Latest news with #EqualityUtah
Axios
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
It's Pride Month in Salt Lake City. Here's your guide to events
Salt Lake City's busiest Pride weekend has arrived. Here are the events you need to know about to celebrate. Friday 🪩 Pride youth dance: Shake it off at this retro dance party for ages 14-20, featuring a photo booth and mocktails. When: 8-11pm Where: Salt Lake City Main Library Atrium Admission: $8 Saturday 🪧 Rally and march: The Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah will organize this rally with multiple speakers. When: 10am Where: Utah State Capitol 🏳️🌈 Utah Pride Festival: The state's largest LGBTQ+ celebration returns with performances by David Archuleta, CupcakKe and more. Where: Washington and Library Square When: 11am-10:30pm Saturday; Noon-7pm Sunday Sunday 🥁 Utah Pride Parade: Roughly 150,000 attendees are expected at the parade. When: 10am Where: The route will stretch from 100 South and West Temple to 400 East and 300 South. Upcoming events this month 🛍️ Millcreek Pride: This celebration will feature a Pride market, car wash, runway contest and bingo. When: Noon-10pm June 14 Where: Millcreek Common 🎶 SLC Pride: This event is back for its second year and will feature a queer youth market and live entertainment. Bike valet will be available.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gay, Christian lawyer alleges he was fired due to social media posts critical of transgender policies
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. An openly gay, conservative Christian lawyer sued Lucid Software May 22 for allegedly firing him due to his religious beliefs and because he didn't conform to its stereotyped expectations of gay men, after he posted comments on X critical of transgender policies. Per the complaint in Maragani v. Lucid Software, Inc., the company partners with Equality Utah, a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBTQ+ legislation. The lawyer alleged that based on his sincerely-held views as a Christian, and outside of and separate from work, he posted comments on X critical of Equality Utah's support for biological men using female locker rooms and gender transition for children, among other issues. A board member of Equality Utah allegedly complained to Lucid about the posts, leading Lucid to warn the lawyer that they violated its social media policy and were contrary to its commitment to DEI. He was also told he could be terminated if the posts continued, according to the complaint. He was later fired for 'poor performance,' the lawsuit alleged. Following his termination, the lawyer sued Lucid for allegedly violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against him because of his sex, sexual orientation and religious views. He alleged that when he met with a senior HR exec to discuss the posts, she told him she thought it was confusing that he would not work with Equality Utah, given that he was a gay man. In an email to HR Dive, a representative for Lucid stated that the plaintiff 'was terminated for performance-related issues.' The lawsuit spotlights one of the trickier issues employers may face in the current political environment: How do they handle an employee's off-work, online post that advocates a potentially controversial political view based on the employee's sincerely-held religious beliefs? At the outset, while people rightly view political speech as protected by the First Amendment, it generally doesn't apply to private workplaces, a Gunster attorney noted in an April 2024 op-ed to HR Dive. Also, political speech is not a protected class under federal anti-discrimination laws, the attorney pointed out. However, some state and local laws may still prohibit employers from taking action based on an employee's political involvement, she said. In this case, the plaintiff pointed to Utah's Antidiscrimination Act, which prohibits employers from taking adverse action against employees 'for lawful expression or expressive activity outside of the workplace,' with regard to the employee's religious, political or personal convictions, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff alleged that he told his supervisor and an HR leader that their demands may violate the statute, but that he was later retaliated against for doing so. When developing a social media policy, aim for it to be tangible and well-outlined, an attorney previously told HR Dive. Social media policies should also be practically effective and legally sound — employers are generally prohibited from discriminating on the basis of characteristics such as race, religion and national origin, the attorney added. Before taking action against an employee based on a social media policy, employers should consider the context in which the statement was made and balance protecting their business interests against allowing employee autonomy, the same attorney suggested, adding that social media policies may ask workers who are making controversial statements to note they're speaking on behalf of themselves and not their employer. Recommended Reading US Steel evades former worker's ADA claim after judge determines it didn't know of his disability Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As Sundance leaves, Utah Gov. Cox allows first-in-the-nation flag ban to become law without his pen
