This Day In Gay Utah History January 10th

 

This Day In Gay Utah History January 10th

January 10

1868 - Deseret News Editorial: "In this Territory we jealously close the door against adultery, seduction and whoredom. Public opinion here pronounces the penalty of death as the fitting punishment for such crimes."

1967 LOOK Magazine  featuring an issue on the American Man carried an article on the sad Gay Like of homosexuals and blamed their conditions on overbearing mothers. 

1970-A team of doctors in Frankfurt announced success in treating homosexuals with brain surgery. They used electrical shocks to disintegrate parts of the brain which regulate sexual arousal. Side effects included amnesia, potentially dangerous hormone imbalances, and total loss of libido.

1980-The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence formed in San Francisco.

Paul Lynde

1982- Closeted comedian Paul Lynde died of a heart attack at age 55.  Best known for his wit on Hollywood Squares. He was arrested in Salt Lake City outside the  Sun a SLC Gay club. Jun. 13, 1927 - Jan. 10, 1982 At a time when coming out was not a possibility, Paul Aloysius Lynde relied on a number of excuses which explained away his status as a "confirmed, lifelong bachelor." Often he just told fans his high school sweetheart had broken his heart, suggesting he was still too hurt to begin dating again. He served as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched, opposite Agnes Moorehead's Endora -- a woman he referred to on more than one occasion as "one of the all-time Hollywood dykes". He made arguably homophobic statements in public, telling People magazine in 1976, "My following is straight. I'm so glad. Gay people killed Judy Garland -- but they're not going to kill me." Lynde himself is among the gayest celebrities the world has ever known. Chronically cranky, sarcastic and mincing, Lynde's career was also defined by his voice work as Templeton the rat in Charlotte's Web, and as the wisecracking centerpiece on television's Hollywood Squares. During his life he served as comedy writer, nightclub performer, Broadway actor and director, recording artist, and television pitchman. The man who made the world "a safer place for sissies," suffered a number of tragedies -- including a constant battle to control his weight, his whisky, and his depression – which culminated in an isolated, mysterious death in 1982. Born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Paul Lynde was one of six children. Encouraged by his high school drama coach, he enrolled at Northwestern University's Speech and Drama School, where in 1948 he was declared Best Student Actor of the Year. His humor was very much inspired by the New Yorker cartoons conceived by Charles Addams. Upon graduation, he pursued an acting career in New York without much success. He survived for four years by waiting tables and selling blood for five dollars a pint. On Thanksgiving day in 1950, Paul won an amateur talent contest which led to his first New York nightclub gig. Other successful club dates followed, and soon he was cast in New Faces of 1952, a hit revue which led to comedy roles in the original stage (and later screen) production of Bye Bye Birdie. Lynde's brother died in the Battle of the Bulge -- one of the coldest, snowiest wars in history, and one of the worst battles in terms of losses to American forces in World War II. The process of recovering his body from the war field and bringing him back for a proper burial in the United States spanned five years, during which time the dead soldier was often mischaracterized as "missing in action". Rather than secure the closure which such recoveries provide, the recovery only opened new wounds. Paul's parents both died of stress and anxiety within weeks of each other. In the wake of this grief, Lynde devoted all his energies to his career. From Bye Bye Birdie, he proceeded to get work on the Disney film Son of Flubber -- the first in a series of character roles which would typecast Lynde as a snide, cynical little nelly. Although he wearied of this treatment and believed that someday he'd be accepted as a "legitimate" actor, his fan base grew exponentially upon witnessing his performance as persnickety Uncle Arthur in Bewitched. In 1965, Lynde was vacationing in San Francisco with his 24-year-old companion Jim Davidson. As a prank, up in their hotel room Davidson made frantic flapping gestures as if to suggest he could jump from the balcony -- and while doing so, he slipped and fell many stories to his death. Two police officers standing on the street below saw the whole thing. In a matter of seconds, they were comforting Lynde, who remembers: "They said, 'Don't worry, Paul, we saw it all. If you need us, we'll be here. We're not going to let them wipe you out with this.' They knew it looked strange: he was younger than I was, he was good-looking, and why was he there with me? Why did he jump? Why did he fall?" After Bewitched was cancelled, Lynde was selected as a game show panelist. He didn't offer "dirty" answers on The Hollywood Squares, he delivered kinky, bitchy responses. He was a regular during its second week in 1966 and joined full time in the fall of 1968. Less than a decade later, he left the show after the National Enquirer claimed an "insider" revealed Lynde was fired because of his drinking problem. The source revealed documentation of Lynde's nastiness and implied that his alcoholism created a problem for costars. Even though these facts were common knowledge, Lynde sued the Enquirer for ten million dollars, chiefly to find out who the insider was. The case was summarily dismissed, but it ushered in a new era of tabloid litigation. Some of Lynde's famous quips during Hollywood Squares include: Q: In the movies, Frankenstein's monster was always big and ugly. And he had lots of scars. What was his biggest fear? A: That the girls would be turned off by his big nuts. Q: According to the old song, "At night, when you're asleep, into your tent I'll creep." Who am I? A: The scoutmaster. Q. Do female frogs croak? A: If you hold their little heads under water long enough. Q: Paul, can you get an elephant drunk? A: Yes, but he still won't go up to your apartment. Q: Prometheus was tied to the top of a mountain by the gods because he had given something to man. What did he give us? A: I don't know what you got, but I got a sports shirt. Q: Is Billy Graham considered a good dresser? A: No, but he's a terrific end table. Q: Is using an electric vibrating machine a good way to lose weight? A: That's what I told the saleslady, but she just winked. Q: When is it a good idea to put your pantyhose in the microwave oven for two minutes? A: When your house is surrounded by the police. Q: Why do sheep sleep huddled up? A: Because Little Boy Blue's a weirdo. Q: When you pat a dog on its head he will usually wag his tail. What will a goose do? A: Make him bark. Q: What is the name of the instrument with the light on the end, that the doctor sticks in your ear? A: Oh, a cigarette. Q: It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics. What is the other? A: Tape measures. Q: Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather? A: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily. Q: Paul, in ancient Rome, bakers were required by law to bake something into each loaf of bread. What? A: A Christian. Q: What is a pullet? A: A little show of affection. Q: According to the French Chef, Julia Child, how much is a pinch? A: Just enough to turn her on. Q: Who are more likely to be romantically responsive. Women under thirty or women over thirty? A: I don't have a third choice? Sadly, his best performances on Hollywood Squares were left on the cutting room floor: from time to time he was too drunk or too high on goofballs to read the ghost-written material. He forgot his lines, and when his hateful wisecracks were met with boos from the audience, Lynde would attempt to climb through the monkeybar set and engage in scuffles with the heckler -- much to the consternation of those in the studio. Nevertheless, the Hollywood Squares gig earned him twice as much money as his costars and got him a short-lived sitcom, The Paul Lynde Show. The series, dismissed by critics for its similarities to All in the Family, had a few novelties going: Lynde got to drink martinis on the show, and the set design was the first of its kind to feature an actual swimming pool. Where it failed was believability. Lynde was too much of an ambling, shambling queen to play the role of an uptight attorney-slash-family- man. Script writer Ed Jurist noted that "all Lynde had to do was moan 'Oh, my knees' and he'd get a roar." The show was cancelled after one season, throwing Lynde's drinking problem into high gear. Supposedly he was the inspiration for a gag which made its way into the movie Groundhog Day. After a drunken high speed chase through the San Fernando Valley one night, Lynde crashed his car into a mailbox. When the cops rushed the scene with their guns drawn, Lynde lowered his window and ordered a cheeseburger with no onions and a large Sprite. Between 1975 and 1979, Lynde had a number of television specials, none of which had names more exciting than The Paul Lynde Comedy Hour, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, Paul Lynde: 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, or Paul Lynde Goes MA-A-A-AD. Guests included Levar Burton, Harry Morgan, Vicki Lawrence, Robert Urich, and the irrepressible Charo. An ad in TV Guide referred to one special as "a sensational, side-splitting salute to everything evil, mean, nasty and bad -- as only Paul can do it." His characters included a salacious supermarket clerk, a temperamental guitar instructor with one arm, and a crossing guard. One night in January of 1982, Paul missed a dinner appointment with a group of long-time friends. Concerned, they rushed to his home on North Palm Drive in Beverly Hills. He was found naked and dead, surrounded by amyl-nitrate poppers, an inhalant used primarily by gay men to enhance sex. His death was ruled a heart attack. Funeral services were held at Westwood Village Memorial Park in California, with interment at Amity Cemetery, Amity, Ohio. Lynde was survived by his sisters Grace and Helen, and his brothers Richard and Cordy. Timeline 13 Jun 1926 Paul Edward Lynde born, Mount Vernon OH. Fall 1968 Becomes a regular on the Hollywood Squares. 1974 Zingers from Hollywood Squares. 29 Oct 1976 On the Paul Lynde Halloween Special... the rock band KISS. Hires David Letterman to write jokes. 1978 Paul Lynde arrested in Salt Lake City outside of a gay bar, which ended his career on The Donny and Marie Show. 1979 Comedy special Paul Lynde Goes MA-A-A-AD, billed as "a sesational, side-splitting salute to everything evil, mean, nasty and bad-- as only Paul can do it." With Charo! 1979 Sues the National Enquirer for $10M over claims that he was forced from his Hollywood Square over "drinking and nastiness." 11 Jan 1982 Paul Lynde dead of a heart attack. Naked. Holding a bottle of amyl nitrate (poppers.) Whatever boy he was having sex with that night had run off after Lynde's heart attack, not bothering to call 911. 24 Sep 1995 Radioactive Man episode 2F17 on The Simpsons features a Paul Lynde-alike as "The Scoutmaster." The voice is actually played by Hank Azaria. [Rotten.com]

