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gay mayor utah

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to Jackie Biskupski, mayor-elect of Salt Lake Cy. She is the first openly gay mayor of the cy, and one of the first openly gay policians the state of Utah.

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JACKIE BISKUPSKI BE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF SALT LAKE CY

We round up mors om Michael Stto of HoopsHype on P.J. Tucker, Rudy Gay, and more. * gay mayor utah *

SALT LAKE CITY — Former Utah lawmaker Jackie Biskupski on Tuday beme the first openly gay mayor of Salt Lake Cy, the pal of the nservative state where the Mormon church and a small town judge livered setbacks last week to the LGBT victory by Biskupski marked another tone for LGBT people Utah who have ma major stris recent Utah lawmaker Jackie Biskupski pos for photograph after beg mayor of Salt Lake Bowmer / AP"Today is not jt about makg history, " Biskupski said. "Servg as mayor of Salt Lake Cy has been the richt workg experience of my life, " Becker told Lake Cy voters also elected Derek Kchen, who beme the send gay member of the Cy and his hband, Moudi Sbey, were one of three upl who sued to overturn the state's same-sex marriage ban.

Biskupski tak over after progrs on gay rights was temporarily marred recent weeks when a judge orred a foster child to be removed om a lbian uple and placed wh a heterosexual uple. The judge quickly reversed his cisn and took himself off the earlier, the Salt Lake Cy-based Mormon church issued new l targetg gay members and their children, promptg wispread backlash. The new policy bans baptisms for children of gay parents until the kids turn 18 and disavow same-sex relatnships.

UTAH PAL ELECTS FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR

* gay mayor utah *

Jim Dabakis after she was elected Salt Lake Cy's first openly gay Bowmer / APBiskupski cled to discs the church policy further Tuday, sayg she wanted to meet wh Mormon officials first. Earlier this year, the church endorsed a statewi anti-discrimatn law that protected gay and transgenr people om discrimatn hog and the 's a ntrast om 1998, when Biskupski beme Utah's first openly gay lawmaker and some of her lleagu the heavily Mormon and nservative Legislature wouldn't shake her about her w light of the recent ntroversi, Biskupski said, "It's 2015, and we've e a long way om, gosh, when I first got elected. Gay rights group Equaly Utah endorsed both Becker and, 63, has been lled an ally of the LGBT muny, helpg pass a 2009 cy anti-discrimatn ordance.

He also officiated dozens of the first gay marriag 2013 the hours after a surprisg lg overturned Utah's same sex marriage ban. A fal vote unt approved Tuday means the former legislator, as expected, will bee the first openly gay mayor of a major Utah cy January. Biskupski, who 1999 beme the state's first openly gay lawmaker, now will mark another first as mayor of Salt Lake Cy.

TROY WILLIAMS: THE 'GAY MAYOR OF SALT LAKE CY'

We round up mors om Michael Stto of HoopsHype on P.J. Tucker, Rudy Gay, and more. * gay mayor utah *

The first openly gay mayor the state was Willy Marshall, who was elected 2001 to lead the ty southern Utah town of Big Water. Williams, raised Eugene, Ore., moved to Utah and soon beme an tern for the Eagle Fom, led by Gayle Ruzicka, possibly the most powerful force for nservative valu the state.

STTO’S LATT: TUCKER, GAY, SUMNER, NOEL

After beg released by the OKC Thunr, Rudy Gay is reportedly expected to draw tert om the Dallas Mavs among other possible ee agency suors. * gay mayor utah *

Williams, who had baptized 10 nverts to the LDS fah, fally had begun to acknowledge that he is gay.

"I had sublimated my sexualy to relign, as Mormon gays ually do. " In the past year, Williams, the young man whom Ruzicka traed as a polil activist, has bee famo natnally for his gay-rights work — as an anizer of the "kiss-" ralli that embarrassed the LDS Church, the cheeky "Buttarspalooza" at the Capol that protted by celebratg the homophobia of state Sen. Chris Buttars, and as -creator of Sister Dottie, the voice of Mormon motherhood as portrayed drag by actor/gay activist Charl Lynn Frost.

