This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-news-blog/2012/jun/04/mormons-march-gay-pride-parade
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Hundreds of Mormons march in gay pride parade in Salt Lake City | Hundreds of Mormons march in gay pride parade in Salt Lake City |
| (30 days later) | |
| Salt Lake City's gay pride parade received some surprising support this weekend when more than 300 members of the Mormon church – all of them avowedly straight – joined the march. | Salt Lake City's gay pride parade received some surprising support this weekend when more than 300 members of the Mormon church – all of them avowedly straight – joined the march. |
| Sunday's Utah gay pride parade took place a few blocks away from the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church has publicly advocated against same-sex unions since the mid-1990s, when it made a public statement against Hawaii's attempt to legalize gay marriage. | Sunday's Utah gay pride parade took place a few blocks away from the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church has publicly advocated against same-sex unions since the mid-1990s, when it made a public statement against Hawaii's attempt to legalize gay marriage. |
| The Mormon church summarized its position in a statement in 2010: "It's not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation." | The Mormon church summarized its position in a statement in 2010: "It's not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation." |
| But on Sunday, current and former members of the church offered support to the LGBT community as part of the Mormons Building Bridges group. | But on Sunday, current and former members of the church offered support to the LGBT community as part of the Mormons Building Bridges group. |
| Waving signs reading "LDS ♡ LGBT" and "Jesus said love everyone, treat them kindly too…" (a line from a Mormon hymn), group members handed out lollipops reading "Love one another" while dressed in conservative church attire. | Waving signs reading "LDS ♡ LGBT" and "Jesus said love everyone, treat them kindly too…" (a line from a Mormon hymn), group members handed out lollipops reading "Love one another" while dressed in conservative church attire. |
| Erika Munson, founder of Mormons Building Bridges and lifetime member of the Mormon church said: "We wanted to invite faithful, practicing Mormons to show their unconditional love and support for the LGBT community." | Erika Munson, founder of Mormons Building Bridges and lifetime member of the Mormon church said: "We wanted to invite faithful, practicing Mormons to show their unconditional love and support for the LGBT community." |
| Though initially intimidated at organizational meetings for Utah's second-largest parade, Munson said organizers were enthusiastic about her month-old group's participation. | Though initially intimidated at organizational meetings for Utah's second-largest parade, Munson said organizers were enthusiastic about her month-old group's participation. |
| At the parade, the group received even more support, as other participants turned down their music to allow members a few minutes to pray before marching. Sunday is the Mormon sabbath, and group members missed church service to participate. Munson said they considered their participation its own an act of worship. | At the parade, the group received even more support, as other participants turned down their music to allow members a few minutes to pray before marching. Sunday is the Mormon sabbath, and group members missed church service to participate. Munson said they considered their participation its own an act of worship. |
| "There was such an outpouring of love from the crowd, there were tears from people on both sides," Munson told the Guardian. "People were weeping and coming up to us and saying thank you." | "There was such an outpouring of love from the crowd, there were tears from people on both sides," Munson told the Guardian. "People were weeping and coming up to us and saying thank you." |
| One of those people was the parade's grand marshal, Dustin Lance Black, who is gay and was raised Mormon. On Sunday, he tweeted: | One of those people was the parade's grand marshal, Dustin Lance Black, who is gay and was raised Mormon. On Sunday, he tweeted: |
| In tears. Over 300 straight, active Mormons showed up to march with me at the Utah Pride parade in support of LGBT people | In tears. Over 300 straight, active Mormons showed up to march with me at the Utah Pride parade in support of LGBT people |
| Black is the award-winning screenwriter of the movie Milk, about murdered San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk, and the TV series Big Love, about a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah. He introduced Mormons Building Bridges to the parade crowd, saying: "I want you to meet my new friends." | Black is the award-winning screenwriter of the movie Milk, about murdered San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk, and the TV series Big Love, about a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah. He introduced Mormons Building Bridges to the parade crowd, saying: "I want you to meet my new friends." |
| Munson said she felt like it was a good time to start the group because of recent legislation to prevent same-sex marriage, like California's Prop 8, which the Mormon church encouraged its members to vote for. | Munson said she felt like it was a good time to start the group because of recent legislation to prevent same-sex marriage, like California's Prop 8, which the Mormon church encouraged its members to vote for. |
| "Prop 8 was was heartbreaking and full of strife for a lot of people, not just for the gay non-Mormon community, but for the Mormon community," Munson said. "I think the wounds are starting to heal, and I think we are ready to start having a conversation again." | "Prop 8 was was heartbreaking and full of strife for a lot of people, not just for the gay non-Mormon community, but for the Mormon community," Munson said. "I think the wounds are starting to heal, and I think we are ready to start having a conversation again." |
| Though the church officially opposes same-sex marriage, it supported a proposed ordinance to protect gay Salt Lake City residents from housing and employment discrimination in 2009. | Though the church officially opposes same-sex marriage, it supported a proposed ordinance to protect gay Salt Lake City residents from housing and employment discrimination in 2009. |
| Mitt Romney, currently the most famous member of the Mormon church, is former governor of the first US state to legalize same-sex marriage. As the republican presidential nominee, he has voiced clear opposition to same sex marriage. | Mitt Romney, currently the most famous member of the Mormon church, is former governor of the first US state to legalize same-sex marriage. As the republican presidential nominee, he has voiced clear opposition to same sex marriage. |
| Mormons Building Bridges does not officially represent the Mormon community or any political organization but hopes to continue the conversation and "keep grassroots love going", Munson said. | Mormons Building Bridges does not officially represent the Mormon community or any political organization but hopes to continue the conversation and "keep grassroots love going", Munson said. |
| Representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were unavailable for comment. | Representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were unavailable for comment. |
| • This article was amended on 5 June 2012. Mormons Building Bridges was referred to as Mormons Building Borders in one paragraph. This has now been corrected. | • This article was amended on 5 June 2012. Mormons Building Bridges was referred to as Mormons Building Borders in one paragraph. This has now been corrected. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |