Mormon and gay: church says you n be both, but activists say isn't enough | LGBTQ+ rights | The Guardian

Contents:

• MORMON AND GAY: CHURCH SAYS YOU N BE BOTH, BUT ACTIVISTS SAY ISN'T ENOUGH
• MORMON CHURCH TRI TO BALANCE GAY RIGHTS PROTECTNS, RELIG EEDOM
• THE LGBT MORMONS PHG THE CHURCH TO ACCEPT EQUALYPROGRSAFTER THE MORMON CHURCH ROLLED BACK ANTI-LGBT POLICI ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND BAPTISM, AN CREASGLY VOL NTGENT OF LGBT MORMONS ARE MPAIGNG FOR GREATER CHANGE.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED APR. 13, 2019 2:19AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYTHE CHURCH OF J CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SATS IS APPROACHG AN LGBT CROSSROADS.THE FAH, MONLY KNOWN AS THE MORMON CHURCH OR LDS CHURCH, RECENTLY ROLLED BACK A NOVEMBER 2015 STATEMENT THAT CLARED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO BE AN ACT OF APOSTASY AND PLACED RTRICTNS ON CHILDREN OF SAME-SEX UPL WHO WISH TO BE BAPTIZED. (LT ONE THK THIS NSTUT A FULL REVERSAL OF THE LDS CHURCH’S ANTI-LGBT POSNS, HOWEVER, A TOP LEAR REERATED THAT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS STILL SEEN AS “A SER TRANSGRSN.”) BUT A GROWG NUMBER OF MORMONS ARE BEG MORE PROGRSIVE THAN THEIR SPIRUAL LEARS ON ISSU LIKE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. NO ONE KNOWS THAT BETTER THAN NATHAN KCHEN, PRINT OF THE AFFIRMATN SUPPORT ANIZATN FOR LGBT MORMONS, WHICH NOW SERV ABOUT 6,000 PEOPLE AT S NFERENC.WHEN KCHEN ME OUT AS GAY TO HIS MORMON FAY SIX YEARS AGO, HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST, “HALF OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE NOT AFFIRMG [AND] WAS DIFFICULT FOR MY PARENTS.” NOW, KCHEN IS ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED NOVEMBER—AND HIS WHOLE FAY WILL BE THERE. “IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO WHEN I ME OUT, I WOULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED ,” SAID KCHEN.THERE IS EMPIRIL DATA TO BACK UP KCHEN’S EXPERIENCE: ACRDG TO SURVEYS NDUCTED BY THE PUBLIC RELIGN REARCH INSTUTE, MORMON OPPOSN TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE FELL OM 68 PERCENT TO 53 PERCENT OM 2013 TO 2017. THAT MAY WELL BELOW THE CURRENT STRONG MAJORY SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE THE UNED STAT OVERALL—BUT AS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE NOTED S ANALYSIS OF PRRI DATA, LENNIAL MORMONS HAVE NOW CROSSED THE 50-PERCENT SUPPORT THRHOLD.IN FACT, A LARGE-SLE STUDY SHE NDUCTED FOR HER BOOK THE NEXT MORMONS: HOW MILLENNIALS ARE CHANGG THE LDS CHURCH, THOR JANA RIS FOUND THAT LGBT ISSU ARE THE THIRD MOST MON REASON WHY LENNIALS LEAVE THE FAH. (AS A TRANSGENR EX-MORMON MYSELF, I N CERTALY RELATE TO THAT SENTIMENT.)THE LGBT LENNIAL MORMON EXOD IS UNRSTANDABLE. EVEN THOUGH THE LDS CHURCH ROLLED BACK S NOVEMBER 2015 POLICY TWO WEEKS AGO, TOP LEARS STILL TEACH THAT SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS SFUL. TRANSGENR MEMBERS FACE POTENTIAL DISCIPLE, TOO. THE SEVERY OF THE MORMON CHURCH’S LGBT POSNS MAY HAVE BEEN ADJTED BUT IS STILL FAR OM BEG AN LGBT-AFFIRMG FAH.STILL, AN CREASGLY VOL NTGENT OF LGBT MORMONS ARE HOLDG OUT HOPE THAT THEIR FAH MAY ONE DAY MORE FULLY ACCEPT THEM. FROM HIS VANTAGE POT, KCHEN BELIEV THAT THAT LGBT MORMONS WHO STAY THE FAH N “FD THEMSELV BEG BRIDGE BUILRS AND HAVG SOME REALLY GOOD NSTCTIVE TERACTNS WH CHURCH MEMBERS.”