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2008 Meeting with LDS Family Services: Help Craft Our Presentation May 2008 Why We Are Meeting with LDS Family Services May 2008 Affirmation Leaders to Meet with LDS Church Officials April 2008 Olin Thomas Publishes Plea in “The Salt Lake Tribune” April 2008 Church Threatens Gay-Friendly Couple February 2008 Affirmation Sends Letter to President Monson February 2008 Gordon B. Hinckley (1910 – 2008): A Statement by the Executive Committee of Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons January 2008 2007 BYU Changes the Honor Code's Section Dealing with Homosexuality April 2007 2006 Affirmation Supporter Responds to Elder Oaks and Elder Wickman September 2006 A Response to Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Lance B. Wickman September 2006 Mormons Mobilize Against Church Leaders May 2006 Group Wants Elder Nelson Removed from Coalition May 2006 Defending Whose Marriage? Affirmation Responds to the Religious Coalition for Marriage Petition April 2006 Hundreds Protest BYU's Policies towards Gays April 2006 Russell M. Nelson Decries Same-sex Marriage, Becomes Celestial Polygamist April 2006 LDS Church Threatens to Excommunicate Legally Married Man March 2006 Affirmation Leaders Defend Marriage Equality January 2006 2005 On World AIDS Day, LDS Leader Makes Statement December 2005 The Proclamation on the Family: A Ten Year Assessment October 2005 Time Features Young Gay Mormon October 2005 As SLC Mayor Signs Gay-Friendly Order, Affirmation Issues Statement September 2005 CBS's “Survivor: Guatemala” Features Gay Mormon September 2005 Date & Venue for Salt Lake City Suicide Candlelight Vigil Announced August 2005 Gay and Lesbian Mormons to Hold Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Suicide during National Suicide Prevention Week July 2005 Affirmation Issues Statement in Favor of Equal Marriage Rights May 2005 Gay Mormons Are Advocate's Cover Story March 2005 Affirmation Responds to President Hinckley January 2005 LDS Church Excommunicates Prominent Gay Leader January 2005 2004 President Hinckley Makes More Offensive Comments about Gays December 2004 Mormon Father Sends Letter to Pres. Bush November 2004 Déjà Vu: Two First Presidency Statements, 1969 and 2004 October 2004 Mormon Coalition Sends 900 Flowers to Pres. Hinckley October 2004 Meridian Magazine Censors Offensive Speech September 2004 Safe Space Campaign: A Statement by Brecken Chinn Swartz September 2004 Grassroots Coalition Will Deliver Flowers to Church Headquarters September 2004 Gay Mormons Participate in Utah Pride, Fight for Freedoms June 2004 Affirmation Responds to Apostle's Remarks April 2004 Anti-Gay Coalition Meets Near Washington DC March 2004 2003 At Christmas Devotional, LDS Leader Rails Against Gays and Lesbians December 2003 In Defense of Our Families: A Statement September 2003 Father of Gay Children Asks for Compassion from the Church September 2003 Media Resources Anti-Gay Actions Carried Out by the LDS Church So-Called "Reparative Therapy" LDS Rhetoric on Homosexuality Suicide Same-Sex Unions Education & Activism Frequently Asked Questions What is Affirmation? Affirmation is an educational, social, and spiritually supportive self-help group made up of active, less active and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who are gay or lesbian, together with their supportive friends and family members. Affirmation members come from every walk of life, and serve or have served in virtually every position in the church. We affirm that we are children of Heavenly Parents who love us the way we were created and that we will be judged, not on our sexual orientation, but on what we make of our lives here and how we treat our sisters and brothers. Affirmation Membership Makeup A survey of 50 Affirmation members who attended the 1991 Affirmation conference in Palm Springs gave the following results:
How and when did Affirmation begin? Affirmation was founded in 1977 in Salt Lake City by Matthew Price. Affirmation grew out of very quiet meetings he and other students had been holding at church-owned Brigham Young University. Other chapters quickly followed in Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington DC, with growth continuing to this day. 
More on our history
Where does Affirmation have local chapters? See current list of chapters and area contacts. Affirmation also has service groups for women's concerns, youth services, and transgender issues. What do local chapters do? Affirmation chapters meet at least once monthly in an open spirit of honesty and mutual respect for each other. Meetings may be social, educational or spiritual in nature, depending on what best serves the needs of its members. Examples of meetings include: open discussions, formal meetings where there is a speaker, potluck socials, outings to an event, and spiritual meetings, such as scripture study, prayer or singing. The purpose of all meetings is to provide a positive and beneficial experience to those attending. Does Affirmation provide religious services? No, Affirmation is not a religion or church, so it does not perform or officially endorse priesthood functions. Members who request such services are normally referred to local churches. What does Affirmation believe? Affirmation believes that homosexuality is an inherent and normal variation of human sexuality. We recognize, however, that many harmful misconceptions persist regarding homosexuality. We help our members work toward reconciliation by affirming both their sexuality and their spiritual values. We believe that through affirming our Mormon cultural, spiritual, and religious heritage, we move the work of reconciliation forward. At the same time, we seek, through education and outreach, to eliminate the prejudices and misconceptions about homosexuality that harm both gay and straight people in the church. What is the relationship between the Mormon Church and Affirmation? There is no official relationship. We are completely separate and independent. From Affirmation's perspective, however, we have always been open to and continue to seek dialogue with church leaders. From the official church's perspective, we are largely unacknowledged. Nevertheless, individual church leaders and congregations have periodically welcomed Affirmation and its members in formal and informal study groups and church activities. Does Affirmation have an official publication? Yes, Affirmation publishes a monthly electronic newsletter called Affinity. Some local chapters also publish their own local newsletters. How much traffic does your website handle? The Affirmation national website (www.affirmation.org) receives an average of 4,800 “hits” (visits to individual pages) per day. The Spanish site (www.afirmacion.org) receives an average of 746 hits per day (information updated on February, 2007). Who are Affirmation's leaders? Affirmation is governed by its members, under the direction of an Executive Director and two Assistant Executive Directors. The current Executive Director is Olin Thomas and his two assistants are Alyson Bolles and James Morris. Pictures of some of our current leaders
How do I contact Affirmation? If you are a reporter and would like to get in touch with us, please visit this page. How often does Affirmation have conferences? Affirmation conferences are held once a year in the summer or the fall. The location varies with most conferences being held in the West. The 2008 conference will be held in Los Angeles, California. Regional conferences, known as Cornerstones, are held twice a year in different parts of the country. How do I arrange interviews with specific persons (e.g., leaders)? Contact James Morris and he will gladly help you find any party you wish to interview. Feel free otherwise to request an interview from anyone you can contact directly. |
www.affirmation.org