Gay rights group calls for LDS church support

A

national civil rights group for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and

transgender community has launched a national letter writing and e-mail

campaign calling on the Mormon church to publicly support equality legislation in Utah.

The

two-step lobbying effort by the Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights

Campaign began Dec. 12 with a letter from HRC President Joe Solmonese

to Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints.

That was followed this week with an e-mail

from HRC board member and Utahn Bruce Bastian asking the 750,000-plus

HRC members to contact the church.

In his letter, Solmonese said

Monson can lend "credibility and force" to a November church statement

that it does not oppose civil unions or some non-marriage legal rights

for same sex-couples.

"While we will always be in opposing camps

regarding marriage equality under the law, I ask that you now join our

community in supporting legislative change in Utah that offer(s) real

protections to LGBT citizens and families," Solmonese wrote.

Five

bills that propose equal treatment or establish legal protections for

the LGBT community are expected to come before the Utah Legislature for

consideration during the session that begins in January.

Three of

the bills address equity in employment, housing, hospitalization,

medical care or probate rights. A fourth would establish a domestic