{"id":2511,"date":"2013-06-01T20:16:09","date_gmt":"2013-06-02T02:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/affirmation.org\/?p=2511"},"modified":"2021-10-03T08:30:05","modified_gmt":"2021-10-03T14:30:05","slug":"affinity-june-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/affirmation.org\/es\/afinidad-junio-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Affinity - Junio de 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons\u2014Serving LGBT Mormons and Their Family and Friends Since 1977<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
Inside This Issue<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Mormon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Mormon<\/a>\u00bb\u00a0Full List of Cities & Dates<\/a><\/strong>2013 Reports<\/p>\n

Phoenix<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Salt Lake City<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Washington DC<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u2022\u00a0The Baxters<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(DC) \u2022\u00a0Matthew Haws<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(SLC) \u2022\u00a0Why We March<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(John Gustav-Wrathall)<\/p>\n

\n

I’m a Mormon Who Marched at San Francisco Pride!<\/p>\n

Mormons March in San Francisco<\/p>\n

Mormons March in Cleveland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Massive Participation of Mormons in Salt Lake City Pride<\/span><\/h2>\n

Pamela Koldewyn Johanson: \u201cIf this sounds like a testimony, it\u2019s because it is\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n

by Hugo Salinas<\/p>\n

\u00bb\u00a0Sunday Events<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0Video Clips<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0Pictures<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

With an interfaith service, an LDS social, two marches, and a popular booth known as \u201cThe Mormon Hugging Booth,\u201d tens of thousands were moved by the participation of Mormons, LGBT and straight, at Pride celebrations held in Salt Lake City on the first weekend of June.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, April 31, LGBT Mormons, families and friends participated in an interfaith service held at Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City. \u201cThrough God\u2019s transformative power, anger and disappointment with our adversaries can become love and encouragement,\u201d\u00a0said Erika Munson<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0of Mormons Building Bridges during the service. \u201cThis is not easy\u2013it is a formidable act of faith. But we all know that when God tells us to love our neighbor, he\u2019s talking about the neighbor who\u2019s hardest to love.\u201d\u00a0The One Voice Choir<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>provided some of the music.<\/p>\n

On Friday, over 75 LGBT Mormons, families, and friends participated in an LDS social hosted by Jamison Manwaring. After a rooftop barbecue, there was some terrific community singing led by Christian and Dan. A counselor in a Salt Lake City stake presidency came with his wife. From Affirmation and Family Fellowship to BYU\u2019s USGA and Reconciliation, many LDS LGBT-supportive groups were represented.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, a group of\u00a0transgender Mormons<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and allies participated in the Trans Rally and March. Leanorah-Loreli Grace, a Latter-day Saint who recently came out as transgender, rode the bus from Ohio to be there. She reported that singing \u201cA Whole New World\u201d during the Saturday events made her cry. \u201cLuckily I was sitting between two remarkable and wonderful friends [who] wrapped their arms around me and I truly felt loved, for one of the first times in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a>Sunday Events<\/span><\/h3>\n

On Sunday, hundreds of Mormons joined the main parade.\u00a0Mormons for Equality<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0marched with the ACLU and with the Unitarians. Curtis Penfold, a BYU sophomore who recently organized an\u00a0event in Provo for marriage equality<\/a><\/strong>, led the ACLU group. One of the signs carried by the group read, \u201cI SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND I\u2019M A MORMON.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some 400 Latter-day Saints marched with\u00a0Mormons Building Bridges<\/a><\/strong>. Several LDS families reaffirmed the selected theme, \u201cFamilies Together,\u201d by carrying signs with their family\u2019s surname and the names of all the family members.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have marched in the Pride parade twice now,\u201d wrote Pamela Koldewyn Johanson on the Mormons Building Bridges Facebook page. \u201cEach time I was buoyed by a strong witness that I was where I was meant to be. I count both experiences as two of the most spiritual in my life. If this sounds like a testimony, it\u2019s because it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Moore-Allgood Family marched with their transgender 18-year-old son Grayson. \u201cI want other parents to have the rich experience we have had at supporting our kid,\u201d Grayson\u2019s mother Neca Allgood\u00a0told KSL5<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a supportive family behind me all the way has just made such a huge difference to me,\u201d Greyson added. \u201cI\u2019ve had a so much happier life because my family has been there for me every step of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sherri and Bill Park were part of a team of Mormons who hugged thousands of LGBT folks as they marched in the streets of Salt Lake and then at the booth. By Saturday evening, the day before the main event, they had already run out of \u201cHUGGED BY A MORMON\u201d stickers. At the site nicknamed \u201cThe Mormon Hugging Booth,\u201d the hugging team embraced thousands of LGBT folks. Bill later reported that one of the LGBT folks he hugged, whispered in his ear something the person was too shy to say aloud: \u201cI am a Mormon, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew Haws wrote about seeing his Mormon mother, who had once declared that she could never walk in a parade to support gay rights, stand up from her chair on the sidewalk and join the Mormon Building Bridges group.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs she walked she turned and blew me a kiss and waved goodbye, I could see in her eyes what she couldn\u2019t say, \u2018This one is for you son,\u2019\u201d\u00a0Matt wrote on the No More Strangers blog<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cShe turned back and marched on. I was not expecting the emotions of that moment\u2026 I cheered her on with a smile and the tears started to come, my sister came up gave me a hug and we wept together.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a>Video Clips<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u00bb\u00a0Mormons Building Bridges Marching In SLC Pride<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(YouTube clip)<\/p>\n