“BUT THOSE THAT GO, I SALUTE [THEM], I UNRSTAND, I KNOW WHY THAT NEEDS TO BE—THERE’S NO REASON TO HANG AROUND AND WA FOR HAPPS AT SOME DISTANT POT THE FUTURE,” HE SAID.REACHED FOR MENT FOR THIS STORY, THE LDS CHURCH REFERRED TO S STATEMENT ON THE ROLLBACK OF THE NOVEMBER 2015 POLICY, WHICH LEARS STOPPED SHORT OF APOLOGIZG FOR THE POLICY, BUT SAID, “WE WANT TO RCE THE HATE AND NTENTN SO MON TODAY.”“WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT A MAJORY OF PEOPLE—WHATEVER THEIR BELIEFS AND ORIENTATNS—LONG FOR BETTER UNRSTANDG AND LS NTENT MUNITNS,” SAID MORMON APOSTLE DALL H. OAKS. “THAT IS SURELY OUR SIRE, AND WE SEEK THE HELP OF OUR MEMBERS AND OTHERS TO ATTA .”WHEN THE 2015 POLICY WAS FIRST ROLLED BACK EARLIER THIS MONTH, KCHEN FELT AN IAL RELIEF THAT THE PA SO MANY AFFIRMATN FELT WOULD NOW BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY ALLAYED. IN PRACTICE, THE POLICY HAD LED TO FAIAL SEPARATN AND TRMA FOR LGBT MORMONS. BUT AFTER THE SURPRISG ANNOUNCEMENT HAD TIME TO SK , KCHEN’S VIEWS SHIFTED.“WE N NEVER GO BACK AS A MUNY,” HE SAID, “BEE THIS EVENT CHANGED . WE MOVE FORWARD, I THK, STRONGER AND MORE RILIENT AND MORE AWARE OF OURSELV BEE OF WHAT WE LIVED UNR THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS THE CHURCH.” “THEY’RE GOG TO DO WHAT THEY’RE GOG TO DO. BUT WHAT WE’RE DOG IS JT SAYG, ‘SEE ME, HEAR MY STORY’” INSTEAD OF WAG AROUND FOR MORE STATEMENTS OR ROLLBACKS, KCHEN ADD, HE WANTS TO KEEP BUILDG A MUNY OF LGBT MORMONS AND FORMER MORMONS WHO STAND STRONG TOGETHER—AND ALLOW POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS TO E IF AND WHEN THEY MAY.“I KNOW THAT LOBBYG THE CHURCH DO NOT WORK,” HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “THEY’RE GOG TO DO WHAT THEY’RE GOG TO DO. BUT WHAT WE’RE DOG IS JT SAYG, ‘SEE ME, HEAR MY STORY.’”“I THK THAT WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE ENDURED AND WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH,” KCHEN NTUED, “AND REALIZE THAT WE N MOVE FORWARD PERSONALLY REGARDLS OF WHAT THE CHURCH SAYS.”FOR THOSE CLOSELY WATCHG THE LDS CHURCH’S POSNS ON LGBT ISSU, THE FOLLOWG THE FAH’S VOLVEMENT CALIFORNIA’S PROPOSN 8HAS BEEN A ROLLERASTER. THE CHURCH, WHICH N HAVE A STRONG FLUENCE ON UTAH STATE POLICS, OPPOSED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BUT 2015 SUPPORTED A SUCCSFUL PROMISE LAW THAT GRANTED CCIAL NON-DISCRIMATN PROTECTNS TO LGBT PEOPLE WH SOME RELIG EXEMPTNS.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, THE CHURCH ISSUED A STATEMENT OPPOSG NVERSN THERAPY—BUT ALSO EFFECTIVELY TORPEDOED THE CHANC OF AN LGBT-CLIVE HATE CRIM BILL. THIS YEAR, HOWEVER THE HATE CRIM BILL FALLY PASSED THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF ADVOCY GROUPS LIKE EQUALY UTAH AND TO THE CHURCH’S FADG OPPOSN TO THE LAW. “I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC BEE I REALLY AM SEEG THAT PARENTS, PECIALLY NOWADAYS, THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN BEHD” LGBT ADVOT UTAH HAVE BEEN DRAWG THE LDS CHURCH’S ATTENTN TO THE UNUALLY HIGH RATE OF YOUTH SUICI THE