A pride flag flies at the Salt Lake City & County Building on Thursday, March 13, 2025. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch) Saying Utahns are 'tired of culture war bills that don't solve the problems they intend to fix,' Utah Gov. Spencer Cox will allow a bill aimed at banning many flags — including pride or LGBTQ+ flags — from schools and all government buildings to become law without his signature. Cox explained his reasoning in a letter to legislative leaders issued with just over an hour to spare before his midnight deadline Thursday to sign or veto bills passed by the 2025 Utah Legislature. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'HB77 has been one of the most divisive bills of the session, and I am deeply disappointed that it did not land in a better place,' wrote Cox, who also explained he agreed with the intent behind the legislation. 'My understanding is that there was a deal on a compromise that would have removed problematic portions of the bill while retaining others that would support political neutrality in the classroom. Sadly the sponsors did not move that deal forward.' Supporters of HB77, sponsored by Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, argued it was meant to promote 'political neutrality' in government spaces. But critics argued a broad ban that extended to all government properties would invite free speech litigation while also leaving some Utahns, especially the LGBTQ+ community, feeling unwelcome and erased. Now slated to take effect on May 7, HB77 will ban almost all flags from being displayed on or in public buildings, except for flags explicitly allowed in a prescriptive list included in the bill, such as the U.S. flag, the state flag, military flags, Olympic flags, college or university flags, or others. Pride flags or other LGBTQ+ flags — which Utah lawmakers in recent years have repeatedly tried to bar from schools in various ways — would be prohibited. It's slated to make Utah the first state in the nation to enact such sweeping flag restrictions in government-owned buildings. The Idaho Legislature recently passed a similar bill, HB41, which Gov. Brad Little signed last week, but that legislation won't take effect until July 1 and it only applies to schools. Idaho lawmakers are also advancing a separate bill to restrict government entities from displaying certain types of flags. Utah Legislature bans pride flags from schools, public buildings Utah's largest LGBTQ+ rights group, Equality Utah, had negotiated with lawmakers on the bill, which originally focused the flag ban on school classrooms. However, in a House committee last month, Lee changed the legislation to broaden the flag ban to all government property, leading Equality Utah to oppose the bill even though it was prepared to take a 'neutral' position on its earlier version. Cox faced numerous calls to veto HB77 from advocacy groups including Equality Utah and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, as well as from Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, whose city hosts the annual Utah Pride Festival. He could have vetoed the bill — but he indicated in his letter that it would likely just be overridden by the GOP-supermajority Utah Legislature. Instead, he's urging lawmakers to work to fix it. 'I continue to have serious concerns with this bill,' Cox said. 'However, because a veto would be overridden, I have decided to allow the bill to go into law without my signature, and urge lawmakers to consider commonsense solutions that address the bill's numerous flaws.' Cox encouraged lawmakers to consider allowing the Utah State Board of Education to 'go further in ensuring the political neutrality of our classrooms, while also considering repealing the local government piece of this legislation and allowing elected representatives to answer to their own constituents.' 'If you are willing to pursue this kind of solution, you will have an open door in the executive branch,' Cox wrote. Cox's comments on the flag ban came after the bill cast final-hour drama over Utah's multimillion-dollar bid to entice the Sundance Film Festival to stay, with some saying it could impact Utah's chances. Earlier Thursday, festival organizers announced they'd opted to move the event to Colorado to help the festival grow. By the time they'd reached their decision, Cox had not yet acted on HB77, but a veto was looking unlikely. Sundance is leaving Utah, moving to Colorado While Cox told reporters last week Sundance organizers had told state leaders 'very clearly that political issues have nothing to do with the decision,' others, including Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, worried that HB77 could indeed be 'harmful to our effort to retain Sundance.' In the end, Utah lost its bid. Cox — who earlier Thursday called Sundance's decision a 'mistake' — also included a note in his letter that he'll be calling a special session to address, among other issues, what the Legislature should instead do with the $3.5 million it had set aside as part of Utah's bid to keep Sundance. 'Let's reappropriate that money to efforts in Utah to create a new festival and a world-class film economy right here in our state,' he said. Cox, in his letter, dove deeper into why he had misgivings with HB77 but said he agreed with the 'underlying intent' of the bill. 'I deeply believe that our classrooms need to be a place where everyone feels welcome — free from the politics that are fracturing our country,' Cox wrote. 'Parents are rightly upset when they bring their kids to publicly funded schools and see culture-war symbols in a place that should be apolitical. In an attempt to make some kids feel more welcome, other kids feel less welcome.' Cox also said he appreciated that the bill is 'neutral on the types of flags in question,' while adding that 'I find it strange that no headline reads 'MAGA flags banned from classrooms.'' Drama over Utah's bid to keep Sundance heats up over LGBTQ+ flag ban bill 'I agree with the underlying intent of those legislators who supported this bill in an attempt to bring political neutrality to the classroom,' he said, though he added, 'Unfortunately, this bill does not do that.' He said because it's aimed at only flags, 'there is little preventing countless other displays — posters, signs, drawings, furniture — from entering the classroom.' 