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)
