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FOR RELEASE 2 DECEMBER 2008
AFFIRMATION: GAY AND LESBIAN MORMONS
CONTACT MEDIA AFFAIRS DIRECTOR DAVID MELSON
DAVE_MELSON

AFFIRMATION.ORG OR 240-383-8788
WWW.AFFIRMATION.ORG

Affirmation Backs Equality Utah's Common Ground Initiative

Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons endorses the six bills known as the Common Ground Initiative being brought before the Utah Legislature's 2009 General Session and pledges to work with Equality Utah and other groups to secure their passage.

Despite remaining opposed to any form of marriage other than one man and one woman, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the past year has put forth a number of statements and press releases clarifying that the LDS Church is not anti-gay and that the Church supports certain rights for gay and lesbian people, including health care, employment and fair housing rights, hospital visitation and death benefit rights, and certain other domestic partnership rights. The Common Ground Initiative seeks to codify these basic rights into law in the State of Utah through six bills which conform to the areas in which the LDS Church has said that it has no objection:

Expanded Health Care.

Fair Employment

Fair Housing.

Wrongful Death Benefits.

Domestic Partner Registry for Care, Inheritance and Insurance.

Clarification of Amendment Three.

Affirmation applauds the LDS Church for its public recognition of basic rights of gay and lesbian people. The Church yields a great influence upon the tenor of legislation in Utah. Affirmation urges the legislators to take heed of this clarification by the Church's leaders of their position and to pass these six bills. These bills do not change the definition of marriage in Utah, but they do provide basic rights for the protection of Utah's gay and lesbian citizens, and go a long way toward healing the wounds incurred during the political battles of this past year.

"Equality Utah, under the leadership of Mike Thompson, is to be commended for their initiative in working with legislators to craft these bills," said Affirmation Assistant Executive Director David Melson. "We stand behind Equality Utah and their efforts and we look forward to passage of the Common Ground Initiative measures."

Affirmation is the largest support and advocacy organization for gay Latter-day Saints and their families, and is obligated to speak out on these issues. Leaders of Affirmation have invited the leaders of the LDS Church to meet with them to discuss areas of mutual concern, and the Church has stated that such a meeting will take place in 2009.

More information on the Common Ground Initiative and on ways that you can support this cause are available at www.affirmation.org and at www.equalityutah.org/CommonGroundInitiative.

Common Ground Initiative

During and following California's Proposition 8 campaign, the LDS Church declared it is not "anti-gay" and "does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights." On November 5th, Elder L. Whitney Clayton stated the LDS Church does not oppose "civil unions or domestic partnerships." In response to these statements, Equality Utah has launched its Common Ground Initiative, which consists of 6 bills being introduced in the 2009 General Session of the Utah Legislature. The 6 bills are:

Expanding Health Care- most gay Utahns can not insure their family. This bill will mandate that public employer insurance plans which extend benefits to an employee's spouse, also cover an employees partner. When insurance plans cover families, they should cover every family member.

Fair Employment- Currently, it is legal to fire a person from her job just for being gay or transgender. This bill will add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of characteristics that employers may not consider when making decisions about employment. This was introduced in the 2008 session as HB 89.

Fair Housing- Similarly, a people can be evicted from their homes if they are gay or transgender. This bill will add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of characteristics that landlords may not consider when making decisions about eviction.

Wrongful Deaths- The sudden death of a loved one is painful. When someone dies because of the negligence or malpractice of another, we can help families stay in their homes by removing existing barriers to inheritance and insurance. This bill was introduced in the 2007 session as SB 58 and in the 2008 session as SB 73.

Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act- Apart from marriage, we can do much more to help committed couples in Utah care for each other. This bill creates a domestic partner registry and will attach rights of inheritance, insurance, and fair housing.

Clarifying Amendment 3- A government registry involving inheritance, housing, and insurance is nowhere near the legal equivalent of marriage. But the second part of Amendment 3 has been misinterpreted to prevent any recognition of gay and transgender couples in Utah. This bill would repeal the portion of Amendment 3 which states "no other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as marriage or be given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect." It will not change Utah's current definition of marriage, which is one man and one woman.

Help us secure these rights by joining our Common Ground Initiative. Be part of our work for a fair & just Utah and sign the petition of support today!