Utah – West – Around The Nation

Utah lawmaker won’t seek re-election, citing hypocrisy in state legislature

Posted Thursday, March 4, 2010, Filed under: Utah

Johnson

Rep. Christine Johnson, one of Utah’s two openly gay lawmakers, will step down from her seat in the State House at year’s end, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

“I’m not leaving because I’m giving up on the fight in Utah,” the two-term Salt Lake City Democrat said Thursday after announcing she won’t seek re-election.

“We have so many budding leaders (in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community) that I’m anxious to see who’s going to step up next.”

As a single mom and a surrogate for a gay couple — the baby is due in June — Johnson expressed some displeasure at what she sees as hypocrisy in the Legislature.

“For the past four years, I have stood with my colleagues each morning of the session, placed my hand over my heart and pledged ‘liberty and justice for all,’ ” she said in a statement, “and yet repeatedly witnessed blatant disregard of those so in need of equal protections in the name of ‘family values.’ “

Johnson, 41, expressed satisfaction with her efforts to pass statewide gay-rights measures, which have faced universal defeat in the Legislature.

Utah democrats postpone gay rights bills to protect Salt Lake ordinance

Posted Sunday, January 31, 2010, Filed under: Utah

On Friday, three Democratic lawmakers announced they are dropping bills — until 2011 — that would provide anti-discrimination protections, probate rights and adoption rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Utahns.

In exchange, opponents of gay-rights legislation will drop any effort to prevent local governments from passing their own non-discrimination laws this legislative session.

Johnson, right, and Sen. Howard Stevenson, (R-Salt Lake) team up to announce an anti-discrimination study.
(Salt Lake Tribune photo)

The move is a “compromise,” sanctioned by leaders in the House and Senate, intended to halt efforts to overturn or weaken the newly minted anti-discrimination ordinances in Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County.

Rep. Christine Johnson, one of two openly gay Utah lawmakers, called it a “thoughtful and respectful compromise, bringing together Democrats and Republicans, Mormons and non-Mormons, gay and straight.”

Instead of her anti-discrimination bill, Johnson (D-Salt Lake City), is running one that would assign a legislative committee to study measures — both in Utah and other states — that bar housing and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The committee would be required to issue a report no later than Nov. 30 and determine whether to recommend and draft legislation.

Also as part of the compromise, Sen. Ben McAdams (D-Salt Lake City), has dropped plans for a 2010 bill that would enable same-sex partners to sue when a breadwinner suffers a wrongful death. And Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck (D-Salt Lake City), has put aside her third-year effort to allow cohabiting, unmarried couples — including gay and lesbian partners — to adopt and foster children.

“I hope the LGBT community can understand that this compromise protected the integrity of the Salt Lake City ordinance for a year,” Johnson said. “Otherwise it would have been dismantled by the end of the session.”

Johnson said she expected mixed reactions from the LGBT community.

Full story at The Salt Lake Tribune.

Tagged with: Gay Rights • Salt Lake City • Utah

Lesbian Utah lawmaker a surrogate for gay couple

Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010, Filed under: Utah

Utah lesbian lawmaker, Rep. Christine Johnson (D-Salt Lake City) has announced she’s a surrogate mother, carrying a baby for two gay men.

In April, Johnson (pictured) offered to be a surrogate for the Salt Lake County couple, her close friends, after they expressed frustration with the difficulty of adopting a child in Utah, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.

State law forbids cohabiting, unmarried couples from adopting. But some gay couples venture to other states or try to adopt in Utah as single parents.

Johnson became pregnant in September — on the first attempt — with one of the men’s sperm. He will have the same rights to the child as any biological father. But his partner, under Utah law, cannot be an adoptive parent.

Johnson offered to be a surrogate at no cost to save the couple the prohibitive price of hiring one — as much as $100,000. (The men are picking up the medical tab.) She also is excited to help a couple who might not otherwise have been able to have a child.

Tagged with: Gay Couple • Salt Lake City • Surrogacy • Utah

First openly gay council member takes office in Salt Lake City

Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2010, Filed under: Utah

Salt Lake has its first openly gay city council member, reports KTVX-TV.

On Monday afternoon, Stan Penfold (pictured) took the oath of office, in both a historic and emotional day.

Penfold told ABC 4: “I was a little surprised I got kind of choked up. I wasn’t planning on that.”

But the tears were mixed with laughter.

In his first official speech, Penfold made light of the fact people were making such a big deal of his sexual orientation.

“Salt Lake City is an amazingly diverse place. Who knew? Well, I guess I did. But I didn’t think anyone else knew.”

Under the Utah State Constitution that Penfold swore to uphold Monday, he cannot marry someone of the same sex.

Tagged with: Politics • Salt Lake City • Utah

Man sentenced in Utah attack on gay man

Posted Saturday, December 19, 2009, Filed under: Utah

A man once on the Salt Lake City Police Department’s “Most Wanted” list has been sentenced to probation and a year in jail for 2008 attack that SLC police have called a hate crime.

Moi Moi

Fa Junior Moi Moi, 21, was one of at least five men who attacked the victims after one victim said he was gay, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court.

According to police, Moi Moi and several of his friends met an 18-year-old man in August 2008, near Ensign Peak. All seemed well until Moi Moi asked the man if he was gay.

“He took a photo with the victim, and when he found out he was gay, he assaulted him,” police said.

Moi Moi was charged with one count of first-degree felony aggravated assault and two counts of class A misdemeanor assault.

He pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree felony aggravated assault and the other charges were dismissed.

The male victim suffered “significant facial trauma,” including a broken bone near his eye, according to police. He and his sister were taken to a hospital for treatment.

A second suspect, 24-year-old Sione Tupou Malohi is also charged, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

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Utah lawmaker won’t seek re-election, citing hypocrisy in state legislature

Utah democrats postpone gay rights bills to protect Salt Lake ordinance

Lesbian Utah lawmaker a surrogate for gay couple

First openly gay council member takes office in Salt Lake City

Man sentenced in Utah attack on gay man