\u00bb\u00a0KSL5 Story<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(features Keith Trottier, Erika Munson, Neca Allgood, and Greyson Moore)<\/p>\n

\u00bb\u00a0KUTV Story<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(features Jamison Manwaring) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0ABC4 Story<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(features Erika Munson)<\/p>\n

\u00bb\u00a0View complete interfaith service<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(YouTube)<\/p>\n

<\/a>Pictures<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
\nMormons for Equality<\/td>\n		\"\"<\/a>
\nThe Bowman Family<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a>
\n\u201cI support marriage equality and I\u2019m a Mormon\u201d<\/td>\n		\"\"<\/a>
\nTransgender Mormons and Allies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a>
\nMatthew Haws (right) with his partner (left) and mother<\/td>\n		\"\"<\/a>
\nI’ll Walk with You!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a>
\nGrayson Moore flanked by two brothers<\/td>\n		\"\"<\/a>
\nThe One Voice Choir at the Interfaith Service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a>
\nFour Generations Walking for Love<\/td>\n		\"\"<\/a>
\nThe Mormon Hugging Booth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

Affirmation Calendar<\/span><\/h3>\n

June 15
\nMormon Pride event in Boise<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 16
\nMormon Pride event in Portland<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 18
\nCommunity Conversation in Salt Lake City sponsored by Mormons Building Bridges<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 23
\nLDS Family Fellowship Forum in Salt Lake City<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 27
\nBYU USGA’s Suicide Awareness and Prevention Workshop<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 28
\nLDS LGBT Summer Social\/BBQ in Highland, UT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 29
\nAffirmation’s Pre-Parade BBQ in New York City<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

June 30
\nMormon Pride events in\u00a0New York City<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Chicago<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Seattle<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Twin Cities<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0San Francisco<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n

<\/td>\nJuly 13
\nEquality Utah Event in Murray<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

August 9-10
\nCompassionate Cause Symposium in Seattle<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

August 13
\nDeadline to register for conference at regular prices<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

August 13
\nDeadline to reserve a guaranteed room at the conference hotel<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

September 6
\nDeadline to register for conference by mail<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

September 6
\nMormon Pride event in Las Vegas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

September 10
\nDeadline to register for conference online<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

September 13-15
\nAffirmation Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, UT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

September 14
\nSuicide Prevention Walk in Salt Lake City<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Benji
\nBenji Schwimmer<\/p>\n

\"Daniel
\nDaniel Parkinson (right) with husband Diego<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Carol
\nCarol Lynn Pearson<\/p>\n

\"Judy
\nJudy Finch<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nWendy Williams and Thomas Montgomery<\/p>\n

\"Robin
\nRobin Linkhart<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Affirmation Conference to Feature Authors, Allies, Celebrities<\/span><\/h2>\n

Dancing Star Benji Schwimmer to MC Friday Dance<\/span><\/h3>\n

by Randall Thacker<\/p>\n

Please join us September 13-15 for\u00a0Affirmation’s annual conference<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to be held in Salt Lake City. These are some of the remarkable people who will be featured:<\/p>\n

Dance with Benji Schwimmer!<\/span><\/h3>\n

Benji Schwimmer, winner of Season 2 of \u201cSo You Think You Can Dance,\u201d will MC the opening event on Friday evening and spend time teaching us all some of his dance moves and some fun line dancing.<\/p>\n

A former BYU student and a returned missionary, Benji struggled for years as he tried to repress his same-sex feelings. When he was 17 he started an online Yahoo group for gay Mormon youth. After years of attempting to fit into the Mormon model of heterosexuality, Benji finally accepted his sexual orientation as a gift rather than a curse.\u00a0He came out in a 2012 interview<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0with Mormon Stories founder John Dehlin.<\/p>\n