STATE, WHICH THEY BELIEVE IS DRIVEN LARGE PART BY THE REJECTN OF LGBT YOUTH. AT THE SAME TIME, THE SUPPORT GROUP ENCIRCLE HAS OPENED CENTERS FOR LGBT FAI AND YOUTH BOTH PROVO, UTAH AND SALT LAKE CY.THIS BUDDG SUPPORT AMID ALL THE HEARTACHE AND TURBULENCE HAS LEFT KCHEN FEELG HOPEFUL: “I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC BEE I REALLY AM SEEG THAT PARENTS, PECIALLY NOWADAYS, THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN BEHD.”AFFIRMATN, TOO, HAS SEEN GROWTH S REACH, BOTH AT S NFERENC AND ON FACEBOOK.“THE REACH IS GROWG BEE THE TERT IS GROWG, BOTH NOT ONLY THE MUNY BUT OUTSI OF THE MUNY,” SAID KCHEN.BUT WHETHER THAT GROWG LGBT SUPPORT LEADS TO SUBSTANTIVE POLICY CHANGE REMAS TO BE SEEN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, UNED METHODIST CHURCH LEARS ARRIVED AT A HEARTBREAKG SPL ON LGBT ISSU—BUT ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO SHORE UP ANTI-LGBT POLICI, LEADG TO OUTRAGE AND SORROW FOR LGBT-AFFIRMG MEMBERS AND NGREGATNS.AS SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND TRANSGENR RIGHTS GROWS WH THE FAH, THE MORMON CHURCH ULD BE HEAD FOR A SIAR MOMENT OF RECKONG. EVEN AS LENNIAL MORMONS PULL THE MEMBERSHIP LEFT, THE FAH’S TOP LEARS, KNOWN AS APOSTL—WHO ARE CURRENTLY AN AVERAGE OF 71 YEARS OLD—BELONG TO EHER THE SILENT GENERATN OR THE BABY BOOMER GENERATN, BOTH OF WHICH ARE MUCH LS ACCEPTG OF LGBT PEOPLE.THAT’S WHY KCHEN ISN’T PNG HIS HOP TO POLICY CHANGE—BUT RATHER TO THE MUNY OF LGBT MORMONS HE WANTS TO KEEP BUILDG.“I DON’T WANT TO JT S AROUND AND WA FOR SOMETHG LIKE THAT,” HE SAID OF POSSIBLE FUTURE LGBT REFORMS. “THE LEARS OF THE CHURCH NEED TO GET THAT ANSWER—AND MEANWHILE I’M GOG TO BE ME, AND I’M GOG TO DRAW MY IENDS, MY FAY, AND MY MUNY TO MY CIRCLE OF LOVE. THAT’S WHERE I FOC.” SAMANTHA ALLEN

MORMON AND GAY: CHURCH SAYS YOU N BE BOTH, BUT ACTIVISTS SAY ISN'T ENOUGH

Mormons Buildg Bridg is a muny of Latter-day Sats dited to nveyg love and acceptance to all those who intify as LGBTQI and those who experience same-sex attractn or genr Fay Fellowship is a service and support group for Mormons wh gay and lbian fay members. Views about homosexualy18-2930-4950-6465+Sample sizeShould be accepted22%44%22%12%222Should be disuraged23%37%22%18%380Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyYounger MillennialOlr MillennialGeneratn XBaby BoomerSilentGreattSample sizeShould be accepted13%19%34%27%8%< 1%222Should be disuraged15%18%28%25%13%1%380Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyMenWomenSample sizeShould be accepted39%61%225Should be disuraged52%48%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyWheBlackAsianLatoOther/MixedSample sizeShould be accepted81%< 1%1%12%5%223Should be disuraged87%1%2%6%5%382Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyImmigrantsSend generatnThird generatn or higherSample sizeShould be accepted11%8%81%224Should be disuraged6%6%89%382Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

MORMON CHURCH TRI TO BALANCE GAY RIGHTS PROTECTNS, RELIG EEDOM

Views about homosexualyLs than $30, 000$30, 000-$49, 999$50, 000-$99, 999$100, 000 or moreSample sizeShould be accepted27%24%33%17%214Should be disuraged29%18%33%21%339Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

