Steve Young, ex-49er quarterback, co-founder of Palo Alto private equity firm HGGC and all-around good guy, is speaking out on gay rights. He and his wife, Barbara, are the keynote speakers at next month's convention of gay Mormons in Salt Lake City.
Reporter Hank Plante, who covered LGBT issues (among other topics) for KPIX-TV in San Francisco for many years, wrote in USA Today that the move is particularly significant since Young is one of the most prominent Mormons in America -- he is a direct descendant of Brigham Young.
Young and his wife confirmed in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune that they'll speak at the conference, saying it is "where they hope to lend their voices to the healing work of making our families, our society and our church more welcoming places for our LGBT brothers and sisters."
The convention, presented by the group Affirmation, takes place Sept. 13-15.
Plante notes that there are signs that the Mormon church is softening its political stance against gay rights, with church members no longer taking the lead in opposing gay marriage.