Mormon gay rights: A shockg speech by Jefey Holland at BYU sparks a new LGBT fight.

Contents:

• BYU VALEDICTORIAN OUT AS PROUD 'GAY SON OF GOD' GRADUATN SPEECH
• BYU VALEDICTORIAN MATT EASTON OUT AS GAY DURG GRADUATN SPEECH
• AUDIENCE RPONSE TO BYU VALEDICTORIAN COMG OUT AS GAY DURG COMMENCEMENT SPEECH WAS 'HEARTENG TO SEE,' STUNT SAYS
• BYU STUNT MENCEMENT SPEAKER OUT AS GAY DURG SPEECH
• BYU VALEDICTORIAN OUT AS GAY VIRAL NVOTN SPEECH
• BYU VALEDICTORIAN REVEALS HE IS GAY DURG MENCEMENT SPEECH
• ‘IT IS A VICTORY FOR ME’: B.Y.U. VALEDICTORIAN ANNOUNC HE IS GAY
• IN COMMENCEMENT SPEECH, BRIGHAM YOUNG GRADUATE ‘PROUD TO BE A GAY SON OF GOD’
• LAMPS, GS AND HOME EMS FOR EVERY BUDGET!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHLIVGBRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT OUT DURG MENCEMENT SPEECH0:46BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT OUT DURG MENCEMENT BYHAYLEY FZPATRICKAPRIL 29, 2019, 10:32 PMBRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT MATT EASTON GAVE A SPEECH TO REMEMBER AT HIS LLEGE'S GRADUATN CEREMONY WHEN HE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HE IS GAY.IN HIS SPEECH FRIDAY, EASTON, THE VALEDICTORIAN FOR THE COLLEGE OF FAY, HOME, AND SOCIAL SCIENC AT BYU, SCRIBED THAT HE WAS CELEBRATG "A FEW OF MY OWN PERSONAL VICTORI" DURG HIS TIME AT THE UNIVERSY.(MORE: ALABAMA ACH, YOUTH CLUB FOUNR HONORED FOR HER SPIRG WORK ON AND OFF THE URT)THE 24-YEAR-OLD POLIL SCIENCE MAJOR CLUD FUNNY MEMORI LIKE GETTG H BY A ER WHILE WALKG TO CLASS HIS HMAN YEAR AND MORE SER MOMENTS LIKE FDG OUT HIS MOTHER HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WH TERMAL NCER -- AND HOW LED HIM TO REALIZE "HOW TO CHERISH AND WHO TO CHERISH."HE THEN SCRIBED MOMENTS WHERE HE STGGLED WH HIS OWN INTY BEFORE ANNOUNCG TO THE CROWD, “I STAND BEFORE MY FAY, IENDS AND GRADUATG CLASS TODAY TO SAY THAT I AM PROUD TO BE A GAY SON OF GOD.”EASTON SHARED EXCERPTS OM HIS SPEECH ON TWTER, THANKG THOSE WHO SUPPORTED HIM AND ADDG, "I FEEL SO SO LUCKY TO HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE SOME OF MY STORY WH SO MANY PEOPLE."EDOR’S PICKSIMAGE DRAGONS' DAN REYNOLDS SENDS A MSAGE OF LOVE TO LGBTQ YOUTHJUN 04, 2018TAYLOR SWIFT DONAT $113,000 TO PRO-LGBTQ ADVOCY GROUP TENNSEEAPR 09, 2019LGBTQ CHARACTERS AT ALL-TIME HIGH ON TV, NEW STUDY SAYSOCT 25, 2018EASTON TOLD "GOOD MORNG AMERI" THAT HE HAD BEEN THKG ABOUT THE MSAGE HE WOULD LIVER HIS SPEECH FOR WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT."OVER THE URSE OF MY TIME AT BYU, I’VE SLOWLY E TO TERMS WH MY SEXUALY," HE SAID. "I STARTED ADDRSG AND SAYG 'OKAY THIS IS A PART OF ME, HOW AM I GOG TO AL WH THIS – WHAT DO I WANT MY INTY TO BE?' SO WHEN I WAS WRG MY SPEECH ABOUT THE HALLMARKS OF MY TIME AT BYU, I ULD THK OF NOTHG MORE FTG THAN MY EXPERIENCE G TO TERMS WH WHO I AM."AFTER REARCHG OTHER NVOTN AND MENCEMENT SPEECH, HE SAID, "THE ON THAT REALLY SPIRED ME THE MOST AND STUCK WH ME MY MD WERE PEOPLE WHO SHARED THEIR THENTIC