A PRINCIPLED LEADER: HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN NAMED ROCKY AS ONE OF TOP 10 STRAIGHT ALLIES IN THE U.S. FOR LGBTQ+ EQUALITY

Rocky Anderson has spent much of his adult life helping those in need and fighting for the civil and human rights of all. That’s why he received the American Association for Justice’s national In Defense of Civil Liberties Award. His support of equality for the LGBTQ+ community came much earlier than almost anyone in politics. When Rocky supported same sex marriage during his congressional race in 1996, he knew it would probably cost him the election (it did), but his commitment to principled leadership meant more to him than winning an election. ​

MARRIAGE EQUALITY & LGBTQ+ ADVOCACY

 

Rocky Anderson was named by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the top ten straight advocates for Gay and Transgender Rights

"Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson recently made headlines when he signed an executive order on Sept. 21 to provide domestic partner benefits for Salt Lake City employees."

“Strength Through Diversity” & Rocky’s Courageous, Proud LGBTQ+ Advocacy

Nov. 30, 2022 - “Strength Through Diversity” clip from Rocky's mayoral candidacy announcement speech.

Rocky first S.L. mayor ​to marshal gay parade

"Rocky Anderson will serve as grand marshal of today's Utah Pride Day 2001 parade, becoming the first Salt Lake City mayor to do so."

Travel book to highlight Salt Lake as gay-friendly place to live

"Efforts by Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson to extend health insurance benefits to city employees were also a major factor in listing Salt Lake City in the book..."

Gay-lesbian community honors S.L. mayor

"Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson was honored Friday by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Utah for supporting the state's gay and lesbian community."

Running with Rocky in the 2023 SLC PRIDE Parade

"Progress happens when committed people come TOGETHER and push tenaciously for what they know is right. Fighting together for change is how so many movements have succeeded in the U.S.—like the slavery abolition movement, the women’s suffrage movement, the labor movement, the civil rights movement, and the marriage equality movement. Let’s join TOGETHER now to bring about major changes so that Salt Lake City will be a shining national and international example of how to provide for adequate affordable housing, an end to chronic homelessness, and restorative justice for the benefit of all." – Rocky Anderson

Mayor Outlaws Gay Bias - Anderson makes good
on campaign promise

" 'This goes beyond legal ramifications. It's not merely symbolic,' Anderson said. 'It’s going to be very effective in sending the message that we will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in Salt Lake City.' "

​Utah Stonewall Historical Society Archives - This Day in Gay Utah History - Looks Back at SLC's 2004 Gay Pride Day

" Many participants, including Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, expressed their determination to defeat Utah's amendment to ban gay marriage. 'I think it's a horrendous thing," Anderson said. . . 'Not only for the people of this community, but for our economics. We've lost conventions and businesses as a result of the perception of this place caused by discriminating legislation.'"

Rocky attends Pride Day parade

"Mayor Rocky Anderson's presence was a nice exclamation point to the come-one, come-all statement of Utah Pride Day 2001, some celebrants said."

Prop. 8 Protest Draws Thousands in Salt Lake City

" 'Let us all call for greater love, better understanding, dignity and respect toward all — regardless of race, regardless of faith or lack of faith, and regardless of sexual orientation,' Anderson said."

Fate of Utah's transgender athlete ban may be decided in court ​

"With legal challenges nearly certain, attorney Rocky Anderson believes the law will fail in court. 'Legally, it’s preposterous. They are going to lose. It’s going to be a long, expensive, wasteful legal battle,' Anderson told 2News."

Utah: A Hornet's Nest That Gays & Lesbians Call 'Home'

"In 2000, Mayor Rocky Anderson won running on a platform that included support of gay marriage." ​

Voice for Equality:
Rocky Anderson

​"Anderson has publicly supported marriage equality since as early as his 1996 bid for Congress. In 2005, Mayor Anderson got the ball rolling by extending domestic partnership benefits to all city employees in order to 'provide very real benefits to both the adults and children in employees' families.' Freedom to Marry salutes Rocky Anderson as a Voice for Equality."

Rocky to boycott
​Marriage Week USA

"We ought to all join together and try to support each other, encourage good, stable, loving relationships among people in all kinds of familial relationships."

Kissed & Pissed 

"Anderson echoes the sentiments of many activists following the incident, arguing that change will have to come from within the culture rather than the courtroom."

