BYU
I’m able to use my talents of writing, public speaking, music, and my sense of humor (my silly critters) to help people understand what it means to be gay and Mormon, and what it doesn’t mean, and He wants me to remain in the Church where I’ll be most effective in carrying out this work.
As we close out the year 2018, it’s a good time to reflect on all that’s happened over the year. This year’s top ten posts on the Affirmation website highlight many of the events and concerns affecting the Affirmation community this year, including the transition to a new Latter-day Saint First Presidency, a response to words out of general conference, a focus on suicide prevention, and more. Here are our top ten posts for 2018.
Thomas S. Monson helped to established Genesis, a group that supported men and women impacted by the priesthood ban. He was seen as a champion for these members. Will there ever be a champion for LGBTQ+ Mormons in the highest leadership of the LDS Church?
It is natural for LGBT Mormons to have questions. Most who engage with Affirmation have been through difficult times. This month, Rich encourages us to think about where we are on our journey, where we want to go, and if we’re willing to ask for directions from the One who is always there for us.
For a moment, it felt as if my friends and I could breathe. We could finally say “I’m gay” out loud without fear of losing our academic standing [at BYU]… Then California Proposition 8 happened.
The Daily Beast describes what it’s like to be LGBT at BYU, including both progress made and challenges encountered.
Understanding Same-Gender Attraction (USGA), a BYU group for LGBT students, has released “Just Be There,” a 6-minute video featuring LGBT BYU students who describe candidly their experiences dealing with depression and their attempts to take their own lives.
I am attending the Affirmation Conference this September because I believe that the conversations there will be influential to the future of LGBTQ Mormons and the way we practice Mormonism.