SELV.""THEY DIDN’T FOC ON THEIR ACLAS OR ON THE AMAZG THGS THAT THEY DID BUT ON THE PERSON THAT THEY WERE BEG," HE ADD. "AND I THOUGHT -- THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO. THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO SHARE."MATT EASTON IS SEEN HERE.MATT EASTONHE REVEALED THAT DURG HIS TIME AT THE SCHOOL, HE DIDN'T FOC ON SOME FACTORS OF HIS LIFE AS MUCH AS OTHERS."BYU HAS A VERY STRICT HONOR , A LOT OF L ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY AND BEG GAY, SO DURG MY TIME AT BYU MY FOC WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY ON MY STUDI," HE SHARED. "I’M LIKE, 'I WANT TO DO WELL SCHOOL, I WANT TO FOC ON MY REER AND WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, I’LL WORK ON OTHER ASPECTS OF MYSELF.'"HE FELT HIS SPEECH WAS AN OPPORTUNY FOR HIM TO "FOC ON BEG MORE THENTIC.""I THOUGHT I HAVE THIS PLATFORM, I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNY, AND FOR ME, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO -- I WANT TO FISH MY TIME AND START THIS NEW CHAPTER BEG AS TE TO MYSELF AS I ULD," HE SAID.(MORE: IMAGE DRAGONS' ONTMAN SHEDS LIGHT ON PLIGHT OF LGBTQ YOUTH RAISED MORMON)EASTON ALSO REALIZED THE IMPACT HIS SPEECH ULD HAVE ON YOUNG MORMON MEN AND WOMEN STGGLG WH THEIR SEXUALY."I FELT LIKE GIVEN THIS PLATFORM, I ULD REALLY E MY VOICE FOR GOOD. I THOUGHT 'COULD I JT BE ANOTHER VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH? OR SOMETHG THAT WILL IMPACT AND MAKE REAL CHANGE?'" HE SAID."I HOPE THAT LGBTQ MORMONS AND QUEER STUNTS AND PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE ALONE AND AAID, JT AS I FELT ALONE AND AAID, ULD HEAR MY SPEECH AND ULD FEEL A LTLE MORE SEEN AND A LTLE MORE LOVED AND A LTLE MORE VALUED BEE THEY ARE," HE ADD.BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT MATT EASTON ME OUT AS GAY DURG HIS NVOTN SPEECH ON APRIL 26, 2019.MARISA TAFOYA MEDIAHE WAS IALLY SKEPTIL ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL'S ADMISTRATN WOULD ALLOW THE SPEECH BUT RECEIVED A MSAGE OF ENURAGEMENT OM THE ADMISTRATOR WHO REVIEWED HIS SPEECH, TELLG HIM WAS GREAT AND TO "GO FOR .""THAT’S WHEN STARTED TO GET REAL, WHERE I WAS LIKE, IS THIS REALLY THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME?" HE SAID. "I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS DOG NOT FOR OTHER PEOPLE, NOT TO APPEASE SOMETHG OR MAKE SOME BIG POLIL STATEMENT, BUT FOR MYSELF AND KNOWG WAS THE NEXT STEP MY STORY AND MY PROGRSN AS WHO I WANT TO BE."MATT EASTON POS FOR A PHOTOGRAPH AS HE SS A PARK, APRIL 29, 2019, COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, UTAH.RICK BOWMER/APTHE SCHOOL'S HONOR HAS E UNR A MICROSPE RECENT MONTHS AFTER STUNTS PROTTED S STRICT POLICI ON EVERYTHG OM PREMARAL SEX TO NO ALHOL NSUMPTN. IN THE SCHOOL'S , HOMOSEXUALY IS ALSO ADDRSED. THE FOLLOWG EXCERPT IS CLUD THE :"ONE'S STATED SAME-GENR ATTRACTN IS NOT AN HONOR CO ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE HONOR CO REQUIR