Frequently asked questions regarding sexual orientation.

Are GLBT persons discriminated against in Salt Lake?

Many GLBT persons in Salt Lake are “in the closet.” They are afraid to be open and honest about their sexual orientation for fear of losing their jobs and becoming estranged from their friends and family. Most GLBT Utahan have experienced various forms of discrimination during their lives – from the implicit (schoolyard bullying, derogatory remarks by co-workers) to the explicit (loss of job, physical assault.)

Can GLBT persons in Salt Lake legally be fired from their jobs for being gay?

Yes. And it does occur in Salt Lake. Some cities and states protect GLBT persons from being fired from their jobs solely on the basis of their sexual orientation. But Salt Lake does not. Presently, the City of Salt Lake requires that all businesses and organizations that wish to be considered for contracts to perform work for the City practice non-discriminatory employment practices in regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, or disability. (Section 110, Title 5 of the City of Salt Lake’s Human Rights Ordinances.) By amending this ordinance to include sexual orientation, the City of Salt Lake could help end discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation among its contractors. (Federal legislation that would make employment discrimination against GLBT persons illegal, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, is currently under consideration by Congress and enjoys bipartisan support.)

Can GLBT persons in Salt Lake legally be evicted from their apartments for being gay?

Yes. In Salt Lake, it is illegal to deny housing (leasing an apartment) to a person based on their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Section 104, Title 5 of the City of Salt Lake’s Human Rights Ordinances.) It is legal to evict someone from their apartment or deny them a lease based on their sexual orientation.

Can GLBT persons in Salt Lake legally be asked to leave a restaurant or hotel for being gay?

Yes. In Salt Lake, it is illegal to deny access to a restaurant, hotel, movie theater, concert hall, sports arena, bowling alley, retail establishment, bank, barber shop, or other place of public accommodation based on a person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Section 105, Title 5 of the City of Salt Lake’s Human Rights Ordinances.) However, it is legal to deny access to these public places to a person based on sexual orientation. (Note: churches and private clubs are exempt from this ordinance.)

Can GLBT persons in Salt Lake City legally be refused a home mortgage loan solely because they are gay?

Yes. In Salt Lake City, it is illegal to deny a mortgage loan to a person based on their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Section 104, Title 5 of the City of Salt Lake’s Human Rights Ordinances.) It is legal to deny a loan to a person based on their sexual orientation.

Why do GLBT persons need “special” rights?

GLBT persons do not need or want “special” rights. This is a misrepresentative message used for political gain by some people. GLBT persons only want equal rights shared by all heterosexual persons – the right to a job, the right to rent an apartment, and the right to equal access to public places. Now, GLBT persons are denied these basic human rights.

The bible says homosexuality is wrong. Why should we provide equal rights to people who are engaging in activities prohibited in the bible?

The bible is interpreted in many literal and figurative ways by different religious denominations. The bible condones many practices not deemed acceptable in modern society, including slavery. Whether or not you agree with a person’s decision to honor and remain true to his or her sexual orientation, GLBT persons should not be denied a job, housing, or access to public places simply because they’re gay.

What do physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists think of homosexuality?

The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental health disorders in 1973. The American Psychological Association has taken the same action, and has stated since 1975 “homosexuality per se implies no impairment in judgment, stability, reliability, or general social and vocational capabilities.”

Isn’t homosexuality a choice? Why should GLBT persons be provided equal rights based on their lifestyle choice?

An overwhelming majority of psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, and scientists believe that homosexuality is innate and not a choice. However, there is still debate on this issue. Most GLBT persons believe in their hearts and minds that their sexual orientation is not a choice. Could you “choose” to be gay? Why would people choose to be gay in a hostile environment, risking the loss of their jobs, families, friends, and in some cases, their lives?

Why can’t homosexuals reject the “gay lifestyle” and become straight?

An overwhelming majority of psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, and scientists believe that GLBT persons cannot change their sexual orientation. Numerous research initiatives and articles in professional medical journals support this position.

