Church Education System
It is hard for me to imagine a Jesus who would not have walked among those whose love and concern lit the Y tonight and would not also have brought his light as well to show love.
Now with the bright red line drawn defining “worthiness” as fully accepting, by way of testimony, all current church leader teachings on LGBTQ issues, even when such teachings have been constantly changing and even reversing (think PoX), I fear that many Queer persons trying to remain in the church, especially transgender members, will become even more marginalized lower-caste souls.
They were born into OUR Mormon families. They grew up singing the same Primary songs, learning the value of family relationships and wanting that for themselves, being taught they are each a child of God, learning to love one another, learning to get their own answers through prayer, and learning to stand up for what is right, even if they must stand alone.
Nathan Kitchen is president of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families & Friends, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ individuals and their families as they navigate the intersections they occupy in life, including the ways they interact with the Mormon church, whether they’re members or not. Kitchen, an alumnus of BYU, spoke with me to discuss the changes and ambiguity in the honor code, its impact on students, and what could instead be done to create a safer and more loving environment for LGBTQ individuals.