A group of approximately 300 people rallied at the Utah State Capitol on Monday against a bill introduced by Senator Chris Buttars that would allow schools to eliminate gay-straight alliances and other groups promoting tolerance. The rally was organized by 18-year-old Meisja Turner. Said Turner: “We know who we are and we know what we believe. This is a way to let everyone know it’s not a secret – it’s no big deal [to be gay.]”
Buttars bill was recently approved by the Utah Senate. Scott McCoy, an openly gay Senator from the state (above left), spoke at Monday’s rally. “This is family day at the Legislature,” he said, referring to gay families. Earlier this month, he spoke out about what purpose gay-straight alliances serve: “The most common epithets thrown about in our high schools are words like faggot and dyke. What these clubs exist to do is not to recruit people to change they way they live their lives. These clubs are simply places they can come together and say, ‘We don’t think people should be treated like that.'”
Rallying for Their Rights [salt lake tribune]