Salt Lake City approves gay rights measures after historic Mormon church backing
The Mormon church for the first time has announced its support of gay rights legislation, an endorsement that helped gain unanimous approval for Salt Lake city laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment.
A reader on Andrew Sullivan comments
It is stunning that LDS Church President Thomas Monson has proven to be a more fierce advocate for gay rights during the last year than has U.S. President Barack Obama.
Tuesday’s announcement promises a sea change in the western states because Mormons tend to be devout and accepting of the authority of their Church. Already attitudes are changing. Legislators with extremely hostile records against gay rights are suddenly conciliatory—and the sole cause of this change is the Church’s public pronouncement.
Is the LDS Church now supporting gay marriage? Not yet. But what they have done is a gigantic sea change.