[BrighamYen]

I am originally from Utah, born and raised there until I moved to Los Angeles when I was 7 years old. Attended Maeser Elementary School for those who like a little test to see how well you know your Utah. ;)

Anyway, being that I'm gay and living in LA (a very gay friendly city), I am obviously always curious about the gay scene in any city I travel to. When I last visited Utah, I had a very pleasant encounter. I was eating at the California Pizza Kitchen in the Gateway Lifestyle Center and I actually saw a gay couple holding hands walking through the center! They looked a bit uncomfortable, but I didn't see much negative reaction to it as I would have expected.

What is it like to be gay and living in Utah? And are there any gay clubs/bars in SLC? I'd love to know for my next trip out there! :yes:

[IdahoMountainBoy]

:previous: There was a decent sized gay club down by that mall on the west side of downtown....can't remember for the life of me what it was called, but beside it smelling like piss, there were some good looking guys and an extensive dance floor.

[rodan]

There are a couple. Not many. Quite a few clubs have gay nights however. One behind the downtown mall and I know club sound

I see gay couples walking around holding hands all of the time in downtown and neither I nor anyone else (unless they're from some far out suburb) gives them a second look.

[BrighamYen]

Wow! TWO replies!

[i-215]

Here's the run-down on Utah politics....

Utah is a very conservative state, mostly on religious grounds. However we are not part of the "Religious Right," despite what people may think. Honestly, most people in the religious right (read: "bible belt") fail to recognize us because they figure we're all Mormons and going to hell.

So that makes a type of conservativism that's entirely unique to Utah. Traditional Christianity, (and I mean this as kindly as I can) would just say, "oh he's gay so he's lost and going to hell."

This is not the thinking amoung Mormons. Latter-Day Saints, more than anybody else on the planet have the most reason to believe in the intrinsic value of a human being, because we see them as literal children of God. Since God probably values all of his kids a lot, and since his opinion probably pulls a lot of weight in the universe, that means all human beings have value. So although you're lifestyle will never be condoned by Mormons, you'll find more respect in Utah than you would in the bible belt.

Anyway, I hope I touched this in a polite manner. As we all know, it's a very touchy subject in society right now.

[blm3034L!fe]

Here's the run-down on Utah politics....

Utah is a very conservative state, mostly on religious grounds. However we are not part of the "Religious Right," despite what people may think. Honestly, most people in the religious right (read: "bible belt") fail to recognize us because they figure we're all Mormons and going to hell.

So that makes a type of conservativism that's entirely unique to Utah. Traditional Christianity, (and I mean this as kindly as I can) would just say, "oh he's gay so he's lost and going to hell."

This is not the thinking amoung Mormons. Latter-Day Saints, more than anybody else on the planet have the most reason to believe in the intrinsic value of a human being, because we see them as literal children of God. Since God probably values all of his kids a lot, and since his opinion probably pulls a lot of weight in the universe, that means all human beings have value. So although you're lifestyle will never be condoned by Mormons, you'll find more respect in Utah than you would in the bible belt.

Anyway, I hope I touched this in a polite manner. As we all know, it's a very touchy subject in society right now.

I beg the differ on your open minded ness of "most" mormans, I have found from personal experience, Not all are closed minded, but to be fair I'd say about 50/50 I personally have found that non-utah-mormans tend to be the more "open-minded" just my $0.02 on your coment. I felt I had to interject just a bit on that "deluded/perception" of yours. BTW I grew up in Utah County for quite some time so trust me I was in the thickest of the thick, I DO KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT... BTW I still have plenty of friends and family whom are LDS... I personally have nothing against one's personal beliefs, as long as they do not attempt to make it mine or feel they need to "teach" me the "way" so to speak. Okay now you can throw your stones at me...

[BrighamYen]

There are a couple. Not many. Quite a few clubs have gay nights however. One behind the downtown mall and I know club sound

I see gay couples walking around holding hands all of the time in downtown and neither I nor anyone else (unless they're from some far out suburb) gives them a second look.

Do a lot of gay people in Utah tend to collect around Downtown SLC then? Why would there be gay couples holding hands all the time? Is there a fledgling gay "Weho-district" in the making? :shrug:

[IdahoMountainBoy]

Good question, I've been in the gay districts of Vancouver BC, San Fran, Denver, etc. in the past 8 months and havent seen one gay couple holding hands in public lol

[Comrade Reynolds]

Do a lot of gay people in Utah tend to collect around Downtown SLC then? Why would there be gay couples holding hands all the time? Is there a fledgling gay "Weho-district" in the making? :shrug:

There is no real gay district because most gay people live throughout the city. The most gay-friendly neighborhoods are SugarHouse, the Avenues and Central City. Though I don't think you'll ever find an unfriendly neighborhood.

For a city of its size, SLC has a pretty large gay population. It's weird, in the sense that you wouldn't expect it here.

[wrendog]

I would respond, but I'm not gay so I have no clue what the gay scene is like.. :)

I'm LDS too and agree with 215's assesment.. of course there are some mormons who will be vile and prejudiced, but hey, that happens everywhere in our society, not just among mormons..

