Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons

Mormon Legislator John A. “Bert” Stevenson

Mormon Rep. Bert Stevenson “Overspoke” on Radio Broadcast
James Tidmarsh: “We hope this meeting was able to bring a little bit of understanding of the struggles that LGBT face on a daily basis”

16 March 2009

Members of SIGLBT Community Center and Lion’s Pride Idaho LGBT groups were encouraged by their meeting with Mormon Representative John A. “Bert” Stevenson. After discussing his on-air comments in late February, two LGBT leaders informed him that current State and Federal laws are inadequate to protect LGBT in the workplace. Stevenson said he did not know that there were no federal protections in place.

“We are encouraged by these events and hope to have more public discussions in the future. We feel that Representative Stevenson is very open to listen to any LGBT who wishes to knock on his door,” says Donna Harwood, Owner of Lion’s Pride.

When asked what he would like to say to the LGBT community Rep. Stevenson said, “Be patient with us. We need to have identified to us [Idaho Legislature] the differences.”

“Rep. Stevenson’s comments on the radio broadcast were obviously not well thought out and were ill informed. The education of Idaho’s Legislative body is going to be a lengthy process. It will take each one of us to reach out to our own lawmakers to make sure we move forward on this issue and the many other LGBT issues,” said James Tidmarsh, President of the SIGLBT Community Center. “We hope this meeting was able to put human faces to the LGBT community and to bring a little bit of understanding of the struggles that LGBT face on a daily basis.”

Harwood and Tidmarsh presented Rep. Stevenson with a DVD copy of “Voices in Exile: Stories of Lesbian Mormons,” a documentary by an Idaho director, a copy of Andrew Sullivan’s book “Virtually Normal” and “No More Goodbyes: Circling the Wagon Around Our Gay Loved Ones” by Carol Lynn Pearson.

Lion’s Pride is an advocacy group existing in support of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered) communities along with supportive straight individuals seeking unity between all people.