1984 Women Aware meetings were held at 20 Jacob Rue. Members included Abby Maestas, Sherry Kuchinsky, Eve Goldman, MCC, Jean Jankowski, Carole, Kathy Reiser, Charlene Grondahl, Mashelle, Carla Gourdin and Terri. Gay activist Ray Henke helped with production of Women Aware’s Newsletters. 10

1986 Michael J. Green was born on June 26, 1961, and committed suicide on 1986. Tribute by Connell O'Donovan: My Gay LDS cousin Michael J. Green committed suicide on January 10, 1986. He parked his truck outside of a tavern in Clearfield, Utah, where he lived (I don't think it was a Gay tavern), and shot himself to death in his truck. Michael was born June 26, 1961 in Ogden, Utah to Ralph Jay Green and Mary Penman. By birth, he was my third cousin through the Beazer line, but then my grandmother Beazer married his grandfather (Ralph Beazer Green) about 1974, after the deaths of their spouses, and so by marriage Michael and I became first cousins. I remember sitting in our grandparents' new motor home in the summer of 1975, talking about our homosexuality, both of us very confused and terrified. As badly off as I was, I remember he was even worse — he always had huge dark circles under his eyes because he couldn't sleep at night, so tormented was he about his sexuality, and later we got into a huge fight about it. After both our grandparents died (his grandfather in March 1976 and my grandmother in June 1976), we never spoke again. He was buried in the Syracuse City Cemetery in Utah on January 15, 1986. I sincerely hope at last he found the peace he never could find here on earth.

