Salt Lake City passes gay rights legislation with Mormon support

The largest city in Utah passes landmark gay rights legislation which sets the tone for equal rights in the arenas of housing and employment. Salt Lake City becomes the first city in Utah to pass such an ordinance.

It was announced on Wednesday that Salt Lake City, a city well-known for its significant activity within the Mormon church, passed a set of laws assuring that gays and lesbians may no longer be discriminated against in their housing or unemployment selections. After a unanimous vote by city council, the laws prohibit any discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Under the laws, it is now illegal to evict someone from their home or fire someone from their place of employment solely based on those factors. The Mormon Church, which according to some figures, over half the population of Utah align themselves with, agreed with the legislation, citing that they have no problem with assuring equal rights in areas that aren't involving marriage. "The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage," Michael Otterson, the director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement to the Associated Press. Legislation was spawned after a May 2009 report by the Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and the transgender population make up roughly 7.6% of the overall population of Salt Lake County. That same report also suggested that Salt Lake City pass legislation creating a non-discrimination ordinance. Some statistics from the report:

- Between June 2007 and September 2008, there was a reported average of three sexual orientation and gender identity employment discrimination complaints per month.

- Men in same-sex couples earn an average $37,118 each year (with a median of $30,000), compared to an average $45,414 (with a 19 percent higher median of $37,000) for married men.68 On the other hand, women in same-sex couples earn an average $27,752 per year (with a median of $24,900), compared to an average of $20,654 (with a median of $16,900) for married women.

-Between July 2007 and June 2008, data collected indicates that only seven housing discrimination complaints were filed on the basis of gender in the state of Utah.83 However, the same data shows that 25 complaints were filed on the basis of familial status. While familial status may depend on a variety of different variables (such as married and non-married couples, children, extended family members living in the home, etc.), housing nondiscrimination laws provide no protection for LGBT individuals and same-sex couples.

With the passing of this legislation, Salt Lake City becomes the first city in Utah to pass an anti-discrimination law based on sexual orientation or gender identity. For LGBT equality organizations, this ordinance is landmark for their struggle. "What happened here tonight I do believe is a historic event," said Brandie Balken, director of the gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah. "I think it establishes that we can stand together on common ground that we don't have to agree on everything, but there are lot of things that we can work on and be allies."