Celebrating Every Positive Step

by David McMurray

Submitted to Affirmation following The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s reversal of their November 2015 policy changes that prohibited children of LGBTQ parents from being blessed and baptized and characterized members of the church entering into same-sex marriages as apostates. These changes became known within the LGBTQ Mormon community as the “exclusion policy,” “policy of exclusion,” or “PoX.” The day after the reversal of this policy was announced, Nathan Kitchen, President of Affirmation, invited anyone willing to and share their authentic feelings and all their stories of grief, anger, relief, sadness, happiness, confusion, whatever they may be that surround the rescinding this policy. “As President of Affirmation, I want to be sure Affirmation does not hide you or your stories as we move forward,” wrote Kitchen in his invitation. If you have reactions or a story to share about the reversal of the exclusion policy, please send to [email protected]. You can also read other stories and reactions to the reversal of the exclusion policy.

My son, James, wrote, “I don’t retain a good memory of very many dates around specific events in my life, but November 5th, 2015 is one that stuck. It was a really hard day, and I have experienced a lot of frustration and sadness in the intervening 3.5 years. Today is a really, really good day.”

This is very welcomed news from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I choose to share my own son’s words about this important announcement about Latter-day Saint LGBT couples and their children. Thanks James! I could have directly shared news/info from the MormonnNewsroom, SLTribune or Deseret News, KSL Radio/News, Mormons Building Bridges, Affirmation, Equality Utah and a number of posts from many people I greatly respect. Some understandably question this decision in light of the discouraging announcement made 3 1/2 years ago. I made a conscious decision many years ago to celebrate every positive step made by my church, and not to become lost and distracted by things I didn’t understand or agree with. I agree with James. Today is a really, really good day, indeed.