1. Because Equality Matters

2. Our state has done much in recent years to encourage equality and justice for the LGBT community. But for some it is not enough.

3. Utah Senate bill 296, passed in early 2015, provides protection from discrimination in housing and employment, for the LGBT community. Equality Utah played a large part in lobbying for this bill.

4. Many religious organizations, including the LDS church and the local Catholic diocese gave support to this bill, and have supported similar actions that encourage equality and fairness for the LGBT community.

5. Many groups have emerged to give support to the LGBT community, and give them support. Programs such as Mormons Building Bridges support positive change for the LGBT community.

6. Despite these encouraging signs in our state, there is still much work to be done.

7. Utah has one of the highest rates of poverty and homelessness in the nation for LGBT youth. The Utah based youth shelter, OUTreach Center, Reportes that around 60% of its youth are LGBT.

8. Many of these homeless LBGT youth report being kicked out by their parents when they find out about their sexual preferences.

9. Around the nation, thousands of LBGT servicemen/women despite the fact that it is not the military’s official policy to allow them to serve.

10. Equality is a core principal of our society, and it should be available to all.

11. Thanks To Equality Utah-http://equalityutah.org/ Edmonds, Marian. Homeless Youth in Utah. Rationalfaiths.com, 2 Oct. 2013. Web. 19 Sept. 2015. Zarembo, Alan. "An Unspoken Force in U.S. Armed Services." Los Angeles Times. 06 Sep. 2015: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 19 Sep. 2015. Utah. Senate, Antidiscrimination and Religious Freedom Amendments. Salt Lake City: Utah. 2015, Web