Posts
The conversation touched on various topics, including the unique circumstances of queer individuals in and adjacent to the LDS Church, the influence of religious culture and practice on LGBTQIA+ matters in Ukraine, and how to reach more queer individuals in need of support through in-person connections and social media.
Recording of fireside on February 27, 2022. This fireside featured a Q&A panel for parents to come and ask questions of parents who are farther along on the road of knowing they have an LGBTQIA+ child.
Laurie wrote, “As I return to the leadership of the oldest and largest LGBTQIA-led organization at the Queer/Latter-day Saint intersection, I renew my commitment to help each of you to define your individual journey — rather than being defined by others — including power centers to whom we may have once yielded our authority.”
Eternity has changed. It is no longer the infinite straight line for the chosen few. It is here and now in the ever-expanding universe of ways of believing and being: the diversity of cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, philosophies, personalities, abilities, moralities, genders, sexualities, interests, esthetics, values…and on and on.
Undoubtedly, this is the greatest and most valuable lesson learned on this Valentine’s Day: A reminder to bring love and light, through the message of Affirmation, to those who need it most.
Considering the expansiveness of the divine, why would God not be able to exalt a same-sex couple who love and care for each other and yearn to be together forever? At the end of the day, isn’t God truly concerned about the person we have become?
Affirmation President Nathan Kitchen presented at the Utah Valley University Humanities Symposium on February 17, 2022. The title of his presentation was “Unashamed Authenticity: Unapologetically Navigating the Queer/Latter-day Saint Intersection during an Ongoing Restoration.”
I have made life-long friends and I will always cherish being able to advocate for all of you. It’s time for me to pass the baton to the next leader to continue building the path that is going to result in more people finding the same joy that I have managed to find by simply being true to who I am.
The conference’s main objective was to help attendees recognize that we can all contribute something of value to the LGBTQIA+ community, our families, and society, despite our differences. We all have talents and abilities that make our contributions unique.