Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons

New Horizons for Homosexuals

See the pamphlet

by Hugo Salinas & Connell O'Donovan

In 1970 Spencer W. Kimball, with the assistance of Mark E. Petersen, wrote a pamphlet called Hope for Transgressors that was distributed only to branch presidents, bishops, and stake presidents in the church who had the "privilege and responsibility to assist [homosexual Mormons] to effect a cure and bring their lives back into total normalcy" (p. 1). This extremely homophobic, nine page pamphlet was then greatly expanded in 1971 to become the 34 page pamphlet, New Horizons for Homosexuals. This pamphlet was addressed directly to homosexual Mormons, rather than to Church leaders. In 1978 New Horizons was reprinted as the more innocuous sounding A Letter to a Friend.

Through all these changing titles, one thing remains the same: Elder Kimball was getting his information about homosexuality from popular magazines, rather than from prayer, revelation, or inspiration. In New Horizons, Kimball quotes a June 11, 1965 Life story and a January 1965 issue of Psychiatric Spectator. Elder Kimball's views are today as obsolete as his sources.

Affirmation does not endorse the contents of Elder Kimball's pamphlet. This is, however, an important document in showing the emergence of anti-gay rhetoric in the LDS Church. Science no longer holds that homosexuality is a mental illness, but the LDS Church, following Elder Kimball's views, continues to endorse so-called "therapy " to "cure" and "heal" gays and lesbians.

In the 1978 version of the pamphlet, one of the most offensive paragraphs in the section "Dens of Vice" was removed (see page 21). The paragraph shows how deeply misinformed Elder Kimball was about the nature of homosexuality. It also shows his reliance on Life magazine for his information:

...Says LIFE magazine:

"In New York City, swarms of young college-age homosexuals wearing tight pants, baggy sweaters and sneakers cluster in ragged phalanx..."

San Francisco known as the "Gay Capital" is said to have more than thirty bars for "homos." Inspector Fish is reputed by LIFE Magazine to have said that the 3069 arrests for homosexual offenses in Los Angeles last year represent merely a "token number" of those that should have been arrested. (p. 21)

We can only hope the day will come when the LDS Church will stop disseminating stereotypes, prejudices, and misinformation regarding the true nature of homosexuality.