08/25/2021
** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **
UTAH COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY STANDS WITH LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
Today our hearts are with the thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals who call Utah County home. You are a treasured and integral piece of our community, and we are deeply disturbed by the disparaging, and in some cases, threatening, comments that have been made in the last 48 hours.
In a speech yesterday at Brigham Young University, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland cautioned students to “be careful” with their “love and empathy,” warning the community against advocacy for LGBTQ+ students. He openly criticized a gay student for speaking his mind in an approved and appropriate way, and called for more “musket fire” from those who oppose same-sex marriage.
Both religious and community leaders alike have a responsibility to create a safe and welcoming community, and these remarks from Elder Holland, as well as those from State Board of Education member Natalie Cline, city council candidate Gregory Smith, and others, betray that responsibility.
Utah County can do better, and we call on faith leaders, community members, and elected officials to refrain from any references to violence or any statements which promote the continued marginalization of the LGBTQ+ community. We urge all, including leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to live the words of Elder Holland and "avoid language, symbols, and situations that are more divisive than unifying at the very time we want to show love for all."
The Utah County Democratic Party is committed to defending the human and constitutional rights of all Utah County residents, and we stand resolutely behind the constitutionally recognized right of every American to be married to the person they love and live a life free from discrimination. We will continue working in Utah County and around the state to ensure that all people — regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity — are able to find a place in our community.