'To those legislators who supported this bill, I'm sure it will not fix what you are trying to fix,' Cox said. He noted that many schools have already enacted their own 'political neutrality' policies in classrooms, and he argued 'we have a better place' to make regulations: the Utah State Board of Education. While he said the board has already set expectations for political neutrality in teacher code of conduct, 'I believe more needs to be done by USBE to provide direction in this regard.' 'I have asked the Board of Education to continue their work to find ways to make our classrooms both more politically neutral and more welcoming to every student to exercise their own individual freedom of expression,' Cox said. 'The idea that kids can only feel welcome in a school if a teacher puts up a rainbow flag is just wrong. Let's do everything possible to make our classrooms one of the last remaining politically neutral places in our state.' The governor added that the flag ban 'goes too far' by extending the ban to local governments. 'While I think it's wrong for city and county officials to fly divisive flags, I believe that election have consequences and the best way to stop that behavior is to elect people who believe differently,' Cox said. 'All this bill does is add more fuel to the fire, and I suspect it will only ratchet up the creative use of political symbolism.' Ultimately, Cox urged legislators to focus on solutions rather than legislation that deepens divides. 'As tired as Utahns are of politically divisive symbols, I think they are also tired of culture war bills that don't solve the problems they intend to fix,' he said. The governor urged lawmakers to work with the LGBTQ+ community, as they have in the past, to find common ground. 'Utah has always had a reputation of trying to find a way to work together and solve issues between sides that have strongly-held, opposing points of view,' Cox said. 'There are so many examples of the LGBTQ community and the conservative community coming together to find helpful and hopeful compromise. I hope we can retain this as our model and North Star.' The governor also shared a message directly to LGBTQ+ Utahns, acknowledging that 'recent legislation has been difficult.' 'Politics can be a bit of a blood sport at times and I know we have had our disagreements,' he said. 'I want you to know that I love and appreciate you and I am grateful that you are part of our state. I know these words may ring hollow to many of you, but please know that I mean them sincerely.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Axios
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Here are 12 bills headed to the governor as Utah wraps 2025 legislative session
Utah's 45-day legislative session came to a close Friday. What we're watching: Gov. Spencer Cox has until March 27 to sign, veto or allow bills to pass without his signature. He declined to say during a Friday press conference which bills were on his veto list. Here are some of the bills headed to his desk: 🏳️🌈 Pride flags would be banned from being displayed in schools and government buildings under HB 77. The big picture: The bill's Senate sponsor, Sen. Dan McCay (R-Riverton) argued the legislation would neutralize government buildings and classrooms from political speech. The latest: The bill has received staunch pushback from LGBTQ+ and civil rights groups. In a statement, Equality Utah said the bill targets free expression and that it would support legal action to fight it in court. 🗳️ Any citizen-led initiatives that raise taxes would have to win 60% voter approval, rather than a simple majority, under a state constitutional amendment proposed in SJR 2. Case in point: Medicaid expansion and the medical cannabis program that passed in 2018 would have failed under this amendment. Since it's a constitutional amendment, SJR 2 would still have to get voter approval in the 2026 general election. Meanwhile, citizens who initiate a ballot measure would have to foot the bill to print the measure in newspapers, as required by the state constitution, under SB 73. 📱 Cell phones and smart watches would be prohibited in classrooms under SB 178 unless a school district establishes exemptions. 🗳️ Starting in 2026, voters would have to include the last four digits of their driver license or state ID on their mail ballot instead of their signature, per HB 300. To vote by mail, Utahns will have to opt-in before 2029. 🌿 Want to grow dank weed? Under HB 343, you'd have to submit a plan to the state to show your farm won't stink out the neighbors. ⛕ State transportation officials would be allowed to veto some of Salt Lake City's traffic-calming street design efforts under a measure in SB 195 that specifically targets Utah's capital city. 🍸 Bartenders would be allowed to sample cocktails using the " straw test" method in SB 238 to ensure quality. ⚖️ The governor would appoint the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court if SB 296 passes. Justices currently elect the chief justice by a majority vote. 🌫️ Halogen emissions — a big contributor to winter inversions — would be subject to more study and regulation under HB 420. 👶 Infants could be relinquished to the state without penalty up to 90 days after birth, rather than 30, under SB 57. 🍱 Kids in public schools would have expanded access to free and reduced-price lunches under HB 100. 🚱 Utah would become the first in the nation to prohibit adding fluoride in public water systems if Cox signs HB 81. Zoom out: The move comes soon after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opposed the practice.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will Utah follow Tennessee's lead by banning adult-themed performances in public?