ALL MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSY MUNY TO MANIFT A STRICT MMENT TO THE LAW OF CHASTY. HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS APPROPRIATE AND VLAT THE HONOR CO. HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR CLUS NOT ONLY SEXUAL RELATNS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAME SEX, BUT ALL FORMS OF PHYSIL TIMACY THAT GIVE EXPRSN TO HOMOSEXUAL FEELGS."EASTON SAYS HE HAS ALWAYS FELT SUPPORTED BY HIS IENDS, TORS AND PEERS AT BYU -- BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IS NOT THE SE FOR ALL."I KNOW THAT ME MIGHT BE A LTLE B OF AN ANOMALY AND I REGNIZE THAT," HE SHARED ON HIS EXPERIENCE AT THE SCHOOL. "I N REALLY ONLY SPEAK TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE. I WILL SAY THAT HASN’T BEEN WHOUT FEARS.""IT IS A LTLE SRY TO THK THAT THIS IS MAYBE WORKG AGAST ME, OR I HEAR STORI ABOUT OTHER GAY STUNTS WHO WERE UNFAIRLY TARGETED OR MANIPULATED G THE HONOR , SO OF URSE ’S VERY FEARFUL FOR ME," HE ADD. "I WISH THAT I ULD FEEL SAFER THERE DURG MY TIME AS A STUNT AND I HOPE THAT FUTURE STUNTS WILL BE ABLE TO FEEL MORE SAFE."MATT EASTON, FAR RIGHT, POS WH IENDS AT HIS 2019 GRADUATN CEREMONY.MATT EASTONHOWEVER, HE BELIEV THE UNIVERSY IS MOVG THE RIGHT DIRECTN, AS THEY OPENED AN CLN OFFICE THIS YEAR WH TWO FULL TIME STAFFERS FOCED ON HELPG LGBTQ STUNTS."I HOPE THAT MY NARRATIVE AND THE NARRATIVE OF SO MANY OTHER GAY MORMON PEOPLE WORKG TO MAKE THE CHANG, THAT THEY WILL HELP CE SOME POSIVE DISCSN ON MP AND MY MUNY MORE GENERALLY," HE SAID.HE'S RECEIVED A TREMENDO OUTPOURG OF SUPPORT SCE LIVERG THE SPEECH, SCRIBG THE RPONSE AS OVERWHELMG " THE BT WAY POSSIBLE.""SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME -- PEOPLE THAT I HAD NO IA WERE ALLI OR WOULD FEEL THIS WAY. PEOPLE THAT I DON’T EVEN KNOW," HE SAID. "I’M JT SO OVERWHELMED BY THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME AND THIS ENTIRE WORK THAT I NEVER KNEW EVEN EXISTED, SO I’VE BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT."EDOR’S PICKSIMAGE DRAGONS' DAN REYNOLDS SENDS A MSAGE OF LOVE TO LGBTQ YOUTHJUN 04, 2018TAYLOR SWIFT DONAT $113,000 TO PRO-LGBTQ ADVOCY GROUP TENNSEEAPR 09, 2019LGBTQ CHARACTERS AT ALL-TIME HIGH ON TV, NEW STUDY SAYSOCT 25, 2018UP NEXT LIVG—BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023LOOK UP! AUGT'S 'BLUE SUPERMOON' WON'T BE SEEN AGA UNTIL 2037AUGT 29, 2023DISNEY AND MAKE-A-WISH REACH 150,000 WISH GRANTED AT ONCE UPON A WISH PARTYAUGT 28, 2023HOW WBOYS, NSTCTN CREWS AND A NOE CLUB KEPT OTHER MI FIR OM BEG 'ANOTHER LAHAA'AUGT 25, 2023UP NEXT LIVG—BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023LOOK UP! AUGT'S 'BLUE SUPERMOON' WON'T BE SEEN AGA UNTIL 2037AUGT 29, 2023DISNEY AND MAKE-A-WISH REACH 150,000 WISH GRANTED AT ONCE UPON A WISH PARTYAUGT 28, 2023HOW WBOYS, NSTCTN CREWS AND A NOE CLUB KEPT OTHER MI FIR OM BEG 'ANOTHER LAHAA'AUGT 25, 2023
• GAY BYU STUNT OUT VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH

