In a rare news conference today, leaders of the Mormon Church said the Church is promising to support housing and job protections for the LGBT community in exchange for legal protections for believers who object to others’ behavior.
According to the Associated Press, Church leaders are making an appeal for a “balanced approach” in the clash between gay rights and religious freedom.
It’s not clear how much common ground Mormons will find with this new campaign, the Associated Press story continued. The Church is making no changes to its doctrine and still believes sex should be between a man and a woman.
“We must all learn to live with others who do not share the same beliefs or values,” Church leaders told the press at Tuesday’s news conference.
This is the second move by the Mormon Church in recent years to be more tolerant. In 2009, the Church openly supported Salt Lake City’s anti-discrimination ordinance, the first in Utah to ban employment and housing discrimination against individuals on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Media Resources: The Associated Press, 1/27/15; Feminist Majority Foundation, 11/12/09.
