until it started to rain on us so back tomorrow to put my shoulder to the wheel and push along. I might drop dead in the harness but hey at least I have seen the promise land ... I am this tired and Pride hasn't even started yet. Oh yeah I am that old. I got into a squabble with one of the set up Nazis because I wanted to use a table which in no uncertain term said I couldn't because I had to go through my quad leader who ever the hell that is...I remember the days when we just picked up our stuff and moved it where we wanted or when my Japanese Parasol was confiscated to use as shade to keep the sound board from being fried in 100 degree heat. I created the first banner displayed at Gay Pride Day here in SLC in 1988 and now I have to fuss with someone to get an extra table. See I said I am old. This lifetime Achievement Award couldn't have come at a better time because I am ready to retire so where is my gold watch and chain for 35 years of devotion to the company? What do you mean there's no Gay Pension Plan? Roy Zhang for the June's UQHS display cases set up displays honoring Connell O'Donovan and me and of course the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall and Utah Pride.