Out, a natnal gay magaze, and lol lears have labeled Williams, 40, the "gay mayor of Salt Lake Cy" and the "Harvey Milk of Utah gay polics.

UTAH'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR-ELECT HOP TO BUILD BRIDG WH LDS CHURCH

" Williams, who began his gay activism as a producer on KRCL muny rad, reached the acme of exposure for a young activist when he appeared last year a Stephen Colbert send up of the LDS Church's kissg ban on Ma Street Plaza. " By the turn of the new lennium, Williams felt he was a new person, "saved" by his gayns.

"Beg gay rcued me om the Mormon church, om nservatism, om the Eagle Fom, " he says, lghg. Ruzicka learned of her protégé's new life through a 2008 gut opn article he wrote The Salt Lake Tribune which Williams "praised" her and Buttars for energizg Utah's gay-rights movement. "Utah's lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr populatn has never been better-anized, fund and effectively traed polil actn.

SALT LAKE CY ELECTS GAY MAYOR, WHILE UTAH EXPORTS ANTI-GAY HATE

"Gayle is brilliant at what she do. She is a refg element for femism and gay-rights activists — she's actually dog the Good Work. " Another tone me when Ruzicka scribed Williams an Eagle Fom alert as a "ant homosexual.

Williams' ongog velopment as an activist has also led to clash wh olr and more nservative lears Utah's gay muny. Williams fears that marriage equaly, repealg the ary's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays and negotiatns wh the LDS Church are really about gay men tryg to rega the tradnal male privilege they lost when they me out publicly as homosexuals.

UTAH ELECTED ITS FIRST GAY MAYOR? DON'T BE SO SURPRISED

"[Mormon gays] give up even more, " Williams says.

SALT LAKE CY IS ELECTG ITS FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR. HERE'S WHY THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

" Activist Michael Wtley, a former Salt Lake Tribune reporter raised as a Catholic Utah, knows this gay Mormon nflict well.

And many of s gay members, when they fd they are not si that circle anymore, yearn for .

JACKIE BISKUPSKI ELECTED AS SALT LAKE CY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR

That yearng is a very big piece of beg a gay Mormon.

" Takg up the torch, to burn the bridg down Longtime gay activist Jim Dabakis, who is volved ongog meetgs wh reprentativ of the church, unts Williams at the foreont of Utah's "young turks. That's why they ll him the gay mayor of Salt Lake Cy.

In the '70s, we would take fliers for early Mormon gay groups and put them on wdshields at [LDS Church] Conference, then n away. " Though Williams' extreme polics irrate some gays and lbians — he adms havg had his share of clash wh other gay lears — the Utah muny seems termed to live up to the uny for which won praise a recent Out magaze article. " Dabakis says the more venerable gay and lbian lears wholly support the younger activists as an important part of gettg the church's support for lol anti-discrimatn laws that have been passed the past year.

STTO’S LATT: TUCKER, GAY, SUMNER, NOEL

Sister Dottie, who tenacly clgs to her LDS relign and her gay son, was first embraced by the gay muny as pure Utah mp. "I thk 's bee Dottie says, 'I don't have to throw my gay child out bee of my relign. ' " Few members of Williams' fay have pletely accepted his homosexualy, pecially bee put him at odds wh their church.

NBA RUMOR: MAVS LKED TO RUDY GAY AFTER THUNR CUT

"She told me the gay stuff jt didn't matter to her, " Williams reunts. "She jt worried that my life uld be endangered bee I was gay.

NEVADA’S FIRST GAY MAYORS HAVE EP ROOTS SILVER STATE

Free agent forward Rudy Gay, who was recently released by the Thunr, is drawg tert om several potential playoff teams, acrdg to Stto.

