Utah Leaders Push Forward on LGBT Rights Legislation

In the wake of Proposition 8, pro-gay Equality Utah is taking the comments of Mormon Church elders as a signal to move forward with legislation that will expand the rights of gays and lesbians in the state, reports The New York Times.

Defending their members' estimated $20 million contribution to the passage of California's gay marriage ban, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said they are not antigay and wouldn't deny certain legal protections to gays and lesbians."We are taking the LDS Church at its word," Stephanie Pappas, Equality Utah's chairwoman, told The Times.

The five pieces of legislation will be sponsored by out state senator Scott McCoy and two lesbian members of the state's house of representatives. McCoy indicated the bills would be ready by January and would aim to advance LGBT rights specifically in areas that Mormon leaders said they would find acceptable.

McCoy added that introducing the series of bills is an attempt to find a positive outlet for the anger that has been stoked by Prop. 8.

“We need to come back down and we need to think, ‘OK, now that we are where we are, what is the way we move forward?’ ” McCoy said at a news conference. “And the way that we move forward is to channel that energy and that anger and that disappointment into constructive channels.” (The Advocate)

Keywords: California marriage

Related stories from Advocate.com

2009-04-25: Lindsay Lohan's Fight for Marriage Equality
2009-02-20: Photos From the Ground: Lobby Day, Sacramento
2009-01-10: Prop. 8 Exit Polling of African-Americans Way Off, Experts Say
2009-01-08: Jerry Brown’s Argument to Void Prop. 8 Under Attack
2008-12-30: Constructive Impatience

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Name: Roger Burr
Date posted: 2008-11-12 12:29 PM
Hometown: Marble Hill, MO

Comment:

I am not inherently pessimistic, but this move by the Mormon Church to assist with more 'inclusive' legislation smacks of being nothing more than self-serving. The Mormon (LDS) Church has sustained a SEVERE black eye by their very obvious and highly visible support for Prop.8. They have been shown to the world as a bigoted group of white heterosexuals, only interested in furthering their own aims. They failed to see the impending storm of protest that followed Prop. 8's passage. This protest will hurt their efforts to bring converts into their church, world-wide. What they are doing now, is simply 'damage control' in the hope it will burnish their image and remove the stain of bigotry. IT WON'T!!!

Name: Daryl
Date posted: 2008-11-11 9:07 PM
Hometown: Johnson

Comment:

Realistically, will society ever be able to accept and condone the marriage of same gender couples? Being LDS I feel that this is a step forward. However, a very small one. Not only am I a gay member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am also a black American. The LDS Church still discriminates against members of the Church who are of different ethnicity, etc. Sadly, members of the Church are very outspoken about this issue. I have sat through Priesthood meetings while a doctoral canditate in San Francisco stating that blacks are inferior, illiterate, etc. So, the Church's comments on not denying rights is simply rhetoric. No real change can or will ever occur unless the change comes from within the heart and soul. Daryl Johnson Mesa, AZ

Name: John
Date posted: 2008-11-11 4:28 PM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:

For Lori Jean from the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center to say that there was not one group at fault for our loss EXCEPT FOR THE MORMON CHURCH is totally irresponsible. She's foolishly absolving the GLBT community of any blame which is dumb and very irresponsible. If Lori had some of the post-election protesters she's rallied donate TIME, energy and money six weeks before the election, well the outcome would probably have been very different. There should have been a better grass roots campaign and much better No on 8 ads. The No on 8 people ran an appalling campaign. No on 8 should have been meeting on a weekly basis with religious leaders from every denomination. Don't blame African Americas for this loss. Take a lesson from President-elect Obama's flawless campaign and maybe next time we'll win. Our complacency helped Prop 8 pass.

Name: Shawn
Date posted: 2008-11-11 4:12 PM
Hometown: upstate new york

Comment:

The Mormon Church says its not anti-gay? Excuse me? Getting their members to pony up over 20 million bucks to fight gay marriage is not considered anti-gay? What I don't understand is why wasn't that money spent on something that would actually benefit people instead of fighting something that really doesn't affect anyone other than those who just want to get married. And I am so sick of reading Scott McCoy's pathetic comments about working with the church blah blah blah. Scott dearest...its time to fight buddy. Your cowtowing to the Mormon Church is pathetic. You should be demanding answers from the church. You should be standing up for the gay community.

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