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Utah democrats postpone gay rights bills to protect Salt Lake ordinance
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. […]
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Sundance audience applauds film critical of Mormon role in Prop 8
Filmmaker Reed Cowan received two sustained standing ovations Sunday for his documentary “8: The Mormon Proposition,” a file which harshly criticizes the Mormon Church for campaigning in favor or California’s ban on same-sex marriage […]
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Film focused on Mormon efforts to pass Prop 8 sells out at Sundance
A controversial film on the LDS Church and gay marriage has sold out five screenings at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival — making it one of the most popular and highly anticipated entries of the festival. Focused on the 2008 passage of California’s Proposition 8, the documentary has struck a nerve with accusations that a […]
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Lesbian Utah lawmaker a surrogate for gay couple
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 […]
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First openly gay council member takes office in Salt Lake City
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 […]
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Man sentenced in Utah attack on gay man
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. Fa Junior Moi Moi, 21, was one of at least five men who attacked the victims after one victim said he […]
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Openly gay Utah state senator announces his resignation
Utah’s first openly gay state senator will be resigning from office effective the end of this week to focus more time on practicing law, reports the Salt Lake Tribune. Democratic state Sen. Scott McCoy, announced Tuesday that he had already decided that he wasn’t going to seek re-election when his term is up next year. […]
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Mormon church announces support of SLC gay rights ordinance
In a rare move, the LDS Church announced Tuesday night its support of Salt Lake City’s proposed ordinances protecting gay and transgender people from discrimination in housing and employment, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Hours later, the City Council approved the measures unanimously. “The church supports these ordinances,” said spokesman Michael Otterson, “because they are […]
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Gay rights supporters deliver petitions to Mormon church
Like Mormon pioneers in the 1850s, gay-rights supporters pulled a handcart through Salt Lake City on Wednesday in what they dubbed a “rescue” mission, The Salt Lake City Tribune reports. The Foundation for Reconciliation carted more than 2,000 petition signatures to LDS Church headquarters, calling on the church to salvage relations with lesbian, gay, bisexual […]
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Gay advocacy groups criticize Mormon apostle over Prop 8 comments
Four gay advocacy groups that include Mormons and former church members released a joint statement Friday disagreeing with points made earlier this week in a speech on freedom of religion by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The statement called the church’s […]