The Warrrs, Lakers, Mavericks, Bulls and Pelins have all registered tert Gay, per Stto. Gay will be 37 by the time next season starts and while his role has dimished each of the past three seasons, he’s still a seasoned veteran wh 17 years of NBA experience.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY MAYOR UTAH

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3.8l.1-.09zm6.41-19.6a9.78 9.78 0 01-6.91 2.3 8.92 8.92 0 01-6.3-2.9l-.2.1v14.6h3.8l9.7-14zm22.9 43.41l-8.8-6.91-2.71 2.7-1.3-1.29 3.1-3.21V39.4H671l-.2-.2 3.5-5.2h2.5v-6.7L687.41 16l.2.2V34h8l.2.2-3.5 5.2h-4.7v30.3l4.8 3.7 3.3-3.4 1.3 1.4z"></path></svg><span class="alic gray font-xxxxs font--body">Democracy Di Darkns</span></div></div><hear class="w-100" data-qa="ma-full"><div class="hi-for-prt"></div><div class="mt-lg"><div data-qa="kicker" class="wpds-c-eyomNc wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-jYXVnY-lor-black wpds-c-PJLV-mlvxn-size-lg"><a href=" class="PJLV PJLV-ieDwgbC-css">Relign</a></div></div><div class="w-100" style="max-width:1000px"><h1 class="font--headle offblack headle mb-sm" data-ttid="headle" data-qa="headle" id="ma-ntent"><span data-qa="headle-text">A billnaire and the tech dtry are tryg to shape LGBTQ rights eply Mormon Utah</span></h1></div><div class="flex prt-byle prt-mt-none"><div class="byle-wrapper flex-lumn flex"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ihSmMVC-css"><div class="mb-xxs" style="gap:0.5rem" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class="wpds-c-PJLV"><div class="flex ems-center" data-qa="thor-byle"><div class="mr-sm flex lh-0"><div class="wpds-c-iTcer"><img src=" alt="" class="wpds-c-dgBqAZ"/></div></div><span class="left"><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-ejzZdU-isLk-te">Sarah Pulliam Bailey</a></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ikrKXLV-css"><span class="PJLV PJLV-ihqANPJ-css unfed overriStyl" data-ttid="updated-and-published-span">Updated<!-- --> <span data-ttid="updated-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-iKQyrV-ihqANPJ-css unfed overriStyl">December 27, 2021 at 11:42 a.m. EST</span><span class="wpds-c-jwSVuw">|</span>Published<!-- --> </span><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">December 21, 2021 at 11:49 a.m. EST</span></div></div></div></hear></div><article class="grid-article mb-xxl-ns" data-qa="ma"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="400"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="400" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 600px) 691px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(m-width: 769px) and (max-width: 1023px) 960px,(m-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1299px) 530px,(m-width: 1300px) and (max-width: 1439px) 691px,(m-width: 1440px) 916px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">Troy Williams, left, of Equaly Utah, and Jeff Green, a billnaire tech lear, are photographed together at the Grand Ameri Hotel on Nov. 13 Salt Lake Cy. (Kim Raff for The Washgton Post)</figptn></figure></div><div class="grid-body"><div class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-hSmMVC-isLuf2-false"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-ibVGacg-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><button aria-label="Comment" class="wpds-c-gPbxFP"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-efqEZa flex ems-center jtify-center brad-lg poter transn-400 ease--out transn-lors" aria-label="Comment on this story"><tle>Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span></span></span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="dib poter" data-qa="gift-share"><div aria-label="Gift this story" aria-ntrols="gift-share" aria-owns="gift-share" id="gift-share-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-PJLV" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path d="M10.73 5h.14a1.75 1.75 0 0 0 1-2.25 1.83 1.83 0 0 0-.51-.75 1.72 1.72 0 0 0-1.48-.35 1.76 1.76 0 0 0-1.2.94L8 3.93l-.68-1.4A1.76 1.76 0 0 0 4 3.59 1.74 1.74 0 0 0 5.13 5H2v4h1v5h10V9h1V5ZM9.58 3a.77.77 0 0 1 .51-.4h.17a.73.73 0 0 1 .47.17.72.72 0 0 1 .27.71.72.72 0 0 1-.48.58l-1.77.66ZM5 3.43a.72.72 0 0 1 .27-.71.73.73 0 0 1 .47-.17h.17a.77.77 0 0 1 .51.4l.83 1.7L5.48 4A.74.74 0 0 1 5 3.43ZM3 6h4.5v2H3Zm1 3h3.5v4H4Zm4.5 4V9H12v4ZM13 8H8.5V6H13Z" data-name="Path 10"></path></svg></div></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Gift<!