Harry Fisher was a vout Mormon. He was also gay. This is the story how he tried to rencile those inti, and why his parents disagree about his ath.
Contents:
- RISG NUMBERS OF YOUNG ADULT MORMONS THE US ARE GAY, LBIAN OR BISEXUAL
- GAY MORMONS
- 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
- DEVOTN AND SPAIR: THE LONELY STGGLE OF A GAY MORMON
RISG NUMBERS OF YOUNG ADULT MORMONS THE US ARE GAY, LBIAN OR BISEXUAL
A muny of support for Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Queer Mormons and those who love them. * lgbt mormons *
" "[If] homosexual sex wh marriage is wrong and heterosexual sex wh marriage is great, we're not treatg 'immoral nduct heterosexual or homosexual the same way, ' " as one person noted on Twter. The PoX got majorly walked back — which is FANTASTIC — although I’ll pot out that if homosexual sex wh marriage is wrong and heterosexual sex wh marriage is great, we’re not treatg “immoral nduct heterosexual or homosexual the same way” — jaclyn (@j_n_foster) April 4, 2019. I believe & look forward to more wonrful surpris the futureI know there will e a pot my life when I will stand wh my fellow Sats & be able to say that I have not been nied any blsgs now or Eterny bee I am gay.
Among Amerins general, 79% say they are favor of “laws that would protect lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr people om discrimatn jobs, public acmodatns and hog.
GAY MORMONS
(RNS) — Mormons have broaned their support for LGBTQ rights three key areas, though they still lag the natn supportg the right of gay upl to get married — or to walk to any bakery the untry and buy themselv a weddg ke. * lgbt mormons *
This likely reflects the effect of the “Utah Compromise” of 2015 and LDS lears’ attempts the last several years to publicly support nondiscrimatn laws while also ntug to teach that homosexual behavr is wrong. On the other hand, Mormons generally feel that ’s permissible for “a small bs owner your state to refe to provi products or servic to gay and lbian people, if dog so vlat their relig beliefs. At that time, they tied whe evangelils for last place opposg “religly based refals, ” wh only 38% of both groups who thought was wrong for bs to be able to cle goods and servic to gay ctomers.
Overall, then, Mormons have broaned their support for LGBTQ rights three key areas, though they still lag the natn supportg the right of gay upl to get married — or to walk to any bakery the untry and buy themselv a weddg ke. AffirmatnAs members and iends of the gay and lbian muny, is our tentn to work for the unrstandg and acceptance of gays and lbians as full, equal and worthy persons wh the Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats and society, and to help them realize and affirm Acceptance Project - Fay Edutn Materials to Help Mormon Fai Support LGBT ChildrenAs wh other fay tn booklets om the Fay Acceptance Project, Supportive Fai, Healthy Children has been signated as the 1st “Bt Practice” rource for suici preventn for LGBT people by the natnal Bt Practic Registry for Suici Preventn and is the only such rource for Latter-day Sat (Mormon) fai. Equaly UtahTo secure equal rights and protectns for LGBTQ Utahns and their BetweenThe purpose of this se is simple — to better unrstand what means to be homosexual and Mormon.
But we are mted to facilatg meangful, lovg, and productive dialogue wh our Heavenly Parents’ LGBTQ+ and GayOfficial church webse lnched 10/25/ Fay FellowshipSupportg fai wh LGBTQ+ members and Futur UtahLoted the heart of downtown Ogn.
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 lears do not speak of a gay or lbian sexual orientatn, though they now fully acknowledge that many people 'stggle wh same-genr attractn.' * lgbt mormons *
It Gets BetterThe It Gets Better Project’s missn is to munite to lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr youth around the world that gets better, and to create and spire the chang need to make better for Affirmative Psychotherapist Guild of UtahThe Guild is a Utah-based, grassroots anizatn of licensed mental-health profsnals and stunts--trag. Ung people who are lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, and queer (LGBTQ) wh fai, iends, and alli, PFLAG is mted to advancg equaly and full societal affirmatn of LGBTQ people through s threefold missn of support, tn, and advocy. But, by no longer nsirg same-sex marriag “apostasy, ” the church has sentially lifted the threat of exmunitn for gay upl, church experts said.
DEVOTN AND SPAIR: THE LONELY STGGLE OF A GAY MORMON
One five Generatn Z members of The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats intify as lbian, gay, bisexual — or any other sexual orientatn bis heterosexual, acrdg to analysis of a natnal survey nducted ahead of the 2020 printial electn. Jana Ris and Benjam Knoll analyzed the data for Relign News Service. They discsed their fdgs wh KUER. * lgbt mormons *
It’s notable this fdg is nearly double the 10% that Benjam Knoll and I found among lennials the 2016 Next Mormons Survey (which broke down to 7% bisexual, 2% gay or lbian and 1% “other”). But Print Oaks ma clear that the Church was not revisg s doctre on homosexualy, which teach that havg same-sex attractn is not a s, but actg on is. 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.
Gay Mormons are enuraged to rema celibate, as are all other sgle members of The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats. * lgbt mormons *
It holds that “gay and lbian Mormons n be great blsgs the liv of their fai, and that fai n be great blsgs the liv of their gay and lbian 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.
For years, Mormons the lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr muny say they've felt shunned om The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats. A newly formed LGBT choir believ 's makg stris the right directn, spe troubl securg rehearsal spac LDS church. * lgbt mormons *
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. 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.
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.