THE LGBT MORMONS PHG THE CHURCH TO ACCEPT EQUALYPROGRSAFTER THE MORMON CHURCH ROLLED BACK ANTI-LGBT POLICI ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND BAPTISM, AN CREASGLY VOL NTGENT OF LGBT MORMONS ARE MPAIGNG FOR GREATER CHANGE.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED APR. 13, 2019 2:19AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYTHE CHURCH OF J CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SATS IS APPROACHG AN LGBT CROSSROADS.THE FAH, MONLY KNOWN AS THE MORMON CHURCH OR LDS CHURCH, RECENTLY ROLLED BACK A NOVEMBER 2015 STATEMENT THAT CLARED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO BE AN ACT OF APOSTASY AND PLACED RTRICTNS ON CHILDREN OF SAME-SEX UPL WHO WISH TO BE BAPTIZED. (LT ONE THK THIS NSTUT A FULL REVERSAL OF THE LDS CHURCH’S ANTI-LGBT POSNS, HOWEVER, A TOP LEAR REERATED THAT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS STILL SEEN AS “A SER TRANSGRSN.”) BUT A GROWG NUMBER OF MORMONS ARE BEG MORE PROGRSIVE THAN THEIR SPIRUAL LEARS ON ISSU LIKE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. NO ONE KNOWS THAT BETTER THAN NATHAN KCHEN, PRINT OF THE AFFIRMATN SUPPORT ANIZATN FOR LGBT MORMONS, WHICH NOW SERV ABOUT 6,000 PEOPLE AT S NFERENC.WHEN KCHEN ME OUT AS GAY TO HIS MORMON FAY SIX YEARS AGO, HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST, “HALF OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE NOT AFFIRMG [AND] WAS DIFFICULT FOR MY PARENTS.” NOW, KCHEN IS ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED NOVEMBER—AND HIS WHOLE FAY WILL BE THERE. “IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO WHEN I ME OUT, I WOULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED ,” SAID KCHEN.THERE IS EMPIRIL DATA TO BACK UP KCHEN’S EXPERIENCE: ACRDG TO SURVEYS NDUCTED BY THE PUBLIC RELIGN REARCH INSTUTE, MORMON OPPOSN TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE FELL OM 68 PERCENT TO 53 PERCENT OM 2013 TO 2017. THAT MAY WELL BELOW THE CURRENT STRONG MAJORY SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE THE UNED STAT OVERALL—BUT AS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE NOTED S ANALYSIS OF PRRI DATA, LENNIAL MORMONS HAVE NOW CROSSED THE 50-PERCENT SUPPORT THRHOLD.IN FACT, A LARGE-SLE STUDY SHE NDUCTED FOR HER BOOK THE NEXT MORMONS: HOW MILLENNIALS ARE CHANGG THE LDS CHURCH, THOR JANA RIS FOUND THAT LGBT ISSU ARE THE THIRD MOST MON REASON WHY LENNIALS LEAVE THE FAH. (AS A TRANSGENR EX-MORMON MYSELF, I N CERTALY RELATE TO THAT SENTIMENT.)THE LGBT LENNIAL MORMON EXOD IS UNRSTANDABLE. EVEN THOUGH THE LDS CHURCH ROLLED BACK S NOVEMBER 2015 POLICY TWO WEEKS AGO, TOP LEARS STILL TEACH THAT SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS SFUL. TRANSGENR MEMBERS FACE POTENTIAL DISCIPLE, TOO. THE SEVERY OF THE MORMON CHURCH’S LGBT POSNS MAY HAVE BEEN ADJTED BUT IS STILL FAR OM BEG AN LGBT-AFFIRMG FAH.STILL, AN CREASGLY VOL NTGENT OF LGBT MORMONS ARE HOLDG OUT HOPE THAT THEIR FAH MAY ONE DAY MORE FULLY ACCEPT THEM. FROM HIS VANTAGE POT, KCHEN BELIEV THAT THAT LGBT MORMONS WHO STAY THE FAH N “FD THEMSELV BEG BRIDGE BUILRS AND HAVG SOME REALLY GOOD NSTCTIVE TERACTNS WH CHURCH MEMBERS.”