1986 Mormons Excommunicate Repentant AIDS Victim Clair Harward  A homosexual dying

Clair Harward

 of AIDS convinced he would “go to hell” and needing spiritual guidance said he confessed his sexual preference to his local Mormon bishop and was excommunicated.  Ogden resident, Clair Harward said doctors have told him he only has a few months to live, but he will die a non Mormon because the church will not consider whether to readmit him for another year.  Mormon bishop Bruce Don Bowen confirmed Harward was excommunicated and was asked not to attend church because of fears he could spread the disease AIDS which is spread by sexual contact, largely among Gays.  Bowen said Harward was excommunicated because the church believes homosexuality is an abuse of God’s gift of procreation.  “We are forbidden to take life- except where the government does in cases of capital offenses- and there are great restrictions and guide lines on procreation which hold men responsible on how they use the gift”, Bowen said. “A sexual relationship within marriage is appropriate for men and women in His sight.  Otherwise it is a sin second only to murder in seriousness.” Harward said he was diagnosed in 1984 as having AIDS and that he recently went to the church seeking guidance and spiritual comfort.  “there was just so much guilt, ”he said. “I was going nuts and I was convinced I ‘d go to hell if I didn’t. I wanted peace of mind.”  Harward who is unemployed said his will to live diminished after his excommunication but his roommate and other Gay friends gave him a free home and solace.  “I felt that was more Christian than the way the church was treating me.  They had done nothing. I was feeling rejected.” Harward said adding he told the church “You’re more concerned about your 10 % tithing.” Harward said he wanted to repent and ask for guidance to emerge from years of a Gay life style. Bowen said he advised Harward to shun homosexual friends and activities and assume personal responsibility “not to endanger the public by attending church services.”  But Harward said the Mormon bishop also asked him for a list of people he had homosexual contact with and that soon afterwards his roommate also was excommunicated. Harward said doctors told him cancer associated with AIDS had spread to his lungs and they could not operate, meaning he had only a few months to live. “When I need my friends the most, they’re asking me to be alone,” he said. Church policy states excommunicated members must wait 1 year before being evaluated again for membership. (The first known photograph of a Utah Man  with AIDS. Harward is shown without his shirt showing clearly his KS spots. (01/10/1986 SLTribune B1)

• 1986 Friday -Homosexuality is a sin that  runs “counter to divine objectives” according to a statement to local church leaders from the 1st Presidency. A Mormon spokesman said there are no official guidelines for AIDS victims attending church but sufferers should consider possible consequences of spreading the disease. “Homosexuality in men and women runs counter to divine objectives and the intended destiny of mankind.  Some claim homosexuality is incurable, therefore they seek to be considered a legitimate minority group protected by law.  We should not be deceived by these false rationalizations. We must never lose our perspective admits the world’s clamor to justify and normalize immorality.”  Spokesman Jerry Cahill said Clair Harward had the choice to attend church or not. “What would be the effect of a man who came to church with the flu?  The other concern is that little is known about how AIDS spreads.” (01/10/1985 SLTribune B1)

1988-Sunday I’ve had some more weird calls on my recorder but I’ve turned the volume down so I didn’t have to be woken up. I really don’t mind the calls even though they are a  nuisance. They aren’t abusive like the ones I got in December.  I think they are kids from Utah County who don’t have any other contact with someone Gay.  I think it’s their way of dealing with their sexuality and eventually they may even come out of the closet. I did a radio program with Becky Moss and Dan Fahndrich about frivolous predictions for the coming year. It should be a fun show. [1988 Journal of Ben Williams]

1988- Wasatch Affirmation held an explicit seminar “Eroticizing Safer Sex” presented by David Sharpton. The announcement had a disclaimer which stated “Not For The Easily Offended”.

1988- Donny Eastepp Emperor XII held a country western music show at Puss-N-Boots in Salt Lake City.

1989-Tuesday I made reservations at the Central City Community Center to hold a Valentine’s Dance on the 11th.  I went to Unconditional Support and it felt great not having to bring refreshments, bags of cups, and opening questions to break the ice. Tonight’s meeting was led by Ray Nielson and he did a good job for his first time. The snow kept a lot of people away I think because only about 15 people showed up. We watched a video on the AIDS Quilt called “Remember My Name” It was quite moving especially when this father implored other parents to be there for their children with AIDS. He said don’t be afraid just grab them and love them because you never know when it will be the last time you hold them in your arms. [1989 Journal of Ben Williams]

1990 AIDS OFFICIAL WILL SPEAK AT SUU CONVOCATION Due to scheduling problems, 

David Sharpton

David Sharpton will be featured at the Thursday, Jan. 10, Southern Utah University Convocation, and Stephen Stills has been moved to the Jan. 24 slot. Sharpton is the founder and executive director of the People With AIDS Coalition of Utah, a member of the executive committee of the Governor's Task Force on AIDS, vice chairman of the Utah AIDS Consortium and one of the founders of Horizon House, a support center for victims of the HIV virus. He will speak on "Being Powerful in the Face of AIDS." The lecture will be held in the SUU Auditorium at 11 a.m. and is free to the public. © 1998 Deseret News Publishing Co.

1992 The Sacred Faeries all went over to the Rhino Nest for Storm and Woodie’s farewell party. They are moving to Portland Oregon where new adventures a wait them. I brought over some home made salsa and chips along with some white zinfandel wine. We had a fun time and I saw Gary Boren who I haven’t visited with in a while.  We talked about going to San Francisco again this summer.  We also discussed getting with Ron Richardson of Spartacus Travels about arranging a group package to the 1993 March on Washington.  It was a nice evening at the Rhino Nest, something that the Stonewall Center should have been. Woodie thanked me for starting the Sacred Faeries saying  that through them he met Storm."

