Families & Friends
As Latter-day Saints who are family members and friends of someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual/aromatic, it can be a challenge to reconcile teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while seeking to understand, love, and support an LGBTQIA+ friend or loved one.
Often, the community that Affirmation provides is filling a space left empty by family and friends who are unsupportive and who have distanced themselves from their LGBTQ+ son, daughter, relative, or friend. While providing this community is a life-saving endeavor for those who feel alienated or even ostracized by those they love; we also know that, for so many, the love and acceptance of their family are what they desire most and is a powerful force aiding them in living a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life.
Our hope is that family and friends of LGBTQ+ individuals will make the effort to understand better and appreciate their loved one for all they are and that attitudes that threaten the loving relationships of family and friends will be abandoned. There is no reason why family members should be driven apart when a member of their family comes out. There is no reason why friendships should not continue when a friend decides to be their authentic selves.
Affirmation provides spaces at conferences for family and friends to fellowship with, and find strength in, one another. Often family members and friends feel the same as their LGBTQ+ loved one: that they are alone. This is simply not true. There are many who understand where you are and want to support you as you seek better understanding and strength.