Month: November 2016

Anger

by Thomas Montgomery • November 1, 2016 • 3 Comments

I have a visceral memory from last year. I remember stumbling out of Sacrament meeting with Wendy shaking and heaving with pain and despair. Half way to our car, we just turned to each other and held each other weeping.…

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Clarity

by Thomas Montgomery • June 27, 2016

It has been over four years since Wendy and I found out that Jordan was gay. Three wards, two states and a persistent search for a ward family to call home. I have documented our experience in our first ward…

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Sadness

by Thomas Montgomery • October 14, 2015

A couple years ago, a member of the Bishopric in a previous ward shared how happy he is in the Church. He shared how happy the gospel makes him and his family. He finished it off with, “I don’t even…

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Trust

by Thomas Montgomery • August 18, 2015

Today was my first day in a new ward. It is unavoidably true that one of the reasons for our move was to find a fresh start in a new ward. By way of synopsis, our son Jordan came out…

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Things You Should Know When Watching TLC’s “My Husband’s Not Gay,” Joining North Star, or Considering a Mixed-Orientation Marriage

by John Dehlin • January 9, 2015

Due to the significant controversy surrounding the upcoming TLC show entitled, “My Husband’s Not Gay,” and (more importantly) due to the very high stakes surrounding the topic of LDS Mixed-Orientation Marriages (defined in this case as a gay, lesbian or bisexual…

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An LDS Family Unites In Love For Their Gay Son, Brother, Nephew, Cousin

by Guest • January 4, 2015

By Liisa Lowe Frei, Jordan Frei and the Frei Family My husband, Nick, and I have six children: four boys and two girls. This is the story of our fourth child, Jordan. Almost two years ago I was in my…

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For Those Who Don’t Support Marriage Equality But Want to Show Love To LGBT People

by Daniel Parkinson • December 14, 2014

I have heard many LDS people profess that they want to show love to LGBT people but don’t support marriage equality. The point of this essay is not to argue over beliefs, but to discuss how we show love when…

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A gay Mormon teen (age 16) writes an essay for English class

by Guest • October 11, 2014

by Kayden Maxwell Hero Journey There is an indescribable feeling when you grow up expecting your life to follow a very defined path, and everyone around you follows the same formula for a happy life, but one day you wake…

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A BYU professor writes an editorial for The Daily Universe

by Guest • September 28, 2014

by Roni Jo Draper, Ph.D BYU education professor BYU has again been ranked as the No. 1 Stone Cold Sober school. That’s cool. Sobriety deserves celebration. BYU has also been ranked as the No. 4 LGBTQ Unfriendliest school. This should give…

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A Difference of Opinion

by Thomas Montgomery • June 25, 2014

Over the past few years, I have had dozens of conversations with friends and family members who are active members of the LDS Church on the subject of homosexuality. Most active members feel misunderstood and maligned by the ‘world’ and…

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A Mother Gives a Message to Her Ward

by Wendy Montgomery • April 8, 2014

I was TERRIFIED. I had to lock my knees so they would stop shaking. I’m sure if you put a microphone up to my chest, my heart would have sounded like a jackhammer. But it had been on my mind…

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The Miracle of Forgiveness: An Open Letter Requesting Removal or an Update to Reflect Current Knowledge

by Guest • August 21, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters, President Spencer W. Kimball, twelfth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a respected and patient man, going above and beyond in spending time listening and corresponding with Church members and non-members.…

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Fembryology Part 1: Mars and Venus (A Discussion of Sexual Development)

by Guest • June 12, 2013

By Elisothel (Also posted at feministmormonhousewives.org) (Admin note: We have been given permission to re-post this series about gender development. This was written from a feminist perspective, but these issues of gender are also relevant to LGBT people, particularly trans mormons,…

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WHAT MORMON-BORN, WIDELY-ASSUMED LESBIAN WAS THE MOST LOVED AND RICHEST PERFORMER IN AMERICA IN THE EARLY NINETEEN HUNDREDS?

by Carol Lynn Pearson • June 1, 2013

Being a student of theatre at BYU, where I received my M.A., I was, of course, very much aware of the name Maude Adams. I knew that her Mormon mother performed on the stage of the famous Salt Lake Theatre…

