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Loading ...All 5 LGBT bills die in Utah
02.18.2009 5:55pm EST
(Salt Lake City, Utah) A bill that would have offered unmarried couples – straight or gay – inheritance rights and the power to make medical decisions when the other partner is incapacitated, Wednesday in the legislature.
It was the fifth defeat for a group of bills called the Common Ground Initiative that would have expanded LGBT civil rights in Utah.Tuesday, legislation to include gays in job and housing protections was defeated and bills to allow for joint support and the creation of a domestic partner registry also failed to gain traction.
A fifth bill which would have allowed same-sex couples to sue for wrongful death damages was defeated in a state Senate committee last month.
In addition, legislation that would have repealed a section of Utah’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was killed by its sponsor in a bid to save the other bills.
On Sunday, a conservative group called America Forever ran full-page ads in Salt Lake City newspapers that likened gays to “druggies and hookers.” The ads declared homosexuality is “anti-species behavior” and said that “gays should be forced not to display” their sexuality in public.
The ads were denounced by LGBT rights groups and Democrats.
Earlier this month Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) said that he supported Common Ground and was in favor of civil unions, although no civil union bill was part of the Common Ground package. Utah has a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions.
Last month, a poll commissioned by Equality Utah found that 63 percent support gay legal protections including some rights for same-sex couples.
The survey found that 62 percent believe it should be illegal to fire someone for being gay and 57 percent said it should be illegal to deny housing to someone for being gay.
On the issue of partner rights, 73 percent said they would support health insurance coverage for a partner or other designated adult for state employees. Utahans however are not ready for same-sex marriage. Only 20 percent said they supported gay marriage.
All hail the all-powerful Magic Underpants Mob!
We have GOT to stop this “one plantation at a time” approach and get some FEDERAL laws and FEDERAL Supreme Court rulings, but we’d better wait on the latter till some of the conservatives have apoplexy over Obama’s presidency, and he gets a chance to appoint some REAL strict constructionists to the Court who’ve actually READ the Bill of Rights, as opposed to the five Opus Dei Roman Catholic jurists currently sitting.
In the meantime, SOMEBODY needs to tell the Utah Legislature that they’re NOT the political arm of the mighty MORMON PAGAN FERTILITY CULT!
This is horrible. Utah couldn’t even do the HUMANE thing by at least passing the one bill providing unmarried couples the right to make medical decisions for one another. What a shame….
screwed again, surprised?? 5 out of 5 -wow!!!!!!
I hope this didn’t come as a shock to anyone.
but ALWAYS remember folks that the great grand Mormon church has NO power in utah. Isn’t that what they’re always telling everyone? time for the LDS to start paying some taxes methinks! LOL!
“anti-species behavior.” these fascists are vicious: the nazi line for jews was “surplus eater.” now we know exactly who we’re dealing with.
In reading this article I see you either reference gays or same-sex couples, yet you continue to use that politically expedient “LGBT” terminology.
You neither mention gender identity nor the transgender community– therefore omit references to the “T”.
If you mean gays and lesbians or issues surrounding sexual orientation, then just say so in the headline. You would do your readership a great service by distinguishing between our two communities.
The gay community is not joined at the hip with the trans community. We have different life experiences and journeys through life.
It has nothing to do with being “inclusive” and everything to do with accuracy in reporting.
If you mean GAY then simply say so and drop that “LGBT” nonsense.
Eversince the Mormons took over the Utah Territory and then reluctantly joined the United States, it has been a strange amalgam of handsome but wingnut Yahoos, polygamists and holier-than-thou hypocrites. That the five LGBT bills were even introduced in UtahLand was no mean achievement in itself but Utah Mormons are extraterrestrials who believe that Planet Utah solely belongs to them.
Starting with BOYCOTS on everything Utah, lgbt needs to organize a p.r. campaign telling Utah what they have to lose by driving us to lgbt friendly states. Getting openly gay reps into positions of power and government should also be revved up, along with educating Utah on all lgbt brings to Utah. If we remain invisible, they will never accept us as their equal.
Yes this is horrible. And expected. But will the 365gay.com Newscenter Staff please read their LEAD? It is not a sentence! Screw human rights–first we need to learn how to communicate!
Yes, this sucks but honestly it comes as no surprise to me. I keep as close tabs on news events regarding LGBT from here in gay-friendly Canada and it’s laughable, it truly is. I’ve said it many times before; the US is at least 30 years behind when on the subject of civil rights in compared to us and other like-nations. Like…. It’s just mind boggling what is allowed to go on there!!!
“Gays should be forced to not display their sexuality in public.” This is exactly why the California Supreme Court should destroy prop 8. Religious fundamentalists have lost all common sense. I would like to introduce to my bat for imposing their disgusting religion, through the law, into my private life. It feels most unclean!
Why does it not surprise me that Utah extended no rights to gays. The propaganda that the Mormon church put forth about not being anti-gay, just anti-gay marriage was just that. A lot of hot air. The Mormons hate gays and it’s time the gay community understood this should it wish to make gains in Utah.
Not sure what is going on politically, but wonder if they would wake up of people ONCE AGAIN started discriminating against Mormons.
But on the other hand, there are plenty of, so I read, good Mormons who support at least basic rights for gays.
But it sure isn’t the time to push for marriage there.
Just my opinion for what it is worth.
Laws should be passed to strip Mormons and other religious fundamentalists of their right to practise what they believe. After all, there are GLBT people of various religions and faiths who are denied their religious freedom. Is it not fair to deny all their religious freedom then?