In the Salt Lake City the Mormon Church’s strong support for the California secret ballot assessment that prohibited gay marriage most recent year has turned the Utah-based faith into a lightning rod for gay rights activism. The incident occurred whilst the gay couple enjoyed the day of countrywide "kiss-in" in Salt Lake City, San Antonio and El Paso, Texas, and they were arrested and identified for intruding or stressed by police for publicly kissing. Another case registered in Utah, the July 9 where trespassing incident occurred after a couple was observed by security guards on a downtown plaza owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

However the court case was dismissed, but the kiss sparked a group of people backlash and criticism of the church.  Atali Staffler, a Brigham Young University graduate student from Geneva, Switzerland, said she already joined the 200 or consequently people who filled a downtown amphitheater for the occasion for the reason that she has watched her gay father and many gay friends fight back to find their place.  "I don't think that kiss would have turned out to be the kiss heard round the world if it were not for Proposition 8," said Ash Johnsdottir, organizer of the Salt Lake City Kiss-In. Another guy of 31-year-old, who was raised Mormon but is not participate actively in the church, said the church shouldn't be involved in Prop. 8. "I encourage them to promote the values they believe in and to defend their religious principles in advertisements, but civil rights have nothing to do with religious principles," she said.  

More than twenty-two people took part in the meeting and among them many are strangers, gathered under the scorching sun on Washington's National Mall to contribute in the national smooch. Most of them were gay and straight, couples and singles of all ages, with placards that read "Equal Opportunity Kisser" and "A Kiss is Not a Crime." "This is America. A kiss on the cheek is OK," said Ian Thomas, 26, of Leesburg, Va., who organized the Washington Kiss-In. "It's got to be OK. If not, we're in serious trouble." Near about 50 people, mostly gay and lesbian couples, gathered at Piedmont Park in downtown Atlanta and kissed for about five minutes.