-- --> <span class="PJLV PJLV-ikqOWxF-css">Article</span></span></div></div><div class="dib poter" data-qa="wpds-tooltip-ntrol"><div aria-ntrols="actns-tooltip" aria-owns="actns-tooltip" id="actns-tooltip-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div tabx="0" aria-label="Share" class="PJLV PJLV-ietWzJw-css"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-dJBvpf-iPJLV-css "><path d="M14 14H2V7h1v6h10V7h1Zm-5.5-2h-1V3h1Z"></path><path d="M10.29 5.71 11 5 8 2l-.71.71L5 5l.71.71L8 3.42l2.29 2.29z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">SALT LAKE CITY — Troy Williams, the head of Equaly Utah and once dubbed the unofficial “gay mayor of Salt Lake Cy,” was still absorbg the news as he ma his way downtown to the opulent Grand Ameri hotel. His phone had been blowg up all morng wh msag about a speech apostle Dall H. Oaks had given the night before.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="db dn-ns mr-neg-gutter ml-neg-gutter mb-md hi-for-prt" data-qa="subscribe-promo"><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div><a class="pt-sm pb-sm flex ems-center bold font-xxxs font-xxs-ns jtify-center" href=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="lor:#166dfc;borr:none"><svg class="ntent-box" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns=" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>Wp</tle><path d="M11.055 8.728l-1.018-1.019-.782.782v6.292l1.782 1.564.018-.019v-7.6zm-4.11.236L5.674 7.71l-.836.855v6.237l1.545 1.327.564-.636V8.964zm2.656 9.074l-2.528-2.182-1.927 2.182-2.619-2.255v-3.564h-.509c-.454 0-.672.273-.745.636H1.09a2.89 2.89 0 0 1-.091-.69c0-.473.2-1.71 1.527-1.71V7.691c0-1.073-.709-1.127-.709-2.054 0-1.037.982-2 2.782-2.637l.164.145c-.6.291-1.09.655-1.09 1.437 0 1.2 1.163.89 1.163 2.782v.727l2.127-2.236 2.237 2.2 2.109-2.2 2.036 2v6.728l-3.745 3.455zm11.108-9.625l-1.073-.982-.964 1.018v6.6c.855.11 1.491.4 2.019.964l.018-.018V8.413zm-2.382.418l-.528.545v10.237l.528.492V8.83zm1.49 9.055c-.308-.382-.69-.709-1.145-.836v3.782l-.036.018-1-.927-2.11 1.945-.036-.018V16.96c-.636.145-1.327.545-1.854 1.2l-.146-.091c.127-1.4.818-2.436 2-2.837v-3.545h-.382c-.527 0-.89.363-.963.763h-.219c-.054-.145-.127-.381-.127-.836 0-.891.6-1.564 1.582-1.564h.11V8.085l-.655-.582-.51.51-.254-.237 2.018-2.073 1.71 1.564V9.05l.527-.564v-2.09h.345v1.727l2.273-2.419L23 7.576v7.91l-3.182 2.4z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg><span class="mr-xs ml-xs gray-darkt flex ems-center">Get the full experience.<span class="ml-xs subs-theme blue">Choose your plan</span></span><svg class="ntent-box" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="fill:#166dfc" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>ArrowRight</tle><path d="M7.664 1.25l6 6a1 1 0 010 1.414l-6 6L6.25 13.25 10.499 9H2V7h8.585L6.25 2.664 7.664 1.25z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></a><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Oaks is next le to lead the Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats and the world’s 16.8 ln believers monly known as Mormons. In his <a href=" target=_blank>remarks</a> at the Universy of Virgia, he hailed the virtu of relig eedom and the importance of LGBTQ nondiscrimatn laws like the trailblazg one LDS lears, lawmakers and LGBTQ activists worked to pass 2015. Known as the “Utah promise,” bans discrimatn agast LGBTQ people hog and employment while rvg out exceptns for relig reasons.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I eply regret that the two groups have been drawn to nflict wh one another,” Oaks said of advot for relig liberty and LGBTQ rights.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">To Williams’s amazement, Oaks then went on to quote Williams — a longtime activist who 2009 led kiss- ralli at the major temple Salt Lake Cy and 2014 was jailed after a s-<b> </b>at the state pol — a posive way. Dpe both havg worked on the promise, the two have never met. (An LDS spokperson said Oaks was not available for ment.)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">LDS lears and elected officials Utah see the state as a role mol for balancg what seems to many like petg rights a eply divid untry. So far, Utah is the only state that has such a law on s books, and efforts to replite on a natnal level have so far failed.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Many supporters of LGBTQ rights are ls enthiastic. They ce glarg gaps the state’s protectns for LGBTQ people and argue that relig eedom protectns, which were tegral securg nservative support for the promise, were already strong the state. For example, Brigham Young Universy prohibs LGBTQ stunts om datg and n ny hog to same-sex upl.