Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gay-rights advocates say they plan to do community service during the LDS church's upcoming general conference, instead of holding protests or rallies.
Members and supporters of Utah's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community plan to participate in a "General Service Weekend" during the first Saturday and Sunday in April as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds its conference.
Following the November passage of a measure to ban gay marriage in California, thousands turned out for a downtown Salt Lake City protest over the church's involvement in the campaign.
But organizer Jacob Whipple says gay-rights advocates want to be productive next month. "We want to be seen doing this with our little ‘gay' labels. We want be seen as the gays are helping out, the lesbians are cleaning this park, the transsexuals are over here helping out this refugee family. We want that label so that our neighbors and friends see us as normal people and as contributors to our community," he said.
Whipple doesn't know of any groups or people who are planning to protest. "I have a lot of contacts, both within the city, the police department and with activists. No one's planning anything like that," he said.
Salt Lake City Police say they've had only two groups apply for demonstration permits for the coming weekend. A spokeswoman says one of them was the Church, which applies every year; the other is a single individual.
Police say others who show up will be able to use designated free-speech zones.
------
Story compiled with contributions from Marc Giauque and The Associated Press.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