“BUT THOSE THAT GO, I SALUTE [THEM], I UNRSTAND, I KNOW WHY THAT NEEDS TO BE—THERE’S NO REASON TO HANG AROUND AND WA FOR HAPPS AT SOME DISTANT POT THE FUTURE,” HE SAID.REACHED FOR MENT FOR THIS STORY, THE LDS CHURCH REFERRED TO S STATEMENT ON THE ROLLBACK OF THE NOVEMBER 2015 POLICY, WHICH LEARS STOPPED SHORT OF APOLOGIZG FOR THE POLICY, BUT SAID, “WE WANT TO RCE THE HATE AND NTENTN SO MON TODAY.”“WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT A MAJORY OF PEOPLE—WHATEVER THEIR BELIEFS AND ORIENTATNS—LONG FOR BETTER UNRSTANDG AND LS NTENT MUNITNS,” SAID MORMON APOSTLE DALL H. OAKS. “THAT IS SURELY OUR SIRE, AND WE SEEK THE HELP OF OUR MEMBERS AND OTHERS TO ATTA .”WHEN THE 2015 POLICY WAS FIRST ROLLED BACK EARLIER THIS MONTH, KCHEN FELT AN IAL RELIEF THAT THE PA SO MANY AFFIRMATN FELT WOULD NOW BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY ALLAYED. IN PRACTICE, THE POLICY HAD LED TO FAIAL SEPARATN AND TRMA FOR LGBT MORMONS. BUT AFTER THE SURPRISG ANNOUNCEMENT HAD TIME TO SK , KCHEN’S VIEWS SHIFTED.“WE N NEVER GO BACK AS A MUNY,” HE SAID, “BEE THIS EVENT CHANGED . WE MOVE FORWARD, I THK, STRONGER AND MORE RILIENT AND MORE AWARE OF OURSELV BEE OF WHAT WE LIVED UNR THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS THE CHURCH.” “THEY’RE GOG TO DO WHAT THEY’RE GOG TO DO. BUT WHAT WE’RE DOG IS JT SAYG, ‘SEE ME, HEAR MY STORY’” INSTEAD OF WAG AROUND FOR MORE STATEMENTS OR ROLLBACKS, KCHEN ADD, HE WANTS TO KEEP BUILDG A MUNY OF LGBT MORMONS AND FORMER MORMONS WHO STAND STRONG TOGETHER—AND ALLOW POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS TO E IF AND WHEN THEY MAY.“I KNOW THAT LOBBYG THE CHURCH DO NOT WORK,” HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “THEY’RE GOG TO DO WHAT THEY’RE GOG TO DO. BUT WHAT WE’RE DOG IS JT SAYG, ‘SEE ME, HEAR MY STORY.’”“I THK THAT WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE ENDURED AND WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH,” KCHEN NTUED, “AND REALIZE THAT WE N MOVE FORWARD PERSONALLY REGARDLS OF WHAT THE CHURCH SAYS.”FOR THOSE CLOSELY WATCHG THE LDS CHURCH’S POSNS ON LGBT ISSU, THE FOLLOWG THE FAH’S VOLVEMENT CALIFORNIA’S PROPOSN 8HAS BEEN A ROLLERASTER. THE CHURCH, WHICH N HAVE A STRONG FLUENCE ON UTAH STATE POLICS, OPPOSED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BUT 2015 SUPPORTED A SUCCSFUL PROMISE LAW THAT GRANTED CCIAL NON-DISCRIMATN PROTECTNS TO LGBT PEOPLE WH SOME RELIG EXEMPTNS.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, THE CHURCH ISSUED A STATEMENT OPPOSG NVERSN THERAPY—BUT ALSO EFFECTIVELY TORPEDOED THE CHANC OF AN LGBT-CLIVE HATE CRIM BILL. THIS YEAR, HOWEVER THE HATE CRIM BILL FALLY PASSED THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF ADVOCY GROUPS LIKE EQUALY UTAH AND TO THE CHURCH’S FADG OPPOSN TO THE LAW. “I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC BEE I REALLY AM SEEG THAT PARENTS, PECIALLY NOWADAYS, THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN BEHD” LGBT ADVOT UTAH HAVE BEEN DRAWG THE LDS CHURCH’S ATTENTN TO THE UNUALLY HIGH RATE OF YOUTH SUICI THE STATE, WHICH THEY BELIEVE IS DRIVEN LARGE PART BY THE REJECTN OF LGBT YOUTH. AT THE SAME TIME, THE SUPPORT GROUP ENCIRCLE HAS OPENED CENTERS FOR LGBT FAI AND YOUTH BOTH PROVO, UTAH AND SALT LAKE CY.THIS BUDDG SUPPORT AMID ALL THE HEARTACHE AND TURBULENCE HAS LEFT KCHEN FEELG HOPEFUL: “I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC BEE I REALLY AM SEEG THAT PARENTS, PECIALLY NOWADAYS, THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN BEHD.”AFFIRMATN, TOO, HAS SEEN GROWTH S REACH, BOTH AT S NFERENC AND ON FACEBOOK.