2001 Resource Center Won't Use Union Cork Room By Elizabeth White The Lesbian and 

Charles Milne

Gay Student Union is still without a home to call its own. LGSU members wanted their own space to be a resource center for students on campus as well as a “safe zone” and for a brief moment they thought they had one. LGSU members planned to set up in the A. Ray Olpin University Union Cork Room at the start of this semester, but didn’t for two reasons. First, and most importantly, said Charles Milne, LGSU co-vice president, members do not feel at ease leaving their resources in the Cork Room because it is not secure. Last fall, the Cork Room was converted into a student club space by the Associated Students of the University of Utah and the Union Board.  Milne said LGSU members think there is a possibility their materials may be vandalized because the room is not used solely by them. “It’s an open-access room,” Milne said. “We’ve had vandalism in the past.” Another concern is logistical, he said. The Cork Room’s use as a student club space was originally going to be up for review this February. However, now the review date has been moved to Jan. 18, so LGSU would have only been in the Cork Room for a couple of weeks. “We didn’t want to get going and move a lot of stuff to fit the office,” Milne said.  Until that time, LGSU would have had access to the Cork Room. But Milne said he would rather wait for a permanent space.  “I want to slow the process down and not use any temporary space,” he said. “We’re going a little bit slower than first anticipated, we’re going to make sure it’s done correctly.” Right now, LGSU is looking into other options for a space in the union.  Interim Union Director Ryck Luthi said there are a few possibilities for LGSU. “I want the union to become a place where all groups…feel that they belong, that they’re respected, that they’re supported and in turn do that to all other groups,” Luthi said. “I have a strong conviction…LGSU should be in the union.” To that end, Luthi said LGSU may be able to use Parlor C in the union as a permanent space or may move into the office Quarterly West now occupies.  Quarterly West, however, would need to move to the Kennecott Building, Luthi said. And the possible space there won’t be available until after the Leroy Cowles Building renovation is done.  At that point, math faculty in the Kennecott Building can move back to the Cowles Building and Quarterly West can in turn move, vacating a room on the third floor of the union. Another possibility is that the Cork Room could be turned into an office area with secure spaces. “Right now we haven’t found the perfect place for anybody,” he said. Luthi stressed, however, that these are only possibilities and are not definite.  “It’s up to the board,” he said. “It needs to go to the Union Board.” Luthi added there will be an informational executive Union Board meeting this Thursday.

2003 .Pridefest!  Friday, January 10, 2003 The USU Pride! Alliance has released the schedule for their 4th annual Pridefest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival at Utah State University. PrideFest will run Jan. 13-18 and will feature nearly 20 cutting-edge feature films, short features, and documentaries in the Gay and Lesbian genre. The film festival is held at the Taggart Student Center Auditorium at Utah State University. Ticket prices are ,5 per feature and ,3 per documentary, full festival passes are also available. Tickets can be purchased at the box office. Festival organizers say that the films in this festival wouldn't otherwise be seen in this area but their impact is enormous. The line up includes documentaries like "When Boys Fly" an accurate, balanced and well-filmed portrayal of circuit parties. On a more mild scale, the educational "My Left Breast," a inspiring and gripping look at the bleak reality of breast cancer has been a hit at other festivals that where it has shown. PrideFest! will conclude on Saturday, Jan. 18 with the world premier of "RED," a film directed by University of Utah film student Robert Guido. "RED" will be followed by "All the Queen's Men" starring "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc and Eddie Izzard. For more information on the films, showtimes, a ticket prices please visit www.usu.edu/pride/pridefest.

2003    Page: D1 the Salt Lake Tribune BY MICHAEL N. WESTLEY Stand-up comic Margaret Cho describes herself as a "Korean-American fag-hag, s--t starter, girl comic and trash talker." It's quite a reputation to uphold when she performs tonight and Saturday at Wiseguys Comedy Cafe in West Valley City. Cho's platform as a comedian extends from the realm of politics and activism to stories about her Korean family and the importance of vaginas. Her last appearance in Utah, some 15 years ago, erupted in controversy. "I was protested by some people because my show was so incredibly un-Christian or I don't know what. I said some bad words and talked about gays and what I thought were very neutral topics. They were saying I was satanic or Satan's messenger. They ended up selling out the show," she said in a telephone interview from her home in Los Angeles.   Cho, 34, got her start in comedy at age 16, performing at the club above her parents' bookstore in San Francisco. In her early 20s, she hit the college comedy circuit, doing more than 300 concerts in two years and landing  a gig on Arsenio Hall's show that gave her national exposure. About the same time, she starred briefly in a controversial ABC sitcom about a Korean-American family, "All American Girl," that was canceled during its first season. That learning experience subsequently became part of Cho's act.   "It's hard to pin down what 'ethnic' is without appearing to be racist. And then, for fear of being too 'ethnic,' [the show] got so watered down for television that by the end, it was completely lacking in the essence of what I am and what I do," Cho said in a bio printed on her Web site.   Her first film, a recording of her 1999 touring act "I'm the One That I Want," which includes a segment on the sitcom, grossed $1.3 million and set the stage for her current show, "Notorious C.H.O."   Cho's political and gay activism has earned awards from such organizations as the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Organization for Women and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. But she often hears complaints that her audiences come expecting more comedy, not a liberal political rally.   Her answer: "You came to see an Asian-American liberal gay and lesbian activist. What did you expect?"  This time around in her show, Cho is targeting the mainstream thought process  --   what she calls a "bomb for the masses" way of thinking  --  based on her own insight and questions people have asked her during her 20 years as a comedian. She says it is always her goal to be relevant to the audience in some way. "The show is about attitudes of minorities in the media and a call for all minorities, whether sexual or ethnic, to acknowledge their differences and band together and find some common ground for good.  "It sounds like serious stuff but it's actually quite funny," said Cho. "I don't care about people's politics, I just care if they laugh."   She uses her time on the road between specials to polish new routines. While the material she films is well rehearsed, smaller shows like the Wiseguys venue allow her to interact with the crowd.   "During this version of the show, there is a long improvisational section where I spend time collecting questions from the audience. That part is really fun," said Cho.   Her favorite part about being on the road is connecting with smaller communities. She has found that gay and lesbian kids in small towns often have no outlet and go out of their way to find her.   "It's actually a great feeling to go out there," said Cho. "The only bad part about playing the small towns is that there's no good hotels."   Sexuality is a big topic for Cho, whose adopted moniker of "fag hag" refers to women who prefer the company of gay men. As a self-proclaimed gay-rights activist, her sexuality has been questioned.   "Sexuality is just a political thing," she said. "In order to speak on gay rights or sexual freedom in any way you are almost supposed to be part of that community. My point is that you can fight for any minority that you wish. What does it matter?"   While it sounds like she is avoiding the question of her sexual orientation, Cho's response is forthcoming.   "I live with a man who's wonderful. I mostly have relationships with men. It's mostly about the person. I've had relationships with both women and men and found them equally disappointing," said Cho.   "Sexuality is so fluid, why limit yourself to just one thing? It's a really great thing to be that free. We are born to love." Paul Wolfe, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Utah, is pleased to see figures in the mainstream media taking a stance on such issues. "It provides a visibility that we never had," said Wolfe. "The one thing that Utah tends to overlook are its minority communities." Wolfe feels that Cho speaking to a Utah audience from a place of double oppression is good. "I think it is very needed," said Wolfe. I'll Cho You Mine. . . Margaret Cho will perform tonight and Saturday at Wiseguys Comedy Club, 2194 W. 3500 South, West Valley City. Shows are at 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available at the club or through Smith's Tix outlets. 

