Quips & Quotes

“Salt Lake City is an amazingly diverse place. Who knew? I guess I did.”

—Stan Penfold, Salt Lake City’s first openly gay councilman, while taking his oath of office Jan. 4, as quoted in The Salt Lake Tribune.

“An openly gay man was sworn in Monday, Jan. 4, as a Salt Lake City councilman.”

—The lead sentence of an article about Penfold in Bay Windows, a New England gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender newspaper.

“Personally, I’m excited about having some new blood in city government — the fact that he happens to be gay is icing on the cake.”

—Brandon Burt of City Weekly’s “Brandon’s Big Gay Blog,” noting that national news coverage of Penfold’s election hinged upon Penfold’s sexual orientation.

“I hope the Utah voters look at Bennett’s voting record when he is up for re-election. Utah will be the last state to recognize loving relationships between adult partners who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.”

—Portland, Ore. resident James Freed in a letter to The Salt Lake Tribune detailing Republican Sen. Robert F. Bennett’s opposition to a bill seeking to provide benefits to unmarried partners of federal employees.

“Buttars hugs gay rights leaders in public. Former foes hold hands and sing ‘We Are the World’ in Capitol rotunda”

—A headline Deseret News columnists Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb said they would like to see in 2010, making a joke about West Jordan Republican Sen. Chris Buttars’ history of anti-gay comments.

“I personally feel, as do the many other women who have made contact with me since I started this, that this is a service whose time has come.”

—Bobbi Davis, owner of Nevada’s Shady Lady Ranch brothel, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times in a letter to Nye County officials after the county board voted in favor of allowing her to hire the state’s first legal male sex workers.