http://www.equalityutah.org/CG_Thank_You_ad_FINAL.pdf

“Homosexuality is not a race!”

Well, neither is one’s religion!

How BEHIND can people be? One’s color, isn’t a ‘race’ either.

According to our DNA, we’re ALL ONE RACE, ONE SPECIES.
Gay people included.

And one’s Mormonism isn’t a race, or species.
So religious groups really are in LESS of a position to be demanding any Constitutional protections, let alone for LIBEL, SLANDER, THREATS and DEFAMATION.
These are not protected speech.

The Bible says only a few things about homosexuality.

All the rest that anyone else says to specifically deprive a minority of their Constitutional rights, civil equality and all that, IS subjective defamation and negative propagandizing.

Their speech ISN’T so free if the price is the freedom of another.

“Homosexuality isn’t a race!”

PUH. LEEZE!

So let’s see, I don’t think I’ve heard of someone KNOWINGLY inviting a rapist or drug addict to a family outing. But then rapists don’t commit their crimes at those either.
And drug addicts don’t usually do that business in front of someone in public, but usually among those ALSO doing the same thing.
So how would two men or women kissing TRAUMATIZE anyone at a family outing or in public?
How could hand holding or hugging, much the same as ANY OTHER person who is with who they love, do anything damaging?
Somebody has some seriously irrational, little ol sensibilities?

I mean, of COURSE the ANTI marriage equality people don’t want the ad to be PUBLICLY mean and display OPENLY what they have in their hearts and minds?
Because of course, private bigotry and fear, it’s SO much better right?
So, as long as discrimination, and public policies that barely acknowledge gay people as citizens and human beings are in place…then there is REALLY no need for such mean spirited advertising?

People might ACTUALLY figure out what they are doing and why.

Unless you were part of a group called Cyber Sluts (don’t ask me to explain…except to say they’re ‘drag’ to the nth degree.) I doubt very much you would feel obligated to dress/act or be anyone but yourself in Salt Lake City and even in the LDS Headquarters…except the Temple, of course…you might be cast as one of the live actors for the presentations they do in there portraying you-know-who. (I can’t get into the details here.)

But, I will agree, a goatee, on some people, might be devilish-looking for some ultra-prudes. Just leave your trident at home.

Just think, if Brigham Young were alive today, he would have had to shave his beard to be in the First Presidency.

Times have changed.

As for closeting myself, I don’t know what your experience is, but I know that I consciously and subconsciously alter my mannerisms, censor what I will talk about and otherwise hide any sign of my actual sexuality.

My job requires me to fly around the country doing educational presentations, so I typically spend only a few hours with a group of colleagues for any one program. Perhaps it’s a bit of cowardice on my part, but these types of interactions are typically so brief that I feel the need to minimize any potential issues by ensuring those who might be offended by my existence don’t realize that I am gay.

I am in general open about my sexuality (e.g., I won’t lie if asked a direct question), but when I travel to a place like Utah, where there are absolutely no protections for me and a large anti-gay population, I practice the “better safe than sorry” philosophy. I simply cannot afford to be refused a hotel room, or, in this case, thrown out of the church headquarters for being gay (it was bad enough that I have a goatee, apparently facial hair is a no-no for the LDS, so they knew I was not one of “them” from the very get-go).

I only bring it up to point out the huge double standard here. Anti-gay types have absolutely no problem announcing their potentially offensive “lifestyle choices,” like religion, and would never agree to any form of self-censorship. But as this ad makes clear, they are absolutely against LGBT people making our existences plain. Because they can back those demands up with force (and I’ve already been gay-bashed once, thank you, don’t need it again), we are the ones forced to re-closet ourselves.

Can you imagine the outcry if some group of evangelicals had published an ad like this, say protesting Romney’s candidacy for President? You could easily fill an ad with denunciations of the “heresy” and “blasphemy” of the Mormons, claim they are a threat to religious freedom in this country because they demand that “Christians” accept their sin, etc. Yet the outcry would be so huge it would likely have helped Romney, IF you could have found a newspaper to print it – and that’s just part of the double standard.

CPT_Doom, I’m not challenging you. I’m not clear as to how you would “closet” yourself before walking into the office building. Are you talking about the LDS Church headquarters?

It has been pretty much confirmed I’m “the gay” on my floor in my office. However, I don’t flaunt it. Years ago during a late-night crisis, I had a very frank conversation with my boss and he asked some pointed questions. It pretty much cemented the rumors about my social life after that. I don’t regret the answers I gave. It was none of his business but I will not apologize for who I am nor will I lie about who I am.

I do have some ultra-radical conservatives on my team. Even after multiple mandatory seminars about diversity in the workplace I have had some very interesting interactions with my co-workers. Just last week, one boss of mine said to another co-worker: “That is so gay.” But that was minor.

In spite of that, and the huge influence of the biggest Church and its members, I don’t think I would ever need to feel I had to “closet” myself.

I’m wondering how you had to “closet” yourself when you came to Salt Lake City.

Oh and, yes, I know…there are other gays on my floor. They just don’t admit they are gay.

I do not think the Mormon Church would have approved this kind of ad…their high-priced New York PR staff would have done much better.

It’s ironic that America Forever would use such a picture except, maybe, they want to introduce the racial intermixed kissing couple because of its targeted audience as John, above, has implied. More fear-based hate-base propaganda?

Again, I want to mention, the sentiment of what was said in the ad MIGHT be the prevailing attitude of a lot of Mormons but this kind of demonstrating (with signs) and this advertisement is not sanctioned by the Mormon Church.

In another related news: Today KSL, (Mormon-owned television station) did a scientific poll of Utahns about the Common Ground initiatives:

47% favor civil unions
42% oppose civil unions
the rest are undecided.

So…maybe we might be making headway! And as David C. says: “It’s time for progressive organizations to start placing advertisements that expose this madness in mainstream newspapers, and it’s time to take the gloves off.”