 2004 Annual Mr. Ms. And Miss Gay Utah Pageant held at Paper Moon in South SL.

2006 Tuesday- Salt Lake Tribune: Let's give Larry H. Miller a break over the "Brokeback Mountain" thing. Virtually no one on Capitol Hill is willing to stand up to Eagle Forum leader Gayle Ruzicka. Why should Larry Miller be any more of a man than, say, Sen. Chris Buttars? I am saddened that Larry was enough of a hypocrite to show, by my count, five other R-rated movies at the Jordan Commons theater complex. I guess since they're rated R for (straight) sex, drugs and violence the movies are acceptable.-William H. Munk Salt Lake City

2006 Denial of civil liberties Salt Lake Tribune I am appalled by the decision of MegaPlex Theaters and its corporate owner, Larry H. Miller, not to allow the movie "Brokeback Mountain" to be shown. I believe it to be another reminder of the encroachment into American citizens' rights to civil liberties. It should be a wake-up call to anyone. Regulating movies that may educate, enlighten and bring down walls, which can promote tolerance and acceptance of any lifestyle, is forcing a set of morals which denies us our basic civil liberties. I moved to Utah four years ago and have steadily been encouraged by the leaps made in trying to be an inclusive state. The mere fact its own inception was brought on by its own controversy is a compelling marker for the willingness of this state to lean toward acceptance and tolerance of all who live here. I will no longer support entities that choose to tell me what I can or cannot see, hear, experience, or that deny me my right to decide for myself what is acceptable and what is not. I live in the United States of America and have the inalienable right for freedom of expression, whether spoken or viewed. I take that right very seriously and will vehemently oppose any aggressive measures to take it away. Karla G. McGuigan Clearfield

2006 Mullen: A love forbidden is still love By Holly Mullen Tribune Columnist Salt Lake Tribune "Brokeback Mountain" loomed large in Salt Lake County last week, and not just in its heft at the local box office. The film traces 20 years of a forbidden romance between two gay Wyoming cowboys, as well as the tragic effects of that relationship on others who share their lives. The buzz started when management at MegaPlex 17 at Jordan Commons yanked the film Friday to the surprise of people who had seen it advertised in the newspaper and showed up to see it at the Sandy theater. While neither theater management nor owner Larry H. Miller is discussing reasons for the decision, Miller had indicated in an earlier interview on KCPW-FM that the movie would screen at his theater as planned. "It's something that I have to let the market speak to some degree," Miller told the radio station just hours before the theater pulled the film. "I don't think I'm qualified to be the community censor." Given the showing the film made last week, uberbusinessman Miller's comment is as easy to swallow as a Utah Jazz basketball. If he were making strictly a marketing decision, his theater chain would be backstroking through even more than its usual piles of cash. "Brokeback" is showing on two screens at the independent Broadway Centre Cinemas in Salt Lake City, and the theater's take for the week was 12th-highest nationwide. The MegaPlex 17 dust-up only reinforced my own decision to see the film on Sunday. Given the masterful creative forces behind it - it's based on a 1998 story by E. Annie Proulx and directed by Ang Lee - I would have seen "Brokeback" were it about vertebrae fractures. Saturday night, four couples sharing dinner spent nearly an hour slicing and dicing its content, morality, cultural significance, and maybe toughest of all for the straight men at the table - cinematic depiction (however limited) of gay sex. It was a fascinating conversation, given that only one person at the table - a woman - had actually seen the film. She explained how "Brokeback" is a love story, pure and simple. And she added, you can't discount the painful spinoff the women and children in these men's lives endured. Her analysis was perfect. The pain is palpable as the two main characters battle their biology by marrying women and fathering children, with all the predictably tragic consequences that come from living a lie. How many times have we seen that sad scenario played out in real life, as gays and lesbians struggle with their true sexuality and try to fake it in a world where heterosexuals make the rules? Depression, divorce, custody fights. It goes on and on. At its best, film is always out front, riding the most gnarly waves of societal change. And this film is doing plenty of that, examining the gut-churning challenges of life before anything remotely close to gay rights came along. But mostly, the film critics have called this one right. At its core "Brokeback" isn't radical at all. It's about the ache, the obsessive push and pull, of forbidden love. However morally objectionable some in the straight world might want to paint it, this film gets straight to the marrow: Love is the fuel of all humanity. Straight or gay, we all want to get it and to give it in return. hmullen@sltrib.com or (801) 257-8610

2006 'BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN': Cancellation was Miller's call, and his loss A sad story Salt Lake Tribune Admittedly, "Brokeback Mountain" is a movie that is not for everyone. But one might think that every multiplex owner would be eager to screen a film that is both a critical triumph and a controversial generator of free publicity. Free publicity the film is getting. But even though one Utah theater owner - Larry H. Miller - has added to that attention, he won't be reaping any of the benefit. Nor, thanks to some shallow reporting that is showing up literally around the world, will Utah. In a last-minute decision, apparently based on a last-minute realization of what "Brokeback Mountain" is sort of about, Miller Friday canceled the movie's run at his MegaPlex 17 in Sandy. That's his call. And his loss. But not Salt Lake City's, as the movie continues to run at the downtown Broadway Centre Cinemas, as well as one house each in the Century and Cinemark chains. Sadly, brief articles that have appeared everywhere from The New York Times to the New China News Agency may leave the impression that the film has been banned from Utah altogether. That's another rap this state doesn't deserve. Miller and company aren't talking, but word is that the auto dealer/NBA owner/theater impresario only found out that the film involves 20 years in the lives of two "gay cowboys" when a local radio reporter called to ask him about the controversy surrounding the movie. We can only guess that Miller had not actually seen the film at that point. If he had, he might realize that to dismiss "Brokeback Mountain" as a gay movie would be like passing on Moby Dick as a fish story. The film, an art-house feature that went into wider release last week, is less about sexuality, gay or otherwise, than it is about human loneliness. And, as realized first in the short story by Annie Proulx and then in the film by director Ang Lee, being a gay man in the middle of Wyoming may be about the loneliest condition on Earth. The movie is about as frank as a mainstream movie is likely to get, certainly outside the comfort range of many good people. But it in no way glamorizes the "gay lifestyle," just as it refuses to sugarcoat the dark side of other human relationships. The proper response to Larry Miller's performance in this drama is the same as the humane response to seeing Heath Ledger's portrayal in "Brokeback Mountain." Not anger. Not put-downs. Just sadness. 14 January - Equality Utah Citizen Lobbyist Training and Town Hall Meeting is now filled to capacity! Mike Thompson-Executive Director

2006 You know… I say lets go another route on this…Lets go to these theaters as much as possible, especially to Jordan Commons in scheduled large groups and " over run" their family values with an invasion of the gay couples so that they go to other places instead. Nothing like taking the kiddies out to a nice matinee showing of Harry Potter to see a large group of Gay couples sitting the theater. I feel that boycotting the theaters would give them just what they really want, a Homo free place to feel save from people like us. Think about it. There are more families that go there then gay couples so this may hit them harder if they stop going.  Logan Brueck

2006 Larry H Miller and “Brokeback Mountain” As the Utah State Legislature is revving its engines to convene in a few weeks, the attention of Utah's gay community is focused on... a theatre choosing not to show a gay film. This is about the same timing as when, in 2004, Madstone Theatres chose not to run Latter Days  right before a session that brought us another failed hate crime law attempt and the legislature passing a constitutional amendment onto the voters of this state banning same-sex marriages. Take away our rights (or never extend them in the first place), but by-all-that-is-holy, don't take away our chance to see two guys snog at 25 times life size. I can't say I'm surprised that a theater owner nixed the screening. I am surprised that they booked it at all and at the timing. Where has Miller been the past month? He can't possibly have missed that Brokeback was a film about what the media calls "gay cowboys." According to press reports, Miller learned of the movie's content after KCPW called for an on-air interview. Uh huh. Right. He's either a moron or... wait, how can he be a moron when he owns half of the western United States? I guess he's just a plain-old bigot. When KCPW asked how Miller can play Brokeback side-by-side with Work and the Glory American Zion, Miller said, "I think it’s something that I have to let the market speak, to some degree, and not consider myself, because I don’t think I’m qualified to be, the community censor." ... And then he turned around and did just that and sent the gay community into an indignant snit, calling for a boycott of anything with an LHM stamp on it. But let's be serious. How much effect will a boycott on Miller's vast empire have? Will he go broke? Will he miss a meal? Will his grandchildren have to wear shoes made in *gasp* the United States?  If this community is serious about this, it will choose to narrow the focus of its efforts to a single business, much like Focus on the Family chooses a specific Proctor and Gamble brand to boycot when it gets its panties in a wad over something. It's measurable, it's easier and it's focused. Any action must be visible and must be sustained. What can we choose? The Utah Jazz? Fanzz? Like we go there in droves anyway. His dealerships? How many cars will he not sell this quarter? Will he notice? Hmmm... he has some Gateway businesses. How about the Gateway Megaplex? Will people actually not go there though? When the new Broadway remake movie starring Cher, J-Lo and all three shirtless Karshner triplets comes out will you drive the extra three miles to a non-Miller theater? Will the faux-hawk boys do the same thing? Here's my point (finally): The call for a boycott by the community-at-large is a hollow threat. The community response was not well-planned or well thought-out. While I, personally, will do my best not to hand over any of my limited resources to Miller's empire and I will encourage others to do the same, I also recognize he will not notice the loss. Organize, choose a well-planned action and execute it. Then move on and do the same thing on something that really counts. I'm sure the bigots on the hill will offer something up.  Will there be an uproar then?- Michael Aaron

2006 Boycott & our straight allies We need to discuss getting our straight allies involved in a Larry Miller boycott. This is an opportunity we should not pass up.- Stuart Merrill

