Gay billionaire software developer and Utah philanthropist Bruce Bastian has donated $1 million toward the effort to defeat Proposition 8, the anti-gay marriage amendment on California's November ballot.

Bastian, a member of the Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors, announced his gift at the group's annual gala fundraiser in San Francisco Saturday, July 26. It is the largest personal contribution toward the campaign against Prop 8 to date, according to HRC officials.

Although Bastian is single, does not live in the state, and does not have any close gay friends who are Californians planning to marry, he said he sees the marriage fight in the state as a "battle line." And with the Mormon Church already raising funds to pass Prop 8, Bastian said it was imperative that he become involved in the fight.

"As a Mormon I know it costs a lot of money to preach. The Mormons will raise a lot of money in support of Prop 8 in November," said Bastian, who divorced his wife in 1994 and is the father of four sons. "It upsets me deeply. I want to tell the Mormon Church to stay out of my business."

Bastian said he trusts HRC will spend his money wisely and hopes other wealthy LGBT people will follow suit.

"I am not doing this as a challenge but I hope what I am doing will be an encouragement for people here, around California and the United States to dig a little deeper and join in this fight," he said.

HRC has teamed up with Equality California, the statewide LGBT lobbying group, to help defeat Prop 8 and has formed its own political action committee to raise funds toward the fight. It is expected gay rights groups will need to raise upwards of $20 million to be able to financially compete against the anti-gay groups pushing Prop 8, which would amend the state constitution so that marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman.

A graduate of Brigham Young University, Bastian excelled at computer programming and co-founded the WordPerfect Software Company with Alan Ashton in 1978. Forbes magazine estimated his wealth to be $1.1 billion at one time, and Bastian has funneled his money to gay causes and numerous arts groups in Utah.

The former business partners have since parted ways, particularly when it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage. Bastian helped bankroll the 2004 fight against Utah's anti-gay marriage measure with a total of $300,000 in contributions, reportedly half of the Don't Amend Alliance's budget. Ashton, through a company he owns, gave $100,000 to help pass Utah's constitutional amendment.

In 2006 Bastian contributed $20,000 toward the successful effort to defeat the anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment in Arizona and gave another $21,000 that year to fights in other states where voters ultimately did pass such measures.

L.A. mayor a no show

The announcement by Bastian helped to counteract the news that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa backed out of giving the keynote political speech at the dinner so as not to cross a labor-backed boycott of the gala.

Due to HRC's tacit support last fall of a federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act stripped of transgender protections, local LGBT and labor leaders boycotted this year's gala. Many local politicians opted out of the dinner, and a counterprotest was held outside the host hotel Saturday night.

After heavy lobbying by LGBT and labor officials last week, Villaraigosa decided late Friday to cancel his plans to appear at the event. His decision was made public Saturday morning.

Matt Szabo, Villaraigosa's spokesman, told the Associated Press that the mayor's decision was more "a byproduct" of the controversy than "a snub" of HRC. In a statement, the mayor said he was not aware at first of the boycott, and once he learned about it, determined that he couldn't attend the event.

"As mayor of the largest city in California, I am committed to creating a world in which no member or group in society is denied full and equal rights. It is my hope that this time next year will find us all united by victory in the fight against Proposition 8 and ever more determined to establish equal rights, with no exceptions, for every one of us," said the statement.

Had he appeared at the dinner it could have hurt him politically, as Villaraigosa is considering a run for governor in 2010 when he will likely face off against San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom , who on the night of HRC's event married Jennifer Siebel at her family's ranch in Montana.

In response to his decision, HRC released a statement saying that despite Villaraigosa's cancellation, it remained "excited to be gathering together and standing in solidarity in the fight for an [ENDA] that fully protects our entire community, including transgender workers."

HRC spokesman Brad Luna said that while the counterprotesters had characterized their event as "an organized labor issue" it had nothing to do with organized labor, noting that HRC employees belong to SEIU.

"The message of HRC's event tonight is one of unity as we stand together as a community in our common goals. And as we have an open dialogue about the best way to move forward, let us never forget that we are still a community of brothers and sisters standing as one to advance equality for all GLBT people," stated Luna.

Catherine Cusic, a member of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and supporter of the boycott, applauded Villaraigosa for not attending the dinner. Cusic, who bought a ticket to the gala that night, said HRC is mistaken in thinking the ENDA fight is not a labor issue.

"HRC knows labor played a large role in getting politicians not to be here. They don't understand that GLBT people are everywhere, including the high ranks of labor," said Cusic, who was escorted out of the dinner by hotel security as she tried to interrupt HRC President Joe Solmonese's speech.

For more coverage of the HRC dinner and counterprotest, see this week's issue of the Bay Area Reporter.