News
Support for marriage equality in Utah at record high
41 percent of residents supported gay nuptials prior to stay
David Baker commissioned a poll with Google revealing support for marriage equality in Utah was at an all-time high. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
A recent consumer survey conducted in Utah reveals that support for same-sex marriage in the state was at an all-time high last week just before the Supreme Court halted the weddings with a stay.
The poll, conducted using Google’s digital platform polling system, found that support for same-sex marriage reached 41 percent as of last week. Although the poll shows a majority of Utah voters have yet to embrace marriage equality, the result demonstrates a 13-point increase in support over two years when compared to an earlier poll from Brigham Young University.
David Baker, a Mormon and gay D.C. activist, said he ran the poll in the aftermath of the federal district court ruling in Utah in favor of marriage equality for more updated data on the state’s support for same-sex nuptials.
“I conducted the poll because the latest data out of Utah is almost two years old and it had been almost two weeks since the District court ruling,” Baker said. “I knew that Google’s tool would get me statistically significant results in a few days so I ran the poll as a private citizen.”
The questioning in the survey is based on similar polls that Brigham Young University’s Center for the Study of Elections & Democracy conducted on marriage equality in 2004, 2009, 2010 and 2012. The 2012 poll found that just 28 percent of Utah residents supported marriage equality, 43 percent supported only civil unions and 29 percent wanted no legal recognition for same-sex couples.
The 13-point jump in the more recent survey compared to the most recent BYU poll reveals that new support for marriage equality came entirely from those who previously supported only civil unions. Opposition to marriage equality also grew from 29 percent to 31 percent.
Baker said he thinks the poll demonstrates a shift in opinion among Utah voters to support same-sex marriage following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June against Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.
“A 13-point bump signifies that Utah voters realize the world hasn’t ended with the repeal of DOMA and recognizing same-sex marriages is the right thing to do,” Baker said.
The Washington Blade is unaware of any other recent polling on same-sex marriage in Utah in the aftermath of the district court ruling besides the consumer poll.
Google consumer surveys are deemed accurate by statistics experts. As Baker notes in his blog posting in which he published the poll results, statistics guru Nate Silver ranked them second overall in terms of reliability and lack of bias during the 2012 presidential election.
Scott Barclay, a senior scholar in public policy at the Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles, said the new poll is consistent with earlier public opinion estimates on rising support for marriage equality throughout the states.
“Support for marriage equality generally has been consistently rising in the last 20 years, but current research at the Williams Institute finds that the rate of support for marriage equality at both the national level and within almost all states appears to be increasing much more rapidly in the last four years than at any previous point in time,” Barclay said.
A Williams Institute survey, which didn’t include a question on civil unions, found that support in 2012 for same-sex marriage in Utah was at 36 percent —slightly higher than the result from BYU in the same year.
Barclay said there’s good evidence that public opinion surveys that include the option of civil unions alongside marriage equality actually underestimate the level of support in the general population for marriage equality.
Moreover, Barclay said it’s no surprise that increased support for marriage equality in the new poll comes entirely from people who previously supported only civil unions.
“As reflected in the current poll result, existing research shows that support for civil unions has generally declined as marriage equality has emerged as the popularly accepted form of state recognition,” Barclay said. “Individuals who identify as conservative are the most likely to continue to support civil unions.”
The new poll includes increased support from younger people relative to other groups, which, given recent attitudes on marriage equality, could shift the result more in favor of marriage equality. However, Barclay said he was able to achieve the same result by weighting the survey for a more balanced look.
“We used a statistical technique to apply population weights (based on the current information from the Current Population Survey of the Census) to the reported survey and the newly weighted version yielded a very similar result [at 41 percent support for marriage equality],” Barclay said.
The poll shows growing support for marriage equality in Utah just as other polls have revealed increased support for gay nuptials nationwide. A widely cited poll in March 2013 from Washington Post-ABC News found 58 percent of Americans support marriage equality.
Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, spoke broadly about the growing support for marriage equality when asked to comment on the significance of the recent Utah survey.