2014 Utah’s gay marriages are valid, feds say Eric Holder • U.S. attorney general says couples ‘‘should not be asked to endure uncertainty.’’ BY BROOKE ADAMS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the decision a day after the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) urged him to ensure that those couples would be eligible for federal benefits. “I am confirming today that, for purposes of federal law, these marriages will be recognized as lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages,” Holder said in a statement. HRC President Chad Griffin hailed Holder’s quick response, saying the couples “are married, plain and simple, and they should be afforded every right and responsibility of marriage.” “Attorney General Eric Holder has once again shown the kind of leadership that earns you a spot in the history books,” Griffin said. “This is only the beginning of this fight, and this work continues until marriage equality returns to Utah for good, and full equality reaches every American in all 50 states.” U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby ruled on Dec. 20 that the state’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. By Jan. 6, when the Supreme Court issued a stay, county clerks throughout the state issued more than 1,300 licenses. Earlier this week, Utah officials said they would not recognize marriages while the state appeals Shelby’s decision. However, it said benefits associated with marriages were frozen at whatever step the couples reached before the stay. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes on Thursday told the state’s 29 county clerks to complete processing any licenses that had been returned to them after couples married, which he said could be used as legal documents in state’s that recognize same-sex marriages. Both Utah Gov. Gary Hebert and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said the federal government’s announcement does not change — and is in fact consistent with — the state’s position. “We cannot recognize these marriages,” said Missy Larsen, spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office. “That doesn’t mean they can’t be recognized in [other] areas that recognize same-sex marriage. The validity of those marriages will be determined by the court, but the recognition is what Utah cannot do at this point.” But Stephen Wermiel, a law professor and constitutional expert at American University’s Washington College of Law, said the situation is Utah “is now a real legal mess.” “The couples that received marriage licenses may now be eligible to file joint federal tax returns, but not married state tax returns, for example, or to be covered by federal benefits laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act but not by state benefits laws that require a valid marriage recognized by the state,” Wermiel said. “In theory, perhaps this is OK, since each government, national and state, is regulating its own legitimate sphere of authority. And the situation may continue this way because both the state and the federal government were acting in their own realm.” But, Wermiel added, “in practical terms it feels like legal chaos that is really not fair to the couples who were given valid marriage licenses by public officials who at the time had the legal authority to grant those licenses.” Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond School of Law and a federal court expert, agreed with Wermiel. “Beyond the obvious conflict between the federal and state positions, it may not be that easy to identify exactly what is federal and what is state,” Tobias said. “For example, I think that there are a number of benefits and programs, such as joint fed-state cooperative programs like food stamps, agriculture programs, WIC, and public assistance which are difficult to classify as one or the other.” Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, criticized Holder’s decision. “It is outrageous that the Justice Department would move so brazenly and publicly to undermine Utah’s standing constitutional provision regulating marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” Brown said. “It is the right of states to determine marriage, and the voters and Legislature of Utah have done just that. Their right to do so is encoded in the U.S. Constitution and was explicitly upheld by the Supreme Court this summer in the Windsor decision. But with this move, the Department of Justice under this Administration signals that it simply has no regard for the Constitution and the rule of law.” Holder said in his statement that in its decision in United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court affirmed that same-sex couples are entitled to equal protection and equal treatment under the law. “This ruling marked a historic step toward equality for all American families,” Holder said. “And since the day it was handed down, the Department of Justice has been working tirelessly to implement it in both letter and spirit — and moving to extend — federal benefits to married same-sex couples as swiftly and smoothly as possible.” Holder said families in Utah “should not be asked to endure uncertainty regarding their status” while the state appeals Shelby’s ruling. Griffin also wrote to the attorneys general in marriage equality states urging them to recognize the legally conferred Utah marriages.

2014  Hundreds gather to ask Utah governor to stop same-sex marriage appeal Rally • “It felt like fireworks bursting in my heart,” Utah boy says of moms’ marriage. BY BROOKE ADAMS AND LINDSAY WHITEHURST THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The message from more than 1,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters who crowded the state Capitol rotunda Friday to hand state officials two petitions asking them not to appeal a decision legalizing same-sex marriage in Utah was loud and clear: It’s about love and family. “Gov. Herbert, you say you want to protect children, then start with ours,” said Megan Berrett, who cradled 4-month-old daughter Quinn with wife Candice Berrett. “We want our daughter to have both her parents be legally responsible for her,” said Candice Berrett, who married Megan in 2012 in New York and were one of the first couples married in Utah last month. Tim Wagner, a Salt Lake resident and community organizer, and Matt Jacobson of St. George, said they gathered more than 58,000 signatures on their two separate, online petitions. Eighty percent of those who signed are Utahns or have Utah connections, Wagner said. “I care about love, just like the rest of you, that’s why I did this,” said Wagner. He launched his petition on Dec. 20, the same day U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby overturned Utah’s ban on gay marriage, after reading about Herbert’s reaction to the decision.  Matt Jacobson, who traveled to another state in August to marry his partner, also started an online petition after hearing about Shelby’s decision and the state’s response to it. “Tell the governor there are way better things we can spend $2 million on than hate,” he told the crowd. Troy Williams, a local radio host and gay activist, had dozens of couples who married before the stay gather on a staircase behind the speakers and compared their message to that of civil rights leaders of the past. Among them: Molly Butterworth, 33, who is seven months pregnant. Butterworth said she’s worried that if the state doesn’t recognize their marriage, it could leave her unborn daughter with wife Davida Wegner, 34, vulnerable. Only one of the girl’s mothers could be on the birth certificate, so the other could be prevented from making medical decisions at a hospital, for example, or run into problems keeping the family together if Butterworth died. “Utah is all about families and recognizing our family, protecting our child would protect Utah values in a lot of ways,” Butterworth said. The crowd also heard from Riley Hackford-Peer, a shaggy, red-headed 6th grader who said he has wanted his moms to get married for a while. “I was scared of being taken away from one of my moms,” he said. “Some people don’t believe I’m from a loving family because my moms are gay. They are wrong.” Riley first asked his moms Ruth and Kim, who met 17 years ago, to drive to Iowa to marry when he learned it was legal there. Riley said his moms explained that their marriage still wouldn’t be legal in Utah and that they wanted to marry in their home state. And then came Shelby’s decision. “On Dec. 20, it happened. I saw my moms get married in Utah,” Riley said, as his brother Casey stood by his side. “It felt like fireworks bursting in my heart.” Many of those who turned out for the rally carried signs, with messages such as “Follow the golden rule. Let it stand” and “Our family, friends, employers and our federal government all honor this. Have some honor, too, Governor Herbert.” Among elected officials who attended the rally: Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Salt Lake City, who said she was “thrilled” by the turnout. Also on hand were Amy Wicks, an Ogden City councilwoman, and state Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake. The rally took place hours after the federal government announced it would recognize same-sex marriages that occurred before the U.S. Supreme Court granted the state’s request for a stay. Chris Sonderegger, 50, said he’s glad the federal government will recognize his Dec. 23 marriage because he’s worried that if he died, his family would shut out his partner of 25 years, 47-year-old Jim Grow. “I have a very, very conservative Mormon family, and there would be a very real chance they would come in and take everything,” he said. Sue Geary, who married partner Michele Page on Dec. 20 in Utah after 11 years together, said Herbert has an opportunity to be a hero in historical moment. She applauded the federal recognition but said the situation is still confusing. “We’re most concerned about second-parent adoption so our family is more secure,” said Geary, 64, who wants legal recognition as the parent of the 55-year-old Page’s adopted daughter and son. They also married in California. “It’s either legal or it’s not,” she said. Derek Kitchen, who with partner Moudi Sbeity are plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Utah’s ban, said he believes public opinion has changed in the decade since 66 percent of Utahns who participated in the 2004 election approved a gay marriage ban. “It was good for Utah when Judge Shelby struck down Amendment 3,” Kitchen said. “As a fan of small government, I’m sure you understand our frustration with the government meddling in our lives.” Fighting the decision “is too expensive” and “hurts too many families,” he said. Sbeity said that like Herbert, he loves “my family, but unlike you, Gary, I cannot exercise my constitutional rights with the family that I love.” Billie Christiansen of Millcreek came to Friday’s rally to show support for “all those I love, to help get them the civil rights that they deserve.” Christiansen said her son came out when he was 17, which led to many “difficult” conversations and eventually was a primary reason in her decision to leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I knew he was the most wonderful, generous person and that there couldn’t be anything wrong with him,” said Christiansen, who claims as “extra sons” many other young men whose families have been less accepting. “He has made my life absolutely beautiful.” Pamela Johanson of Ogden came holding a sign saying, “This Mormon supports marriage equality.” “I think everyone has the right to choose for themselves the path that makes them happy,” said Johanson, who said she’s had fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both support and disagree with her, but she’s seen a shift in attitudes in the past two years. “Who am I to tell people they can’t get married?” she said. “I was married in the temple, and my husband didn’t want to be married anymore after 19 years.” Megan and Candice Berrett, both school teachers, said they plan on having more children. They want others to see “families can be like we are, and not to be scared of us or disgusted by us,” Candice Berrett said. “Times are changing and public opinion is leaning in our favor, so give it a push,” Candice Berrett said. LDS Church issues strong directive to lay leaders The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued its strongest statement yet on the same-sex marriage situation in Utah, reminding its lay leaders across the country that they may not perform marriages or allow them to take place on church property. The two-page statement asked congregational leaders to share the message from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles with members “in appropriate settings.” The LDS Church quoted a passage from Genesis about marriage and reproduction, which it said illustrated that marriage between a man and a woman was instituted by God and “central to his plan for his children and for the well-being of society.” “Changes in the civil law do not, indeed cannot, change the moral law that God has established,” the statement said. “God expects us to uphold and keep his commandments regardless of divergent opinions or trends in society.” It said the contentious situation calls for civility on both sides while the lawsuit proceeds through court. Brooke Adams

