As roughly 200 people gathered Tuesday at the state Capitol to encourage Utah to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it would continue to oppose the ERA.
When asked for comment Tuesday about the Salt Lake City rally, church spokesman Doug Andersen initially told The Salt Lake Tribune, “At this time, we do not have a statement on the proposed Equal Rights Amendment.” About an hour later, Andersen sent a statement that reads, “The church’s position on this issue has been consistent for more than 40 years.”
In the 1970s and ’80s, the church steadfastly opposed the ERA, arguing it could damage families, among other issues.