BYU VALEDICTORIAN OUT AS PROUD 'GAY SON OF GOD' GRADUATN SPEECH

A Brigham Young Universy stunt quoted the Book of Mormon before he me out as a "gay son of God" durg his mencement dience cheered on Matt Easton, a polil science valedictorian, on Friday as he ma the announcement publicly for the first time at the school owned by The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats. "As such, I stand before the Lord, my fay, my graduatg class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.

"Easton, who terned for Utah Senator Mt Romney's 2018 mpaign, had reportedly told close fay and iends but never announced publicly that he was gay.

BYU VALEDICTORIAN MATT EASTON OUT AS GAY DURG GRADUATN SPEECH

While I don’t speak for everyone -- my own experience is all I n vouch for -- I hope that people know that we ARE here at BYU, and we’re not gog anywhere anytime soon, ” Easton wrote a Twter 'S GRADUATION SPEECH PULLED OVER CHRISTIAN CONTENTBYU officials approved his speech ahead of time and, acrdg to the school’s webse, BYU’s Honor Co don’t ban gay stunts, but prohibs “homosexual behavr, ” cludg all forms of physil timacy that “give exprsn to homosexual feelgs.

Provo, Utah -- Brigham Young Universy valedictorian Matt Easton me out as gay while liverg his graduatn speech Friday, reports CBS Salt Lake Cy affiliate 's speech, which he gave to BYU's College of Fay, Home, and Social Scienc as the polil science valedictorian, was met wh applse and cheers om thoands that speech, Easton said, "I stand before my fay, iends, and graduatg class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God. Easton said he'd told close fay members and iends he is gay but had never said so publicly. As such, I stand before the Lord, my fay, my graduatg class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.

AUDIENCE RPONSE TO BYU VALEDICTORIAN COMG OUT AS GAY DURG COMMENCEMENT SPEECH WAS 'HEARTENG TO SEE,' STUNT SAYS

"The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats teach that beg attracted to members of the same sex isn't a s but actg on those feelgs, cludg beg a gay relatnship, is Easton live the life he wants as a gay member of The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats?

BYU STUNT MENCEMENT SPEAKER OUT AS GAY DURG SPEECH

0 gra pot 's Honor Co don't ban gay stunts om the school but says stunts would be vlatn of the if they engage what the school f as "homosexual behavr, " which not only clus havg sexual relatns wh members of the same sex but all forms of physil timacy that "give exprsn to homosexual feelgs. The honor do not prohib homosexual feelgs or attractn, so stunts n state their same-genr attractn, but homosexual behavr is "appropriate, " as stated on the universy's webse, and vlat the honor one BYU junr, who intifi as lbian and asked to rema anonymo for this story, Easton's speech was a movg moment not only bee of his admissn but also the dience's reactn. "As such, I stand before my fay, iends and graduatg class to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God, " Easton said.

A speaker at Brigham Young Universy’s (BYU) mencement ceremony on Friday me out as gay midway through the speech, acrdg to The Salt Lake Tribune.

BYU VALEDICTORIAN OUT AS GAY VIRAL NVOTN SPEECH

Polil science valedictorian Matt Easton, layg out his personal achievements and experienc leadg up to the graduatn, said that he is “proud to be a gay son of God.

BYU VALEDICTORIAN REVEALS HE IS GAY DURG MENCEMENT SPEECH

“As such, I stand before my fay, iends and graduatg class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.

‘IT IS A VICTORY FOR ME’: B.Y.U. VALEDICTORIAN ANNOUNC HE IS GAY

The speech me the same month that The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats, which owns the universy, reversed s policy emg married gay upl “apostat” and barrg their children om baptism most s. BYU graduate Matt Easton me out as gay his nvotn speech on April 26, sayg he was “proud to be a gay son of God.

IN COMMENCEMENT SPEECH, BRIGHAM YOUNG GRADUATE ‘PROUD TO BE A GAY SON OF GOD’

” The dience cheered after Easton said he stood before his fay, iends and graduatg class “proud to be a gay son of God. The day of his speech, Easton tweeted that was the first time he had publicly clared he is gay, though he had been slowly g out to close iends and fay members. The valedictorian for the College of Fay, Home, and Social Scienc at BYU, who majored polil science, told the crowd, "I stand before my fay, iends and graduatg class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.