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Williams still believ engagg wh lawmakers and Mormon lears as he did six years ago. But he has a new source of potential leverage: the state’s tech dtry. While start-ups were already sprgg up between Salt Lake and Provo before the promise, observers cred the law — and the absence of measur such as a ban on genr-affirmg health re or bathroom bills — wh helpg Utah stay petive the fight for talent. And now, wh newly built fortun, some tech entreprenrs want to unter the fluence of the LDS Church on social issu.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Upon reachg a<b> </b>penthoe sue, Williams was greeted by Jeff T. Green, who found the onle advertisg pany lled the Tra Dk. Green is one of the wealthit Mormons the untry wh a worth of about<b> </b>$5.7 billn. He had been skeptil the promise had changed the state’s culture and had agreed to meet Williams to hear his group’s plans to advance LGBTQ rights.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Durg a two hour-nversatn, they trad stori om their Mormon missnary days. Green, who now liv California, explaed that he was preparg to leave the church soon. And he wanted to know: What uld Equaly Utah do wh more money?</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="A7ZTCFDKNVALPKAWQDM65QSSZA"><div>Common ground</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image-group"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sce 2015, the state has taken other LGBTQ-iendly steps. In 2017, Utah overturned s “No Promo Homo” law, which prohibed discsn of LGBTQ issu classrooms. In 2020, the state banned nversn therapy. And this year, the Mormon ernor regnized Pri Month. A queer<i> </i>bookstore recently opened wh walkg distance to the LDS temple Salt Lake Cy, and at least twice a month Provo, Utahns n attend a drag show.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The promise was also a regnn of chang that were already happeng Utah, now the natn’s fastt growg state. The year the promise passed, <a href=" target=_blank>Gallup</a> reported Salt Lake Cy was home to more people who intify as LGBTQ per pa than New York Cy or Los Angel. The followg year, Salt Lake elected s first openly gay mayor, and the majory of s cy uncil is now LGBTQ.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">While LGBTQ advot often view the enormo fluence of the LDS church as an obstacle, some observers say n be an advantage, too. Mormons make up about 86 percent of the state legislature, acrdg to the <a href=" target=_blank>Salt Lake Cy Tribune</a>, while about 60 percent of Utahns are Mormon, acrdg to the latt figur available om the LDS Church. Once Mormon lears and lawmakers got behd anti-discrimatn protectns for LGBTQ people, they were able to get them through a Republin-ntrolled legislature, a rare step, acrdg to Lambda Legal, a nonprof group that tracks LGBTQ rights legislatn.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">How much further are they willg to go? LGBTQ rights advot want the state to ban discrimatn agast LGBTQ people public acmodatns. For example, a Mormon ke baker n legally cle to provi servic for a same-sex weddg.<b> </b>But some who helped craft the 2015 promise feel they went far enough.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">State Senate print J. Stuart Adams played a key role the passage of the legislatn. On a Friday November at the state pol, Adams, who is LDS, said his support for the law was spired by a biblil passage<b> </b>where J spoke about the importance of lovg one’s neighbor as onelf.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I realized I need to live my relign rather than protect my relign,” Adams said. “Risg ti lifts all ships, and you fd a way to protect everybody’s rights, you fd your rights are protected wh others.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He said he unrstands not everyone is satisfied wh the rult, but how me to be is still signifint. Adams says he has Williams on his cellphone’s speed dial. When asked about new protectns for public acmodatns, he rpond that Utah already has a culture of nondiscrimatn, fostered part by the promise. In the six years sce the law passed, no one has filed any plats unr the law for hog or employment discrimatn, he said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Many Utahns expect the issue of banng transgenr girls and women om petg girls’ and women’s sports will e up durg the next legislative ssn. If do, Adams says he will rely on the same strategy that produced the promise: “One of the objectiv is to be able to have a fair petn and not be discrimatory.