One Utah lawmaker introduced a bill this week that aims to keep publicly accessible places family friendly amid rapidly changing norms about what that means. State Rep. Colin Jack, R-St. George, publicly unveiled HB401, Adult-oriented Performance Amendments, on Monday. But he has been working on the bill ever since entering office in 2022. 'I want parents to have the comfort knowing that if they're out in public with their children, then they have a reasonable expectation to not be visually assaulted by an adult-oriented performance,' Jack told the Deseret News. The bill, based on Tennessee legislation prohibiting 'adult cabaret performance,' would create a criminal offense for individuals engaged in an adult-oriented performance in a public place or in the presence of a minor. An adult-oriented performance is defined as a live performance that is 'harmful to minors,' which includes: The removal of clothing in a sexual manner. Nudity. The depiction of sexual conduct. Sexually oriented dancing. An act of lewdness as defined by a 2024 bill sponsored by Jack. Under HB401, adult-oriented performances would be prohibited in any location where a substantial group of the public has access, including roads, parks, public recreation facilities, shopping centers, schools and certain businesses. Individuals who engage in adult-oriented performances in public spaces that are accessible to minors can be charged with a class A misdemeanor if they are over 18 years old, or a class B misdemeanor if the individual is 16 or 17. A subsequent violation of the law would be considered a third degree felony if the individual is at least 18 years old. The bill would prohibit cities or counties in Utah from adopting or enforcing a conflicting ordinance. Jack, who typically focuses on energy policy, sees his bill as an attempt to maintain family-friendly values in the Beehive State as other states expand 'family friendly' to include more behaviors. 'As parts of the country start to declare these things normal, I feel like certain elements are targeting Utah to try to normalize them here,' Jack said. 'And I think it shouldn't be.' There were multiple activities engaged in during last year's pride parade in Salt Lake City that would have run afoul of his new bill, according to Jack. But the enforcement of his bill, if it passes, will ultimately depend on which communities are willing to prosecute based on the complaints they receive, Jack said. Critics have already begun to express worry that the bill unfairly targets certain groups with censorship. Equality Utah, one of the largest LGBTQ activist groups in the state, confirmed they will speak with Jack about the bill on Wednesday. House Minority Whip Sahara Hayes, D-Salt Lake City, said she is worried about how the bill could affect performances such as plays that parents could choose to bring their children to. Hayes, who says she ran for office to advocate for LGBTQ+ youth, opposed Jack's 2024 lewdness bill — which was eventually signed into law — saying he cherrypicked the worst examples to justify a blanket ban that could have unintended consequences. On Jack's current legislation, Hayes said that many of the acts prohibited by the bill are found in popular plays. As with R-rated movies, Hayes said the decision of what performances are viewed by a child should be left to the parent. 'I find it a frustrating bill in the first place because I do think it is trying to target drag through so many words. But I also think it's going to have ramifications in our performing arts sector in a really big way,' Hayes said. The issue of controversial public performances was top of mind for Jack when he entered office in July of 2022. Months earlier, HBO had filmed an episode of its drag queen reality show 'We're Here' in St. George's Town Square park. The event sparked outcry among some city residents and led to the resignation of the city manager who approved the permits for the event. In May 2023, drag performers sued St. George for denying a permit for a drag show. Following a court ruling, which allowed the drag show to move forward, the case ended with a private settlement in January 2025. During his three sessions as a lawmaker, Jack has introduced at least one bill each session addressing his constituents' concerns about the kind of public events that should be allowed. In 2023, Jack planned to introduce a similar bill to the one he is running this year. But with the model legislation in Tennessee being upheld in court, Jack opted for a bill that would require all events on public property with potential adult themes to have a sign warning people about it. While the bill, HB329, garnered two dozen co-sponsors and passed the House with wide margins, it stalled in the Senate when concerns were brought up that it may have presented a liability for municipalities, Jack said. In 2024, Jack successfully introduced HB244, creating new criminal penalties paired with an updated definition of lewdness involving a child, which would include things like simulating sexual acts with the intent to cause 'affront or alarm' to minors. This year, a federal court ruling paved the way for Jack to pursue the policy he initially pushed for in response to the drag show in St. George. In July, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Tennessee law banning 'adult cabaret performances' in public places. This bill was a model for what Jack is trying to do with HB401 but Utah's version has more specific definitions, Jack said. Now, with firmer legal footing, Jack expects his bill to move quickly through the Republican supermajority in the House and Senate this legislative session. 'There are those who feel like indecent material should be presented to minors. I don't, I don't think the majority of the Legislature feels that, I don't think the governor feels that, and I don't think the vast majority of Utahns feel that,' Jack said.
