Blog Spotlight: Utah Cog

Utah Cog is a wonderful blog written by one of our delightful readers Scot. He is a father, husband, and gay Utahn who discusses his families life, their joys, and their struggles as being an LGBT family in one of America's most conservative states. It is wonderfully written and will serve as an inspiration for anyone who has a family or wishes to one day have one.

Buttars-Palooza (Utah Party for Truth & Justice)

Who knew that prop 8 would stir up such fervor and mobilize Utah's gay community as it has. Having the Common Ground Initiative defeated, and hearing Utah Senator Buttars call "gays the biggest threat to America" the community is not giving up.

There will be a party at the Capitol for truth and justice with music, dancing, street artists, food, fun and feature a special "tribute" to everyone's favorite Senator.

Buttars-Palooza

Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009
Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Utah Capitol - South Lawn, 350 N. State St., Salt Lake City, UT

Feel free to RSVP on facebook.

Call for Senator Buttars Resignation

The All For One Initiative is calling on us to contact Utah Governor Jon Huntsman as well as the Senate President Michael Waddoups and urge them to speak up in favor of Senator Buttars submitting his resignation. The senator has recently called "gays the greatest threat to America" among other highly offensive comments. The current and past comments by this senator illustrate his lack of ability to represent all Utahn's due to his racist and homophobic rhetoric.

Please use the contact info below to urge them to speak in favor of his resignation.

Governor Jon Huntsman
Phone: 800-705-2464
http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_comment.html

Senate President Michael Waddoups
Office (801) 355-1136
waddoups@utahsenate.org

Utah Senate Bill 32 (SB 32) Wrongful Death Amendments

The Senate Judiciary Committee in Utah will be holding a hearing at 2pm, Tuesday, January 27, at the State Capitol Building, in Room 250.

On the committees agenda will be SB 32 the Wrongful Death Amendments sponsored by Sen. McCoy.

This bill would allow people to designate another adult to have standing in court if they die due to negligence or malpractice. Grandparents, siblings, and partners should not be locked out of the courts when a loved one is killed in these circumstances.

Equality Utah is asking us to contact members of the Senate Judiciary committee to support SB 32 today!

Sen. Jon J. Greiner
jgreiner@utahsenate.org
(801) 621-0423

Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard
lhillyard@utahsenate.org
(435) 753-0043

Sen. Mark B. Madsen
mmadsen@utahsenate.org
(801) 361-4787

Sen. Scott D. McCoy
smccoy@utahsenate.org
(801) 359-2544

Sen. Ross I. Romero
rromero@utahsenate.org
(801) 364-2451

Sen. Michael G. Waddoups
waddoups@utahsenate.org
(801) 967-0225

Sen. Chris Buttars (Chair)
dcbuttars@utahsenate.org
(801) 561-0535

Request For "Common Ground" Between Mormons & Gays

Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) entered the political arena and drew the ire of LGBT rights groups when they encouraged members of the Church to play a lead role in the campaign to pass Prop. 8 in California.

Yet, Church leaders have insisted all along that they're not "anti-gay" or opposed to civil unions and other LGBT rights – they say they're just against marriage for same-sex couples.

Well, our friends at Equality Utah are giving them the perfect opportunity to prove it:

Sign on to HRC's letter to President Monson of the LDS Church – ask him to publicly support civil unions and other pro-equality legislation in the Church's home state of Utah.

Equality Utah - Petition for Gay & Transgender Utahns

"Throughout the recent election cycle, the LDS Church has demonstrated its willingness to participate in political issues by asking its members to do all they can do, including donating their means and their time, to support California’s Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution and eliminated gay couples right to marry by defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

The LDS Church has articulated it is not “anti-gay” but rather pro-marriage and it “does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights.” On November 5th, Elder L. Whitney Clayton stated the LDS Church does not oppose “civil unions or domestic partnerships.” In response to these statements, Equality Utah is drafting legislation for the 2009 General Session of the Utah Legislature to address each of the issues mentioned by the LDS Church."

Help urge the LDS church to stick by their statements and help in the effort to pass equality legislation in Utah.

Click here to sign the Equality Utah petition.