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="A7ZTCFDKNVALPKAWQDM65QSSZA"><div>Silin Valley valu</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">For Derek Kchen, a Democratic state senator, would be a step backward if the legislature even nsired an anti-transgenr bill. Kchen, who -owns a Lebane rtrant where he holds a monthly queer poetry night, sued the state of Utah 2015 a se that legalized same-sex marriage there. He is proud of where Utah has e but wants to see Mormon legislators go even further and pass more anti-discrimatn protectns.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“If we’re so proud of the Utah promise,” Kchen said, “maybe we should flex that mcle once aga.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He has a vol and sympathetic dience “Silin Slop,” the nickname for the start-up-rich area between Provo and Salt Lake Cy. Many of the tech entreprenrs are Mormon and attend BYU. Some have been fluenced by Silin Valley’s more libertarian culture and are sendg money to a recently lnched <a href=" target=_blank>tech polil actn mtee</a> that<b> </b>will attempt to offer more progrsive views on social views than the<b> </b>LDS Church state polics.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Dpe the fact that the church is makg more efforts on LGBTQ inti, ’s not enough for tech culture, which don’t have tolerance for discrimatn of any kd," said Taylor Petrey, a relign profsor at Kalamazoo College who has wrten a book on Mormonism and LGBTQ issu. "[The tech lears] want to assiate to broar Ameri, and this isn’t the issue they want to be intified wh.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Josh Jam, CEO of the software pany Domo, is among the tech dtry lears railg agast anti-transgenr legislatn and <a href=" target=_blank>liquor laws</a>. He and Apple CEO Tim Cook have donated to Encircle, a drop- center for LGBTQ youth loted across the street om a LDS temple Provo.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Jam has also put up LGBTQ clive billboards and donated more than $1 ln to related . Jam, a Mormon, said an terview that he hop the LDS Church chang s doctre on LGBTQ people. The church do not regnize same-sex marriage and says marriage “between a man and a woman was stuted by God and is central to His plan for His children and for the well-beg of society.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Mormons have been different for a long time,” Jam said. “There’s a regnn you need to accept other people who are different.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="A7MHBAQHIRA4VEX2JGHJWIO5SM"><div>The lims of promise</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Some of the ph to go beyond the Utah promise has grown out of disappotment wh what the legislatn has been able to acplish for Mormons who are gay, several people si the LDS Church said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Stunts at BYU Provo say the school is a microsm of the ntradictns that many LGBTQ Mormons Utah experience.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A lot has changed at the school where s earlier, “universy approved”<b> </b>electroshock therapi were performed on gay stunts,<b> </b>acrdg to the book “<a href=" target=_blank>Gay Rights and the Mormon Church</a>.”<b> </b>BYU eventually end the practice, and 2016, lears nounced “any therapy that subjects an dividual to abive practic.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In November, a group of about 80 staff and stunts met for a workshop<b> </b>on how to support LGBTQ stunts and stunts of lor where people n ask qutns, such as what do the word “genrqueer” means.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">For Calv Burke, though, the treatment of LGBTQ stunts has phed him out of BYU entirely. The senr English major is planng to transfer next semter after years of difficult teractns.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">When Burke me out at BYU, his roommate moved out while Burke was class. A profsor enuraged him to go to nversn therapy. The Utah promise did not broan the legal spe to protect LGBTQ employe a place like BYU. Burke has worked the feteria and as a rpet cleaner, and his employment uld have also been jeopardy if he had chosen to be a relatnship.