“THE REACH IS GROWG BEE THE TERT IS GROWG, BOTH NOT ONLY THE MUNY BUT OUTSI OF THE MUNY,” SAID KCHEN.BUT WHETHER THAT GROWG LGBT SUPPORT LEADS TO SUBSTANTIVE POLICY CHANGE REMAS TO BE SEEN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, UNED METHODIST CHURCH LEARS ARRIVED AT A HEARTBREAKG SPL ON LGBT ISSU—BUT ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO SHORE UP ANTI-LGBT POLICI, LEADG TO OUTRAGE AND SORROW FOR LGBT-AFFIRMG MEMBERS AND NGREGATNS.AS SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND TRANSGENR RIGHTS GROWS WH THE FAH, THE MORMON CHURCH ULD BE HEAD FOR A SIAR MOMENT OF RECKONG. EVEN AS LENNIAL MORMONS PULL THE MEMBERSHIP LEFT, THE FAH’S TOP LEARS, KNOWN AS APOSTL—WHO ARE CURRENTLY AN AVERAGE OF 71 YEARS OLD—BELONG TO EHER THE SILENT GENERATN OR THE BABY BOOMER GENERATN, BOTH OF WHICH ARE MUCH LS ACCEPTG OF LGBT PEOPLE.THAT’S WHY KCHEN ISN’T PNG HIS HOP TO POLICY CHANGE—BUT RATHER TO THE MUNY OF LGBT MORMONS HE WANTS TO KEEP BUILDG.“I DON’T WANT TO JT S AROUND AND WA FOR SOMETHG LIKE THAT,” HE SAID OF POSSIBLE FUTURE LGBT REFORMS. “THE LEARS OF THE CHURCH NEED TO GET THAT ANSWER—AND MEANWHILE I’M GOG TO BE ME, AND I’M GOG TO DRAW MY IENDS, MY FAY, AND MY MUNY TO MY CIRCLE OF LOVE. THAT’S WHERE I FOC.” SAMANTHA ALLEN

Views about homosexualyHigh school or lsSome llegeCollegePost-graduate greeSample sizeShould be accepted37%36%18%9%224Should be disuraged21%42%26%10%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyMarriedLivg wh a partnerDivorced/separatedWidowedNever marriedSample sizeShould be accepted64%6%9%3%18%225Should be disuraged67%2%7%6%19%383Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyParentsNon-parentsSample sizeShould be accepted42%58%225Should be disuraged40%60%384Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyBelieve God; absolutely certaBelieve God; fairly certaBelieve God; not too/not at all certaBelieve God; don't knowDo not believe GodOther/don't know if they believe GodSample sizeShould be accepted76%18%5%< 1%1%1%225Should be disuraged92%7%< 1%< 1%< 1%< 1%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyVery importantSomewhat importantNot too importantNot at all importantDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted67%23%8%2%< 1%225Should be disuraged94%6%1%< 1%< 1%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyAt least once a weekOnce or twice a month/a few tim a yearSeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted62%19%19%< 1%225Should be disuraged85%10%3%1%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyAt least dailyWeeklyMonthlySeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted74%11%6%9%< 1%225Should be disuraged92%5%1%2%< 1%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyAt least once a weekOnce or twice a monthSeveral tim a yearSeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted52%11%4%34%< 1%225Should be disuraged83%4%2%10%< 1%386Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.