LAMPS, GS AND HOME EMS FOR EVERY BUDGET!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHLIVGBRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT OUT DURG MENCEMENT SPEECH0:46BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT OUT DURG MENCEMENT BYHAYLEY FZPATRICKAPRIL 29, 2019, 10:32 PMBRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT MATT EASTON GAVE A SPEECH TO REMEMBER AT HIS LLEGE'S GRADUATN CEREMONY WHEN HE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HE IS GAY.IN HIS SPEECH FRIDAY, EASTON, THE VALEDICTORIAN FOR THE COLLEGE OF FAY, HOME, AND SOCIAL SCIENC AT BYU, SCRIBED THAT HE WAS CELEBRATG "A FEW OF MY OWN PERSONAL VICTORI" DURG HIS TIME AT THE UNIVERSY.(MORE: ALABAMA ACH, YOUTH CLUB FOUNR HONORED FOR HER SPIRG WORK ON AND OFF THE URT)THE 24-YEAR-OLD POLIL SCIENCE MAJOR CLUD FUNNY MEMORI LIKE GETTG H BY A ER WHILE WALKG TO CLASS HIS HMAN YEAR AND MORE SER MOMENTS LIKE FDG OUT HIS MOTHER HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WH TERMAL NCER -- AND HOW LED HIM TO REALIZE "HOW TO CHERISH AND WHO TO CHERISH."HE THEN SCRIBED MOMENTS WHERE HE STGGLED WH HIS OWN INTY BEFORE ANNOUNCG TO THE CROWD, “I STAND BEFORE MY FAY, IENDS AND GRADUATG CLASS TODAY TO SAY THAT I AM PROUD TO BE A GAY SON OF GOD.”EASTON SHARED EXCERPTS OM HIS SPEECH ON TWTER, THANKG THOSE WHO SUPPORTED HIM AND ADDG, "I FEEL SO SO LUCKY TO HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE SOME OF MY STORY WH SO MANY PEOPLE."EDOR’S PICKSIMAGE DRAGONS' DAN REYNOLDS SENDS A MSAGE OF LOVE TO LGBTQ YOUTHJUN 04, 2018TAYLOR SWIFT DONAT $113,000 TO PRO-LGBTQ ADVOCY GROUP TENNSEEAPR 09, 2019LGBTQ CHARACTERS AT ALL-TIME HIGH ON TV, NEW STUDY SAYSOCT 25, 2018EASTON TOLD "GOOD MORNG AMERI" THAT HE HAD BEEN THKG ABOUT THE MSAGE HE WOULD LIVER HIS SPEECH FOR WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT."OVER THE URSE OF MY TIME AT BYU, I’VE SLOWLY E TO TERMS WH MY SEXUALY," HE SAID. "I STARTED ADDRSG AND SAYG 'OKAY THIS IS A PART OF ME, HOW AM I GOG TO AL WH THIS – WHAT DO I WANT MY INTY TO BE?' SO WHEN I WAS WRG MY SPEECH ABOUT THE HALLMARKS OF MY TIME AT BYU, I ULD THK OF NOTHG MORE FTG THAN MY EXPERIENCE G TO TERMS WH WHO I AM."AFTER REARCHG OTHER NVOTN AND MENCEMENT SPEECH, HE SAID, "THE ON THAT REALLY SPIRED ME THE MOST AND STUCK WH ME MY MD WERE PEOPLE WHO SHARED THEIR THENTIC SELV.""THEY DIDN’T FOC ON THEIR ACLAS OR ON THE AMAZG THGS THAT THEY DID BUT ON THE PERSON THAT THEY WERE BEG," HE ADD. "AND I THOUGHT -- THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO. THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO SHARE."MATT EASTON IS SEEN HERE.MATT EASTONHE REVEALED THAT DURG HIS TIME AT THE SCHOOL, HE DIDN'T FOC ON SOME FACTORS OF HIS LIFE AS MUCH AS OTHERS."BYU HAS A VERY STRICT HONOR , A LOT OF L ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY AND BEG GAY, SO DURG MY TIME AT BYU MY FOC WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY ON MY STUDI," HE SHARED. "I’M LIKE, 'I WANT TO DO WELL SCHOOL, I WANT TO FOC ON MY REER AND WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, I’LL WORK ON OTHER ASPECTS OF MYSELF.'"HE FELT HIS SPEECH WAS AN OPPORTUNY FOR HIM TO "FOC ON BEG MORE THENTIC.""I THOUGHT I HAVE THIS PLATFORM, I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNY, AND FOR ME, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO -- I WANT TO FISH MY TIME AND START THIS NEW CHAPTER BEG AS TE TO MYSELF AS I ULD," HE SAID.