Daniel Parkinson: God\u2019s Affirmation<\/span><\/h3>\n

Led by Daniel Parkinson, this plenary session will feature highlights from the\u00a0No More Strangers blog<\/a><\/strong>, the\u00a0Gay Mormon Stories podcast<\/a><\/strong>, and the\u00a0Far Between project<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cAs we have been conducting interviews for Gay Mormon Stories and the Far Between project,\u201d says Daniel, \u201cwe have been impacted by a phenomenon that has been striking and consistent: if we are open to it, God will affirm us as LGBT individuals and give us a confirmation of his love and approval of our relationships.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do we know it? You can\u2019t hear these stories and not be impacted by the profound experiences that these individuals describe. They come to the issue broken. They come to the issue with openness. They come to the issue with a willingness to obey God\u2019s will and they are surprised at the answer received.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel Parkinson was born and raised in Utah to a Mormon family with a thick Mormon Heritage. He comes to this issue as a psychiatrist, with a strong sense of activism, and a desire to help the two communities that he inherited as his birthright: the Mormon community, and the gay community.<\/p>\n

Daniel was married to Diego, his partner of 12 years in Canada as soon as it became legal there in 2004. Unfortunately, they are unable to live in the United States due to discrimination. Since their marriage is not recognized in the USA, Daniel can not sponsor Diego for immigration, so they are forced by this to live abroad. However, they have made the most of this situation and divide their time between two cities they love: San Jose, Costa Rica, and Montreal, Quebec.<\/p>\n

In this presentation we will hear and see excerpts from Far Between interviews and Gay Mormon Stories interviews where the participants describe these life-changing events. We will then follow with excerpts or live descriptions of these events by some of the people who were interviewed and other people who have had this affirming experience. We are anticipating a very moving program as we stand as witnesses to the loving response that God has given to the prayers of these seekers.<\/p>\n

Carol Lynn Pearson: A Hero\u2019s Journey<\/span><\/h3>\n

Carol Lynn Pearson will speak on the vital themes that appear in her recent book\u00a0The Hero\u2019s Journey of the Gay and Lesbian Mormon<\/strong><\/em>,<\/a>\u00a0encouraging us to embrace our calling as LGBT members of the Mormon Tribe as a gift rather than a problem. She will encourage us to realize that we are a special part of the healing that must occur in our families, our society, and our church. The healing can only come when we have healed our own hearts and stepped into the grandeur of who we really are, confident in ourselves and in our God, able to bless and forgive all those we meet along the way.<\/p>\n

Judy Finch<\/span><\/h3>\n

Judith Finch\u2019s story is featured on the LDS Church\u2019s new official\u00a0MormonsAndGays.org website<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(see \u201cJudy\u2019s Story\u201d). An Affirmation board member with a gay son and two gay grandchildren, Judy will also speak at conference. Judy will talk about how it is no mistake for our children to be gay and how Latter-day Saints can practice what they have been taught about love, respect, and inclusion of all, including LGBT people, in their families and the Church.<\/p>\n

Wendy & Thomas: New \u201cFamilies Are Forever\u201d Video<\/span><\/h3>\n

The\u00a0Family Acceptance Project<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0will screen its new film \u201cFamilies are Forever,\u201d a moving short documentary about a devout Mormon family\u2019s journey to support their young gay son. Caitlin Ryan of the Family Acceptance Project will outline more about the video and the Family Acceptance Project. The Wendy Williams and Thomas Montgomery family –the family featured in the documentary– will take questions from the audience.<\/p>\n

Robin Linkhart and the Community of Christ<\/span><\/h3>\n

Robin (Kincaid) Linkhart<\/a><\/strong>, president of Quorum Six of the Seventy in the Community of Christ (formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) will also speak at our conference. On April 21, the National Conference for Community of Christ in the U.S.\u00a0recommended to the First Presidency that the Church start marrying gay couples<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in states where same-sex marriage is legal. For states which do not have marriage equality, the Conference recommended blessing same-sex couples with commitment ceremonies. The same conference recommended allowing priesthood ordination for lesbians and gays who are in monogamous, committed relationships.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Tina
\nTina Richerson<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

An Invitation to Support\u00a0<\/span>Affirmation<\/h2>\n

With Your Help, Amazing Things Are Happening in Affirmation and the LDS LGBTQ Community\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

by\u00a0Tina Richerson<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear LGBTQ Mormons and Friends:<\/p>\n

My name is Tina Richerson, Outreach Coordinator and Vice President of\u00a0Affirmation. I am writing this week to invite you to a fundraising challenge we have been given by some generous Affirmation donors.<\/p>\n

As you may already know, our scope of work is widening as we involve straight allies along with a growing number of LGBT Mormons who are seeking information and advice on how to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. While others of our group have long understood their place in creation and become comfortable with it, all of us, whether active, inactive or ex-Mormon, appreciate the warmth and support of the friends and \u201cfamily\u201d we find in Affirmation.\u00a0With your help, amazing things have happened in Affirmation and the LDS LGBTQ community. And without your support, they wouldn\u2019t have.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

With that in mind, we want to update you on our recent activities. Affirmation is:<\/p>\n