[Comrade Reynolds]

I would respond, but I'm not gay so I have no clue what the gay scene is like.. :)

I'm LDS too and agree with 215's assesment.. of course there are some mormons who will be vile and prejudiced, but hey, that happens everywhere in our society, not just among mormons..

You don't have to be gay to know Salt Lake demographics. ;) I know a lot about the Hispanic communities in Salt Lake and last I checked I wasn't Hispanic. :D

[jedikermit]

I think the situation is better for gays than it was ten years ago...in between the very public gay club (high school clubs, not dance clubs) situation and Mathew Shephard hitting uncomfortably close to home, I think there are many people who are becoming more open to other lifestyles. Even if it's begrudgingly. My parents went to a play at the Rose Wagner Theatre a month or so ago about a gay Mormon who commits suicide (I think?), and that got positive reviews and some editorials in both papers. In the Salt Lake area, at least, it's moving from something that's an "unthinkable, unpardonable sin" to something that can honestly be seen as an "alternative lifestyle."

Truthfully, your answers about this will vary according to each person in the city, and their own experiences. But overall from what I've seen, it seems to be a trend toward acceptance.

Outside of Salt Lake County, I'd say keep your windows rolled up and your doors locked.

[Northernlad]

Most Mormons (LDS) people are learning to accept this lifestyle as mentioned already, but slowly. There has and will always be quiet gay underground in the church that most people know exist but do not want to accept.
Look at the amount of return missionaires who seem to turn out gay and move to Salt Lake. I have had a father and a few uncles who have been Bishops in the past and they have all eluded to the fact that dealing with homosexuality in their congregations was one of the hardest aspects of their "term" as Bishop. I served a mormon mission and remember a Sister couple who were sent home for being lesbian lovers and there were Elder companions who were pretty open about experimenting with other Elders. At least the Church does not do the Electric Shock treatments at BYU like they used to.
Speaking of BYU ,that school supposedly has a rather large gay/bisexual underground.
To sum up, since more and more members of the Church deal with the fact that a sibling is Gay, these same members are going to have more compassion towards the lifestyle.

[jedikermit]

:previous:

I think that in between family members, co-workers, and other contact, it's become something that people have had to come to terms with. It's hard to either exile people or pretend they don't exist when you're living, working, and playing alongside them.

I also think a "quiet underground" that's gradually becoming more apparent is more amenable to breaking into SLC than trying to turn the Days of 47 Parade into Mardi Gras. Hopefully both sides of the issue are learning to respect the other.

[jedikermit]

My parents went to a play at the Rose Wagner Theatre a month or so ago about a gay Mormon who commits suicide (I think?), and that got positive reviews and some editorials in both papers.

By the way, I didn't want that to sound like it was getting positive reviews because the gay character committed suicide, which now I'm realizing it could sound like. It got positive reviews for exposing the issue and for being a well-written, moving but tragic play. My parents liked it. Then again, they're kinda weird...

[rodan]

Do a lot of gay people in Utah tend to collect around Downtown SLC then? Why would there be gay couples holding hands all the time? Is there a fledgling gay "Weho-district" in the making? :shrug:

Well, I think that downtown has just has a much friendlier and liberal attitude towards people with different lifestyles then say someplace like layton.

One of my gay friends said that he really likes the gateway and that he regularly meets new guys there. I have also heard the gateway nicknamed the gayway. A sort of derogetory name I know but that's what some people call it.

[Urbano]

Attended Maeser Elementary School for those who like a little test to see how well you know your Utah.

You grew up in the Vernal area huh? I have family that live in the area.

[wrendog]

You grew up in the Vernal area huh? I have family that live in the area.

I'm actually guessing Maesar Elementary in Provo...

[BrighamYen]

I'm actually guessing Maesar Elementary in Provo...


You know your Utah! :cheers:


So can anyone actually give a few addresses (websites even) where some gay clubs/bars are in SLC? I'd like to visit them on my next trip there! :yes:

[litvil3]

here's a few websites for you to check out:

the local GLBT paper (download the adobe format):
www.qsaltlake.com

community events:
www.glccu.org

GLBT politics in Utah:
www.equalityutah.org

There is a great scene here in Utah, plenty of bars, clubs and friends to be made. And yes, plenty of us return missionaries running around in those bars too.

[BrighamYen]

I think I ask these questions because I'm not very familiar with Utah anymore (haven't lived there since I was 7). But ever since Brokeback Mountain was banned from that one theater (in Sandy?), Utah had gotten bad press as an overtly discriminating state (on the radio stations here in LA).

[i-215]

Which LA radio station? I'd be surprised if it was KFI....

[Wasatch_One]

I think I ask these questions because I'm not very familiar with Utah anymore (haven't lived there since I was 7). But ever since Brokeback Mountain was banned from that one theater (in Sandy?), Utah had gotten bad press as an overtly discriminating state (on the radio stations here in LA).

the national media will do whatever they can to perpetuate negative stereotypes about our state... they will find little examples like larry miller banning brokeback mtn from his theatres and then make it seem like the norm here...

there is a fair sized gay community down in utah county, though most go up to slc or park city when going out...

one of my best friends from high school came out about 3 years ago...he's mormon, I'm mormon....he's still my good friend...