2018 Salt Lake County joins movement to sharpen Utah hate crime laws By Katie McKellar,

Arlyn Bradshaw

 KSL |  SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County has joined a handful of other Utah cities and counties urging state lawmakers to pass stricter hate crimes laws. The County Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday urging the Utah Legislature to beef up laws to address crimes that target people because of their race, religion or sexual orientation. County Councilman Arlyn Bradshaw, who helped draft an initial version of the resolution, spoke of how the June 2016 shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead affected him personally. Bradshaw is openly gay. "I ugly cried when I heard about it," he said. "I still get emotional thinking about it."

Bradshaw also recalled an incident a year earlier in his neighborhood when two men walking home from a Christmas party were attacked by some men shouting anti-gay slurs. Bradshaw, a Democrat, and Republican Councilman Michael Jensen sponsored the resolution — but a second version of the resolution was adopted after Councilman Richard Snelgrove offered a more detailed draft with a more expansive list of religious groups known to be targeted, including Jews, Mormons, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jehovah's Witnesses, Orthodox Christians and others. "I'd like to see less hate in our community," Snelgrove said. "Less racism. Less homophobia. Less Islamophobia. Less Mormonphobia. Less anti-Semitism. It's just not right to have in our community." Salt Lake County joins six other Utah governments that have approved similar resolutions: Beaver County, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, West Jordan, Midvale and Moab. Dozens of other Utah organizations have also called for stronger tools to address crimes targeting groups, including the Statewide Association of Prosecutors, Utah Chiefs of Police Association, the Utah Sentencing Commission and Utah Sheriff's Association. Prosecutors have said the current law is unenforceable because it lacks a list of specific

Sim Gill 

groups.  Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill on Tuesday recalled his own jarring experience that occurred after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He said as he walked out of the courtroom, some people in a white pickup truck shouted at him, called him a racial slur, and told him "go home" or "we'll (expletive) kill you." "I thought about the community I belong to — other Indians who were going to be targeted because of what was going on," he said. Gill said hate crimes have three victims: the person who's targeted, the community that person belongs to, because of the "chilling effect," and society as a whole. "Our common sense, our decency and our sense of fairness demand that when our citizens are in need of this kind of sanctuary ... we have a responsibility to listen to that," Gill said. "All we're asking our Legislature to do is to listen to that cry and say that there is a remedy." Our common sense, our decency and our sense of fairness demand that when our citizens are in need of this kind of sanctuary ... we have a responsibility to listen to that. All we're asking our Legislature to do is to listen to that cry and say that there is a remedy. –In recent years, the Utah Legislature has refrained from strengthening the state's hate crimes laws, worried new laws might give special protections to certain groups over others. Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, is sponsoring another bill after his first attempt wasn't allowed a public hearing. He introduced the bill after another Republican senator's hate crimes bill was voted down. Thatcher, however, insists his new bill not be called a "hate crimes" bill, but rather a "victim selection" bill, one that addresses crimes targeting victims because of their sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality and disability. Gill on Tuesday cited FBI statistics that hate crimes have risen 40 percent since 2015. In Utah, about 566 hate crimes have been reported to the Department of Public Safety since 2007, Gill said. On a more "granular level," Gill said, in Salt Lake County 26 hate crimes were reported in 2016 — including 21 for race and ethnicity, three for religion, one for sexual orientation and one for disability.