Utah
STATUS: Anti-relationship recognition constitutional amendment
TAKE ACTION: State advocacy groups are working toward fairness for all of Utah's families by overturning a constitutional amendment that prohibits any form of legal family status for same-sex couples in the state.
HISTORY: In 2004, anti-gay forces in Utah pushed through Utah Constitutional Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment that excludes same-sex couples from marriage and prohibits same-sex couples from any other form of legal family status.
GROUPS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MARRIAGE:
- Equality Utah is Utah's central statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights and advocacy organization.
- Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide.
- Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.
POLLING DATA: Support for the freedom to marry has increased sharply in the past 8 years, with 36% of the state's residents now supporting marriage. In 2004, just 25% were supportive. (Williams Institute, 2012)
NUMBER OF SAME-SEX COUPLES: According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,909 same-sex couples are living in Utah, representing 4.5 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.
Blog Posts Related to Utah
Finding love, acceptance and support in my Mexican immigrant Mormon family
Hear a personal story of self-discovery and familial love from Carlos Gomar, whose story resonates with our 'Familia es Familia' public education campaign. Coming out as gay in a Mexican immigrant Mormon family in Utah may not be the most typical coming out story - but it's Carlos', and he's learned a lot from his unique identity.
Activists: Mormon beliefs factor in LGBT struggles
In a faith where the traditional family is deeply woven into theology and where there is seemingly no line between religion and culture, the potential losses for LGBT Mormons who come out can be devastating.
Today: Gay-rights activists set to call on Mormon Apostle to correct his statement
Today (Tuesday, Oct. 12), gay-rights activists will meet in Salt Lake City to ask Elder Boyd K. Packer, president of the Mormon Church’s Quorum of Twelve Apostles, that he correct his inaccurate and dangerous statements calling same-sex attraction “impure and unnatural,” claiming that it can be corrected and characterizing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples as immoral.
Resources Related to Utah
Utah Census Snapshot
Demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Utah.
Geographic Trends Among Same-Sex Couples in the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey
Groundbreaking research showing a huge increase in same-sex couples identifying themselves as "unmarried partners".
Same-Sex Marriage: When Will It Reach Utah?
The road to marriage equality in Utah.