(MORE: IMAGE DRAGONS' ONTMAN SHEDS LIGHT ON PLIGHT OF LGBTQ YOUTH RAISED MORMON)EASTON ALSO REALIZED THE IMPACT HIS SPEECH ULD HAVE ON YOUNG MORMON MEN AND WOMEN STGGLG WH THEIR SEXUALY."I FELT LIKE GIVEN THIS PLATFORM, I ULD REALLY E MY VOICE FOR GOOD. I THOUGHT 'COULD I JT BE ANOTHER VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH? OR SOMETHG THAT WILL IMPACT AND MAKE REAL CHANGE?'" HE SAID."I HOPE THAT LGBTQ MORMONS AND QUEER STUNTS AND PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE ALONE AND AAID, JT AS I FELT ALONE AND AAID, ULD HEAR MY SPEECH AND ULD FEEL A LTLE MORE SEEN AND A LTLE MORE LOVED AND A LTLE MORE VALUED BEE THEY ARE," HE ADD.BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSY STUNT MATT EASTON ME OUT AS GAY DURG HIS NVOTN SPEECH ON APRIL 26, 2019.MARISA TAFOYA MEDIAHE WAS IALLY SKEPTIL ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL'S ADMISTRATN WOULD ALLOW THE SPEECH BUT RECEIVED A MSAGE OF ENURAGEMENT OM THE ADMISTRATOR WHO REVIEWED HIS SPEECH, TELLG HIM WAS GREAT AND TO "GO FOR .""THAT’S WHEN STARTED TO GET REAL, WHERE I WAS LIKE, IS THIS REALLY THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME?" HE SAID. "I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS DOG NOT FOR OTHER PEOPLE, NOT TO APPEASE SOMETHG OR MAKE SOME BIG POLIL STATEMENT, BUT FOR MYSELF AND KNOWG WAS THE NEXT STEP MY STORY AND MY PROGRSN AS WHO I WANT TO BE."MATT EASTON POS FOR A PHOTOGRAPH AS HE SS A PARK, APRIL 29, 2019, COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, UTAH.RICK BOWMER/APTHE SCHOOL'S HONOR HAS E UNR A MICROSPE RECENT MONTHS AFTER STUNTS PROTTED S STRICT POLICI ON EVERYTHG OM PREMARAL SEX TO NO ALHOL NSUMPTN. IN THE SCHOOL'S , HOMOSEXUALY IS ALSO ADDRSED. THE FOLLOWG EXCERPT IS CLUD THE :"ONE'S STATED SAME-GENR ATTRACTN IS NOT AN HONOR CO ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE HONOR CO REQUIR ALL MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSY MUNY TO MANIFT A STRICT MMENT TO THE LAW OF CHASTY. HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS APPROPRIATE AND VLAT THE HONOR CO. HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR CLUS NOT ONLY SEXUAL RELATNS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAME SEX, BUT ALL FORMS OF PHYSIL TIMACY THAT GIVE EXPRSN TO HOMOSEXUAL FEELGS."EASTON SAYS HE HAS ALWAYS FELT SUPPORTED BY HIS IENDS, TORS AND PEERS AT BYU -- BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IS NOT THE SE FOR ALL."I KNOW THAT ME MIGHT BE A LTLE B OF AN ANOMALY AND I REGNIZE THAT," HE SHARED ON HIS EXPERIENCE AT THE SCHOOL. "I N REALLY ONLY SPEAK TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE. I WILL SAY THAT HASN’T BEEN WHOUT FEARS.""IT IS A LTLE SRY TO THK THAT THIS IS MAYBE WORKG AGAST ME, OR I HEAR STORI ABOUT OTHER GAY STUNTS WHO WERE UNFAIRLY TARGETED OR MANIPULATED G THE HONOR , SO OF URSE ’S VERY FEARFUL FOR ME," HE ADD. "I WISH THAT I ULD FEEL SAFER THERE DURG MY TIME AS A STUNT AND I HOPE THAT FUTURE STUNTS WILL BE ABLE TO FEEL MORE SAFE."MATT EASTON, FAR RIGHT, POS WH IENDS AT HIS 2019 GRADUATN CEREMONY.MATT EASTONHOWEVER, HE BELIEV THE UNIVERSY IS MOVG THE RIGHT DIRECTN, AS THEY OPENED AN CLN OFFICE THIS YEAR WH TWO FULL TIME STAFFERS FOCED ON HELPG LGBTQ STUNTS."I HOPE THAT MY NARRATIVE AND THE NARRATIVE OF SO MANY OTHER GAY MORMON PEOPLE WORKG TO MAKE THE CHANG, THAT THEY WILL HELP CE SOME POSIVE DISCSN ON MP AND MY MUNY MORE GENERALLY," HE SAID.HE'S RECEIVED A TREMENDO OUTPOURG OF SUPPORT SCE LIVERG THE SPEECH, SCRIBG THE RPONSE AS OVERWHELMG " THE BT WAY POSSIBLE.""SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME -- PEOPLE THAT I HAD NO IA WERE ALLI OR WOULD FEEL THIS WAY. PEOPLE THAT I DON’T EVEN KNOW," HE SAID. "I’M JT SO OVERWHELMED BY THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME AND THIS ENTIRE WORK THAT I NEVER KNEW EVEN EXISTED, SO I’VE BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT."EDOR’S PICKSIMAGE DRAGONS' DAN REYNOLDS SENDS A MSAGE OF LOVE TO LGBTQ YOUTHJUN 04, 2018TAYLOR SWIFT DONAT $113,000 TO PRO-LGBTQ ADVOCY GROUP TENNSEEAPR 09, 2019LGBTQ CHARACTERS AT ALL-TIME HIGH ON TV, NEW STUDY SAYSOCT 25, 2018UP NEXT LIVG—BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023LOOK UP! AUGT'S 'BLUE SUPERMOON' WON'T BE SEEN AGA UNTIL 2037AUGT 29, 2023DISNEY AND MAKE-A-WISH REACH 150,000 WISH GRANTED AT ONCE UPON A WISH PARTYAUGT 28, 2023HOW WBOYS, NSTCTN CREWS AND A NOE CLUB KEPT OTHER MI FIR OM BEG 'ANOTHER LAHAA'AUGT 25, 2023UP NEXT LIVG—BRI SHAR MOM'S HILAR WEDDG PHOTO BOOK FAILAUGT 29, 2023LOOK UP! AUGT'S 'BLUE SUPERMOON' WON'T BE SEEN AGA UNTIL 2037AUGT 29, 2023DISNEY AND MAKE-A-WISH REACH 150,000 WISH GRANTED AT ONCE UPON A WISH PARTYAUGT 28, 2023HOW WBOYS, NSTCTN CREWS AND A NOE CLUB KEPT OTHER MI FIR OM BEG 'ANOTHER LAHAA'AUGT 25, 2023

In this personal say, Easton, 25, reflects on how his life has changed sce he gave that now-famo speech and how the world reacted to learng he is gay. This was pecially signifint bee I attend Brigham Young Universy, a nservative Mormon-owned llege known for s strict of nduct that forbids any form of romantic homosexual you everyone for your love and support today ❤️ I feel so so lucky to have had a chance to share some of my story wh so many people. I'm still relatively new to beg openly gay, but I've found that there is much more nuance volved, like a ttonwood seed preludg both summertime and hayfever season.

GAY BYU STUNT OUT VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH

I thk that while g out don't magilly solve everythg, fely still has magic example, I still stggle wh the ternalized homophobia graed me sce birth.