This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In late December of last year, Federal Judge Robert J. Shelby ruled to make Utah the 18th state to allow same-sex marriage. His decision overturned a constitutional amendment enacted by Utah voters in 2004 and same-sex marriage became legal for seventeen days before the Supreme Court issued a stay pending an appeal. The state is now preparing a case in defense of limiting legal marriage in Utah to heterosexual couples.
Until a few days ago, the Utah Senate was planning to hear arguments for and against making revisions to Utah's nondiscrimination bill. The changes, if ratified, would give LGBT and same-sex attracted Utahns the same employment and housing protections as other commonly discriminated against populations such as pregnant women and people over the age of 40, in the case of employment, and families with many children, in the case of housing.
Emotions on both sides of the marriage issue are running high. Sadly, the importance of protecting employment and housing rights has become overshadowed by the same-sex marriage debate. Senate leaders have chosen not to listen to any arguments related to its LGBT or same-sex attracted population out of fear that the rhetoric from both sides might affect the state's case in defense of traditional marriage. In a sense, LGBT and same-sex attracted Utahns have again been officially silenced.
Gay rights supporters, insisting that the decision to refuse to hear the discussion sends yet another message that the state would prefer that LGBT and same-sex attracted voices remain quietly swept under the carpet, have taped hundreds of blue notes to the doors of the Senate demonstrating the importance of the bill in the minds of Utahns and politely asking that the bill be moved out of committee.
The blue notes were not merely a photo opportunity carried out by a few: A poll recently conducted by the Deseret News and KSL found that approximately 70 percent of Utahns favor protecting the housing and employment rights of Utah's sexual minorities.
Housing and employment discrimination hurts Utah families and Utah businesses. We can acknowledge the emotional political climate, but it does not need to bring a halt to the work of our elected representatives. Civil discussion of sensible proposals is something we expect of our legislators.
It is only right that Senate Bill 100 be allowed debate at the Capitol during the 2014 legislative session. There is no justifiable reason why the needs of LGBT and same-sex attracted Utahns should have to wait another year to be heard when housing and employment security is on the line.
Anne McMullin Peffer is the founder and president of Circling the Wagons Conferences for LGBT and same-sex attracted Mormons and is a member of the Mormons Building Bridges Steering Committee.