During the 2002 Winter' Games.

During the 2002 Winter' Games, activist disposes will descend on Salt Lake City to make their voices heard at an international media audience, undivided of the most prominent being Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

PFLAG got any informal advice for its expedition from Stephen Clark, the publicly gay legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, who has serv as a liaison between city officials and activist assemblages seeking to protest at the Games. The Advocate spoke to Clark about activism and the Winter Games, the temple of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the state's fledgling gay community.

There are spring to be major protests at the Winter Olympics, with all the media around.

I've talked to a wide variety of clumps from PFLAG to the local animal rights cluster Generally we have had a pious dialogue with city officials.

What is PFLAG hoping to accomplish?

PFLAG wants to [make] it easier for young gay and lesbian athletes to be who they are. [PFLAG members] want to use undivided of the larger public areas downtown designated for demonstrations to present on a concert featuring a gay choir. in this way far, the city doesn't papal court a problem with it. What could be more American than a lump of parents of gays and lesbians sponsoring a choir?

Not everyone dioceses it that way. You have handled several landmark legal cases of antigay discrimination in the state.

The best-known united is the case of Wendy Weaver, a lesbian teacher in a small town. She was fired according to the school board [as a high denomination volleyball coach], but we managed to get by heart her reinstated and compensated. We also personateed the gay-straight alliance at East High indoctrinate in Salt Lake City. The educate shut down all extracurricular fraternitys when it realized it couldn't single gone out the gay-straight alliance. I'm happy to say that today there are gay-straight alliances meeting all across the [Salt Lake] valley.

to such a degree there has been progress in Utah, which is frequently characterized as inhospitable to gays and lesbians?

It has brace climates. The legislature never misses an opportunity to magnify legal fire walls against lesbians and gays whether in bourns of relationships, adoption, foster parenting, or the mention of homosexuality in high gymnasium curricula. There is a musical entertainmented effort made to legally marginalize gays and lesbians. in succession the other hand, there is a lusty closet culture. As long as race keep their mouths shut and remain hidden, everyone is usually fine.

What's the part of the Mormon Church, which wields in this way much political power in the state?

single in kind senses from time to time a slight change in the rhetoric. There are occasional calls for tolerance and against discrimination. if it be not that in efforts to erect fire walls against same-sex relationships, the Mormon ecclesiastical body is unparalleled. It has poured currency into antigay marriage initiatives in Alaska, California, and Hawaii. The legislature here serves to mirror the church's position forward social issues, from liquor laws to gay marriage. It's going to be a extended road to break through that.

What is the strategy for improving the situation?

The best way we have place is by invoking constitutional rights. The First Amendment should allow the bulk of mankind to talk about their lives without getting fired or coop up out. I grew up in Ogden [Utah], and after living [out of state], I've been back here 3 1/2 years. Like in greatest in number places in the U.S., the gay community here has managed to increase its visibility and begin to break down the retiring-room culture. The gay pride celebration in Salt Lake City has gone from a hardly any hearty souls 10 years ago to a vast throng this year of athwart 10,000.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Liberation Publications, Inc.

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