“Support for the freedom to marry is accelerating in Utah, as in the rest of the country — and for the same reason,” Wolfson said. “As people get to know more about gay people’s lives and families, engage in conversations about gay people and why marriage matters, and think about values such as the Golden Rule of treating others as you’d want to be treated, hearts open and minds change.”
It remains to be seen whether the stay on same-sex marriage in Utah will have an impact on support for same-sex marriage in the state.
Baker said he hasn’t yet decided on whether to do another poll.
“I hadn’t planned on one just yet as I don’t think the stay is going to influence opinion,” Baker said. “I might do one that doesn’t have civil unions as an option to see where things stand there.”
District of Columbia
Capital Pride draws tens of thousands to D.C.
Revelers lined 14th Street for parade, festival took place on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Tens of thousands of people gathered across D.C. over the weekend as Capital Pride celebrated its annual Pride festivities with a parade, festival, concerts, parties, and community events centered on the theme “EXIST. RESIST. Have the Audacity!”
Although the events took place a week later than usual due to America 250 celebrations the week prior, crowds turned out in force to celebrate Pride month and the LGBTQ community.
The weekend began with the Crack of Noon Parade Brunch, where awardees were recognized and parade grand marshals David Archuleta and Monroe Alise mingled with attendees. Honorees included D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Benjamin Coy, Charity Blackwell, Darryl Hamilton, Thea Kano, Kendall Martinez-Wright, Lee Levingston Perine, Dylan Drobish, Tyler Hack, Patrick Magee, Judy Schloss, Darrell Wood, Tyler Cargill, and Dai Nguyen.
Saturday’s Pride parade kicked off at 3 p.m., drawing large crowds along 14th Street, N.W.
Floats, cheerleaders, marching bands, and performers entertained attendees as they made their way through the city. The Canadian Embassy’s float featured cardboard cutouts of characters from “Heated Rivalry,” while others sprayed water into the crowd to provide relief from the summer heat.
Attendees of all ages lined the streets, with children reaching for bracelets, candy, and bubble wands tossed from parade participants. Pride flags waved throughout the crowd, and businesses along the route decorated storefronts in celebration. Others watched from balconies and rooftops overlooking the parade.
The parade also remembered SaVanna Wanzer, a lifelong D.C. resident who passed from natural causes on April 24. Wanzer was a longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights, specifically transgender rights, in the community, creating her own celebrations and organizations over the years. Multiple floats featured framed photos and flowers in her honor.
Following the parade, thousands gathered at the 17th Street Block Party, presented by Absolut Vodka. The event featured performances by DJs Bruno and Lauren, and Citrine the Queen as attendees danced and celebrated into the evening.
Earlier in the day, younger attendees participated in family-friendly activities at Stead Park, including glitter tattoos, hair tinsel, crafts, and other activities before heading to the parade.
Celebrations continued throughout the night with events including RIOT! The Official Parade Opening Party, featuring headliner Myki Meeks, as well as ELIX-Her and KINETIC: Toyland. Across the city, LGBTQ community members and allies gathered for parties and nightlife events that extended well into the evening.
The festivities continued Sunday with the Capital Pride Festival and Concert.
Hundreds of vendors lined the festival along Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., offering everything from handmade crafts and leather goods to nonprofit fundraising opportunities and political initiatives. Attendees browsed booths, enjoyed food and drinks, and spent the afternoon exploring the festival.
The main concert featured performances by Maren Morris, queer rapper Leikeli47, Lisa Lisa, “Heated Rivalry” DJ Harrison, Tracy Young, and Meeks. Additional performances took place at the Monument Stage and Dupont Dance Stage.
The Monument Stage featured DJ Jerry’s Dance Party, DC’s Different Drummers, and Vagenesis, while the Dupont Dance Stage hosted a variety of DJs and provided space for attendees to dance throughout the day.
While much of the weekend focused on celebration and joy, organizers said this year’s theme, “EXIST. RESIST. Have the Audacity!,” reflected both the resilience of LGBTQ people and the challenges the community faces, and speakers emphasized Pride’s roots in activism and community.