Rocky takes gay support national

"Anderson's duties as a member of the organization's honorary board, known as 'Voices of Equality,' include helping "end discrimination in civil marriage" and eventually 'influence the decision makers,' according to a letter asking for his support."

Rocky puts focus on gay rights

" 'Society's treatment of gays and lesbians has made life tragically difficult and painful for them, and has too often deprived our community of the valuable perspectives and resources they offer,' Anderson said at City Hall..."

Utah mayor seeks registry for domestic partnerships

"Anderson’s 'attempt to circumvent existing law is tantamount to the San Francisco mayor standing on the steps (of City Hall) and performing (gay) marriages,' Christensen said."

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Rocky signs partner-benefits order

"It's done," the mayor said, dropping his pen. But for some conservative politicians the fight has just begun. They reject the gay community's view of the city's order, saying it's part of a broader effort to one day elevate gay marriage to an equal footing with traditional marriage. . . . With taxpayers financially unaffected by the plan, Anderson said there is little reason to oppose it. He encouraged other Utah cities to follow the capital's lead. "This doesn't undermine the institution of marriage one bit," Anderson said. "Equality doesn't undermine the institution of marriage but strengthens it."

Group sues Rocky over benefits order

"A conservative legal group has filed suit against Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson over his executive order extending benefits to the nonmarried domestic partners of city employees."

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​Court Hears Arguments on Domestic Partner Benefits

"The case revolves around a decision by Mayor Rocky Anderson to extend those benefits to Salt Lake City workers. This case is about benefits for city workers, but it also is about benefits for same-sex partners, and that's where the controversy comes in."

Salt Lake can offer benefits to more than spouses

"It is not illegal for Salt Lake City to offer health insurance benefits to "adult designees" of city workers who live in the same household but are not married to the employee, a judge has ruled. Third District Judge Stephen Roth issued a five-page opinion Friday stating that when employers offer such benefits it does not violate state law or the Utah Constitution. . . .
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson said Friday he is pleased with Roth's ruling, which underscores the right of municipalities to provide insurance benefits to partners of city workers. 'The principle established by Judge Roth's opinion is an important one in that neither state statutes nor the state constitution prohibit the provision of equal benefits to people who are not the children or spouses of employees,' Anderson said. But Anderson still is unhappy with the 'discriminatory' city ordinance now in place that gives such benefits to the 'adult designees' of city workers— instead of 'domestic partners.' "

Statement of Objections: Mayor Rocky Anderson

"I signed an Executive Order on September 21, 2005 that extended benefits presently enjoyed by spouses of City employees to domestic partners of City employees. The aim of this Executive Order was to provide parity between employees with spouses and employees that have spousal-like relationships. The Executive Order guarantees, to the greatest extent possible, equality among employees regardless of sexual orientation or marital status." - Rocky Anderson, 2006

Gay-marriage backers roll into town

"'Those who advocate marriage equality are going to prevail' said Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. . ."

Rocky Anderson supports equality

"Anderson is trying to ensure that every single person’s race, religion, gender and sexual orientation are represented equally and aggressively. Our mayor is proactively breaking down barriers that separate our community by confronting controversial issues and finding solutions. Whether or not we agree with another person’s lifestyle is our own opinion, but we should still respect one another."

Equality Utah celebrates past, future

" The mayoral election of 1999 when Rocky Anderson won was a landmark election, [Michelle Turpin, Co-Founder of Equality Utah] said. When Anderson was elected, he said he never would have been able to do it without the help of the queer community."

Rocky's Tribute In Memory of Salt Lake City LGBTQ+ Activist, Joe Redburn

" . . . Joe provided unique safe places for gays and straights alike to gather and build lifetime memories. I was a naïve straight Utah college boy when I visited the Sun Tavern in the old Railroad Exchange location with some friends and surprisingly found there was an open gay bar where straight people were also welcomed. Getting to know one another in settings like that is perhaps the best means of developing friendships and expanding understanding between people. . . . " — Rocky Anderson

Rocky talks SLC PRIDE–May 30, 2023

"Pride has come so far, as has our society! It has been an inspiring, albeit difficult, journey. We should all be grateful to everyone who kept up, and continues, the fight for equality and dignity!" — Rocky Anderson

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