Nathan Kitchen
Sunday Plenary of the 2024 Affirmation International Conference featuring introductory remarks from David Doyle, the presentation of the 2024 Affirmation Mortensen Award, remembrance of those we’ve lost, and a keynote…
Nathan Kitchen, former president of Affirmation and author of The Boughs of Love: Navigating the Queer Latter-day Saint Experience During an Ongoing Restoration, is the recipient of the 2024 Affirmation Mortensen Award. The award winner was announced at the 2024 Affirmation International Conference in Ogden, Utah. Laurie Lee Hall, 2023 winner, presented the award. Other nominees included Wesley Acastre and Joel McDonald.
Four years ago, I entered this space as president of Affirmation because I love you. I could do so because I was first loved by you, my community of mentors and peers. I am grateful for your trust and the opportunity you have given me to take a turn for a season leading this great organization.
Religious freedom strategies — such as supporting a bill to protect marriage equality in exchange for protections that allow internal LGBTQ discrimination — solve external issues for both the church and the LGBTQ community, but ignore the internal reality of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints within their spiritual home.
With the Affirmation International Conference being just 9 weeks away, I want to share with you what these conferences have meant to me and invite you to attend this year.