“Grounded in the undeniable truth that our existence is not up for debate, this year’s theme calls on the community to live loudly and proudly, stand firm against injustice and erasure, and embody the collective strength that has always defined the LGBTQ+ community,” said Capital Pride Alliance in a statement.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the U.S. that have been introduced this year. While 333 have been defeated, 93 are advancing in their legislature, and 33 have been passed into law or will soon be.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently in the process of deliberating on the topic of trans athletes in college-level sports, and recently supported a case allowing for what is considered so-called conversion therapy under Colorado law. At a time when support for the LGBTQ community seems to be fading, the message from the Capital Pride Alliance is a reminder that Pride began as a protest.
Earlier Sunday at the main concert stage, Rayceen Pendarvis addressed attendees, speaking about the ongoing work required to create change and the importance of perseverance.
“I leave you with the words of Angela Davis: ‘I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept,’” Pendarvis said.
Pendarvis has a legacy in D.C. for fighting for change, emceeing LGBTQ events, and using her strengths, as she refers to herself as a “queer elder,” to be able to use her experience and wisdom to push her community in the direction she wishes to see it go.
“Love is also the greatest gift we have. You are the light that outweighs the darkness,” Pendarvis said.
She then asked attendees to turn to someone they did not know, hug them, and tell them they loved them. The crowd responded by embracing one another in a moment that reflected the sense of community that defined the weekend.
Dupont Circle once again fenced off during Pride
The celebrations unfolded amid renewed attention on Dupont Circle.
The National Park Service closed Dupont Circle Park from June 19 through June 22 at 6 p.m., citing public safety concerns. According to NPS, the closure was intended “to provide for public health and safety and protect natural and cultural resources in Dupont Circle Park.”
The weekend was largely free of major incidents.
However, a shooting occurred Saturday night near the 900 block of Florida Avenue, N.W., near the U Street Corridor shortly after 10 p.m. Two men sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities have not indicated any connection between the shooting and Pride events.
The weekend concluded with the “Capitol” Sunset Party, providing a final celebration for attendees as another year of Capital Pride festivities came to a close.
Colombia
Abelardo de la Espriella elected Colombia’s next president
Far-right lawyer has pledged to end ‘gender ideology’ in the country
Abelardo de la Espriella on Sunday narrowly defeated Iván Cepeda in the second round of Colombia’s presidential election.
De la Espriella, a far-right lawyer who has praised U.S. President Donald Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, beat Sen. Iván Cepeda, a member of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s Historic Pact party, by a 49.7-48.7 percent margin. De la Espriella will take office on Aug. 7.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday spoke with De la Espriella, who has pledged to end so-called “gender ideology” in Colombia, and congratulated him on his victory.
“This result reflects the will of the Colombian people and their commitment to democracy,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott in a statement. “The Trump administration looks forward to working closely with his incoming administration to advance our bilateral and regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen the economic ties between our two countries. Through our close bilateral cooperation, and under the leadership of President-elect De la Espriella, Colombia’s best days are ahead.”
The election’s first round took place on June 1.
Former Bogotá Mayor Claudia López, a centrist who ran as an independent, finished fifth. She would have become Colombia’s first female and first lesbian president if she had won the election.
De la Espriella and Cepeda faced off in the runoff because neither received a majority of votes in the first round.
Maryland
Union leader files assault complaint against gay Md. delegate after fight at early-voting site
Del. Gabriel Acevero, Gino Renne accuse each other of starting confrontation
By ANTONIO PLANAS | After a physical confrontation outside an early-voting site Thursday, local union leader Gino Renne filed an assault complaint against Del. Gabriel Acevero, who said he plans to do the same.
Each accuses the other of starting the fight and throwing punches in an incident Thursday at about 6 p.m. at the Bohrer Park Activity Center in Gaithersburg, police said. The park, an early-voting site that day, attracted many candidates and their supporters.
Acevero, 35, is defending his seat representing District 39, which includes Montgomery Village and surrounding areas. The primary is on Tuesday.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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