Alabama CJ Fighting Same-Sex Marriage

Nearly 7 months after the SCOTUS struck down laws prohibiting same-sex marriage, Alabama Cheif Justice Roy Moore still believes it's his state's right to deny them. Moore has been an outspoken opponent of LGBT rights and has garnered support from many anti-gay conservative groups. Although Moore stopped short of requesting officials to deny same-sex marriage licences, he claimed it their right to do so.

A few counties are currently offering no marriage licences, while most are issuing licences to both opposite and same-sex couples.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38034747&nid=157

First Gay Mayor of SLC Sworn-in Today

Jackie Biskupski was elected Mayor of SLC in November 2015 with 52% of the votes. She is to be sworn in today around noon.

Utahns have buzzed about her being the first elected gay Mayor in Utah, most in disgruntled voices. Since the outlawing of SSM bans in the US last year, and the enactment of numerous anti-discrimination laws, conservative states like Utah have dragged their feet in recognizing the equality of gay people and gay marriage. Having lost their ability to disallow it, hearing more news of gay people gets the religious right in a tissy-fit.

Biskupski has only lightly mentioned furthering LGBT equality. Most of her platform is focused on wealth distribution for taxes and schools, particularly in the poorer parts of the city. The media can only outline that she is a gay person. Her primary goals reflect the needs of the city, giving the media little room to paint her as one with an LGBT agenda.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=38002640&nid=148&title=salt-lake-citys-new-mayor-to-be-sworn-in-monday&s_cid=queue-8

FDA Permits 1-Year Celibate Homosexuals to Donate Blood

Since the AIDs crisis in 1983, the FDA banned men who have had sex with men from ever donating blood for life--until now.

Although the percentage of homosexuals that have contracted HIV is greater than heterosexuals, LGBT activists are still claiming that the policy is unfair and stigmatized. From a health and science perspective, experts are saying that the 1-year policy is enough time to know if a gay person has contracted HIV and whether he is eligible to provide healthy blood.

The arguments that heterosexuals also have come in contact with HIV, use/share infected needles for drugs, and/or have high numbers of sexual partners are not enough for policy makers to accept blood in a fashion that does not stigmatize gay and bisexual men. Such options are claimed to be expensive, and financially unethical. The celibacy period is the best option at this point to allow gay and bisexual men to donate without increasing the spread of HIV. As science and treatments progress, there is hope to eradicate HIV risk and potentially remove policies that exclude gay men.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37858339&nid=157

SLC Mayor-Elect Biskupski Meets with LDS Leaders

The elected SLC Mayor is wasting no time meeting with the most influential groups in the city to get things done. She already asked almost all the city department heads to resign for a review. Now she is discussing city issues with LDS leaders.

Although LGBT issues were not discussed during the meeting, Biskupski left a letter to Mr. Christofferson, LDS apostle, addressing her (and other citizens) private concerns about the anti-gay policies recently released.

Biskupski is already tickling me to death. She is jumping in head first by choosing the best heads of departments (in terms of who will work with her and get things done), she is meeting with the looming conservative power in the city as a democrat, and she is sensitively representing the thoughts of the city's citizens.

I find it extremely wise of her to not focus on the anti-gay church policies in the meeting, as they are not relevant to city policy. But noting that she is putting in a private word to express her constituents' concerns shows she is doing what she can.

The church's policies leak into secular activities because of it's huge influence. Honestly, I think the anti-polygamy policies are just as hurtful. The argument, "we are also bad to group A, so it makes sense to be bad to group B" isn't a great one.

When people here say that "it is a sin and that will not change", remember that what is sin in the LDS world does change. IE: blacks, polygamy, alcohol... etc. The constancy in the LDS church doesn't really exist.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37713547&nid=757

Mass Resignation from LDS Church

In an organized protest Saturday, thousands of people marched around temple square, signed papers prepared by a local attorney, and mailed their resignations from the LDS Church, demanding that their names be removed from the records of the Church.

Although the large majority of the resignations (known from Facebook polls) were already inactive or non-believing Mormons, the number of members reported by the church would still be affected. That is granted that the church membership records truly do deduct these resignations from their reports.

Church leaders and PR reps state that this is a minor resignation event, and the number of the church are still growing, higher that ever. What the LDS church does not report is the number of recent baptisms that go inactive soon after joining. One only needs to look at the number of stakes and wards to truly determine the growth of the church. A certain amount of "priesthood holders" is needed for each unit. In addition, a count of attending members each week is the main factor in deciding whether a new unit need be split, dissolved, or added.

Although the church membership appears to grow, the number of growing units does not match up. See the link below:

http://ldsstatistics.com/

This is only one event, whereas several individuals across the US are resigning as a result of the newest policies and the facts released by the church and others that don't match its teachings.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865641568/Activists-mostly-inactive-Mormons-resign-from-LDS-Church-at-SLC-event.html

Same-Sex Foster Couple Stripped of Child by Judge

Beckie Pierce and April Hoagland of Carbon County, Utah, have been ordered by Utah's Juvenile Judge Scott Johansen. Johansen stated that the 1-year-old girl would be better off with heterosexual parents. This same judge ordered a teen's hair be chopped off for cutting a small girl's hair in a restaurant.

Despite the biological mother's wish that the two women foster and adopt the girl, and their disagreement with the court order, the foster agencies are working to comply with the Judge. The mothers are devastated. The are already raising Pierce's two biological teenage children, and have stated that the little girl has joined the family seamlessly. 

LGBT rights activists are enraged that one ultra-conservative judge is tearing apart this family.

http://www.sltrib.com/home/3165669-155/carbon-county-judge-orders-same-sex-couple?fullpage=1

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37325894&nid=148&title=judge-orders-1-year-old-foster-child-be-removed-from-gay-couples-custody&fm=home_page&s_cid=topstory

In protest to the LDS policies in place last week, a group held a protest at Temple Square, and a candlelight vigil at Pioneer Park. These supporters of LGBT rights and equality are upset with the hateful message the policies represent. Same-sex parents are enraged with the attack on children for having committed no crime or sin.

Some are calling for a repeal on the policies, and an apology from the LDS Church. Neither of which are likely anytime soon. But many are recognizing the imminent effect on gay kids in the church at risk for teasing, judging, and bullying at school, or even expulsion by parents from the home (despite the church's plea not to do so). Even if no one knew a Mormon kid was gay, the internal conflict will often rise to depression and attempts at suicide.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37284724&nid=148

http://www.sltrib.com/home/3150261-155/protesters-rally-against-lds-policy-regarding