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The tippg pot for Burke me this year when a popular profsor on Twter lled him a term om the Book of Mormon that is associated wh the anti-Christ. The profsor apologized, but Burke received public ath threats and other attacks om the DezNat social media movement, which clus the alt-right. The school did not addrs the issue publicly.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“While this issue was addrsed ternally, BYU do not discs disciplary matters publicly,” said a statement.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I fear for a lot of the stunts that are still at BYU that don’t have the support or the abily to fd a different way,” Burke said. “I ma the mistake of believg BYU uld be safer.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">BYU said rponse to Burke’s experience: “We are eply ncerned about the safety and welfare of our stunts. Stunts not only have accs to our universy police and our stunt unselg center, but we also have an Office of Stunt Succs and Incln that offers support for stunt ncerns and needs.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="QAM5PFCNFNA2LOMJBXDLSSHOJQ"><div>Gay thg</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The sun was settg behd the mountas as Green went to his plans to subm his formal rignatn om the LDS Church on Dec. 23, the birthday of Mormonism’s founr and an important day for the fah. He ced his tratns wh church learship, pecially over LGBTQ issu. Also rigng are his brother, an executive at Amazon; a , a vice print at U.S. Bank; his sister, as well as several of their children.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Green and his siblgs grew up a nservative Mormon fay of five children Salt Lake, where he remembers standg le for ernment assistance wh his mother.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">His journey away om the church began over a ago when Mormons raised lns of dollars for Proposn 8, a 2008 ballot proposn that once banned same-sex marriage California. The LDS Church faced natnwi backlash, cludg om s own members. Around that time, Green had been dog his own rearch to Mormonism and nclud had been on the wrong si of history on issu like women’s rights, civil rights and polygamy. Now Green, who liv California and returns to his birthplace of Utah to ski, spends his Sundays studyg philanthropy stead of attendg servic.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Before he met wh Williams, Green said he was not sure the promise was evince the LDS Church has evolved enough. But he saw Oaks’s speech the night before as major progrs om LDS lears.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I had my doubts. Is really effective to try diplomacy wh the church?” Green said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I see progrs as a wdy, curvy road. It’s never a straight le,” Williams replied. “I always celebrate the ws when we n.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“The Mormon learship is olr than ever, and change the world happens faster than ever,” Green said. (The LDS Church is led by a 97-year-old prophet, and his eventual succsors are 89 and 88.)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Mormons are expected to give one-tenth of their e to the LDS Church as a the, and Williams said that whenever the church do somethg that upsets the LGBTQ muny, Equaly Utah receiv donatns that he lls “gay thg.” The latt wave of donatns me Augt after one of the 12 Mormon apostl, Jeffery R. Holland, gave a <a href=" target=_blank>speech</a> at BYU where he urged “mket fire” on issu cludg “fendg marriage as the unn of a man and a woman.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“We’re happy to take your thg,” Williams told Green.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">At the end of the meetg, the billnaire was still unsure exactly how much he was gog to give to Equaly Utah. (He would later donate $600,000, the send largt one-time<b> </b>donatn the group has ever received). But he was won over by Williams’s diplomatic approach.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I know there’s an attu that we had this great Utah promise and somehow we make work, but we haven’t ma work yet," Green said. "We n. We’ll get there.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="rrectn-disclaimer" class="wpds-c-lgLEQx"><div data-ttid="disclaimer-headle" class="wpds-c-kAVFVG">rrectn</div><p data-ttid="disclaimer-scriptn" class="wpds-c-joLgjs">An earlier versn of this article misstated the amount of money donated by Josh Jam to LGBTQ . Jam has given more than $1 ln. 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