For the second successive year, grassroots group Mormons Building Bridges marched in the Salt Lake City Gay Pride parade, making a symbolic show of support from the religious community along with marchers from Unitarian and Episcopalian denominations.
The Rt. Rev. Scott Hayashi, who was bishop of All Saints Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City and Park City’s St. Luke’s, joined in — the first time an Episcopal bishop has taken part in the parade, according to Lee Shaw, a member of the Episcopalian fold.About 400 people from Mormons Building Bridges faced the 80-degree sunshine to march behind a loud Ska band playing on the Downtown Farmers Market float. For about 90 minutes, the parade meandered up 400 East and took a left onto 200 South for six blocks before ending at West Temple.Marching under a banner reading Family Reunion, organizer and founder Erika Munson said the group and others have helped change attitudes in the past year: Bishops no longer excommunicate members who come out, and the Boy Scouts now allow openly gay scouts to participate.The Mormon group drew some of the loudest applause when they passed with signs reading “Love 1 Another,” “LDS heart LGBT” and “God loves all his children.”