I’m tired of GLBT persons “flaunting” their lifestyles in public. I don’t discuss my sexuality in public. Why should they?

Many GLBT persons fearfully keep their personal lives private, away from the view of co-workers, families, and friends. As a heterosexual person, think of how often you discuss your spouse, your children, or your family activities with co-workers. Do you have a photograph of your spouse on your desk at work? Most GLBT persons do not wish to discuss their sexual orientation in public. But until equality is achieved, many feel that they must.

Can GLBT persons encourage our young people to be gay?

Mental health professionals (APA) believe that people do not “choose” to be gay or straight and cannot encourage someone to change his or her sexuality. GLBT persons have no interest in “encouraging” any person to “become” gay. We merely want the public to understand and respect our sexual orientation without discrimination or violence.

Doesn’t homosexuality lead to pedophilia?

The American Psychiatric Association, the most respected and recognized mental health association, has stated that homosexuality has no link to pedophilia. Pedophilia is categorized as a disorder while homosexuality is not. Most cases of pedophilia are perpetrated by heterosexual persons.

Do churches in Salt Lake support equal rights for GLBT persons?

Many churches and religious organizations in Salt Lake have open and affirming policies and support equal rights for GLBT persons, including several Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Unitarian congregations. Religious leaders in Salt Lake City, including members of the Salt Lake Metropolitan Ministry, have been at the forefront of advocating equal rights for GLBT persons for many years.

Will amending the city of Salt Lake’s human rights ordinances to include sexual orientation and gender identity make the city vulnerable to an increased number of discrimination lawsuits and cost more money?

According to the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) in a report completed in July 2002, in states that have enacted a law prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, “relatively few formal complaints of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation have been filed, either in absolute numbers or as a percentage of all employment discrimination complaints in the state.” So why enact such a measure? To provide legal recourse for those who do encounter employment discrimination; to discourage employers from discriminating in the first place; and to create a more tolerant employment environment for everyone.

How will amending the city of Salt Lake’s human rights ordinances to include sexual orientation and gender identity affect the city’s reputation and its efforts to encourage economic development?

Many of the nation’s largest employers have implemented policies protecting GLBT persons from employment discrimination, including companies with a major presence in Salt Lake such as American Airlines and others. Many Salt Lake companies, such as Williams, have recognized and sanctioned GLBT employee organizations. Williams has revised its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy to include sexual orientation. Williams is the largest corporate donor to the Salt Lake City for Human Rights (TOHR) – Utah’s oldest and largest GLBT organization.

We strongly believe that by extending equal protection from discrimination to its GLBT citizens, the city of Salt Lake will gain positive national recognition. Such recognition will gain the attention of potential major employers and the arts community across the nation.

Have other cities amended their human rights ordinances to include sexual orientation and gender identity?

More than 200 cities and towns across America have chosen to protect their GLBT citizens from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on the basis of their sexual orientation. Most recently, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Dallas, Texas, have adopted such measures (2002).

Are GLBT persons the victims of hate crimes and violence?

GLBT persons are often victims of hate crimes and violence, both reported and unreported. As a result, the Salt Lake Police Department’s race relations committee has formally encouraged the Utah Legislature to add sexual orientation to its hate crimes legislation.

Will amending the city’s human rights ordinances really end discrimination?

Municipal governments can protect GLBT citizens from unfair discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations, thereby creating a more safe and welcoming environment for all people. Such equal protection would help GLBT citizens feel more at home in Salt Lake and would help curtail the “brain drain” of young, talented GLBT persons who leave Salt Lake because of its reputation for intolerance.

Is the suicide rate of young GLBT persons higher than the population at large?

Gay and lesbian youths are at high risk for attempting suicide, according to a study by Dr. Robert Garofalo of the Children's Hospital, Boston. The study, published in July 1999 in the American Medical Association's Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, found that students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or not sure of their sexual orientation are 3.41 times more likely nationwide to report a suicide attempt.

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