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HPV Vaccination: Protecting your Gay Mormon Son

by Cary Crall • May 14, 2013

Some time in the months preceding the Summer of 2012, the Utah County Health Department threw away hundreds of doses of the Gardasil (HPV) vaccine because these doses had expired due to “lack of demand.” A few blocks away at…

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Transgender Children: An Easy Way for the LDS Church to Get it Right

by Cary Crall • January 23, 2013

While shadowing Dr. Norm Spack in his work with the GeMS clinic at Children’s hospital Boston, I couldn’t help but wonder what my Mormon pioneer ancestors would think if they could see me now. Dr. Spack is one of…

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Editor’s Choice/Other Important Posts

Religious Freedom, Our Founding Fathers and Marriage Equality

by Daniel Parkinson • June 28, 2015

We all learned in elementary school that the Pilgrims came to America so that they could practice their religion without persecution. They were willing to put up with hardships as they left their homes and countries in order to live their…

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When Religion Creates Dragons

by Lori Burkman • January 18, 2015

(originally published at rationalfaiths.com) Last February I wrote my first piece for Rational Faiths called When it Comes to Equality, Which Side of History Are You On? I have been very proud of my writing for Rational Faiths as a…

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The Doctrine of Celibacy

by Thomas Montgomery • October 19, 2014

When Mormons speak of the Law of Chastity, they often define it as remaining celibate until marriage. In actuality, it would be more properly defined as remaining abstinent until marriage. Today, the words abstinent and celibate are frequently used interchangeably,…

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Why I Stay

by Wendy Montgomery • August 24, 2014

Talk presented at Sunstone Symposium on August 1, 2014 My husband and I both come from very active, conservative, multi-generational Mormon families. There has never been a time when the gospel wasn’t front and center in my life. Tom and…

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Salt Lake: We Have a Problem

by Bob Rees • November 14, 2013

I’m gonna tell God how you treat me I’m gonna tell God how you treat me I’m gonna tell God how you treat me ` One of these days –Hollis Watkins, “I’m Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table/One of These…

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Barb and Steve Young Speak to LGBT Mormons

by John Dehlin • September 16, 2013

Even before he opened his mouth Steve Young spoke volumes with his very presence (and his speech was relevant and entertaining). However, Barb brought down the house. She was effusive. She was both well-prepared and spontaneous. She has projected herself…

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It’s Complex

by Thomas Montgomery • August 27, 2013

“On one occasion Jesus came upon a group arguing vehemently with His disciples. When the Savior inquired as to the cause of this contention, the father of an afflicted child stepped forward, saying he had approached Jesus’s disciples for a…

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Oblivion (A Mormon Teen Speaks Out for Others, Part 1 of 2)

by Guest • August 16, 2013

By Susannah Montgomery (also posted at FeministMormonHousewives.org) . Oblivion (noun): Official disregard or overlooking . My name is Susannah Montgomery and I’m fourteen. I have a gay brother named Jordan and he is a year older than me. He is my…

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Salt Lake LDS LGBT Mormon Social Devotional

by John Gustav-Wrathall • August 5, 2013

This is the complete text of a talk I prepared for a gathering of about 75 LGBT/SSA Mormons and their family and allies in Salt Lake City on August 1, 2013. My husband Göran and I wore our wedding shoes,…

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Clarify The Sin

by Daniel Parkinson • July 16, 2013

The church needs to clarify the sin. There are many of us already in same-sex marriages, and if we want to be part of the church, then we need to know specifics about what is sinful. Local leaders (Bishops and…

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Changes the Church can make without changing doctrines to improve the condition of its LGBT members

by Daniel Parkinson • April 2, 2013

The following list is 12 suggestions that the Church could implement immediately without changing any doctrine, that would greatly improve the situation for LGBT people in the ranks as well as their families. 1) Promote a campaign against suicide of…

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Coming Out (A Young Returned Missionary Shares His Story)

by Josh DeFriez • March 24, 2013

(originally published at my blog Broken Lights) Yesterday I sat down with one of my professors to talk about economic history. After briefly discussing the decline of the Netherlands in the mid 18th century, he paused and asked me what…

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Cool Tolerance

by Thomas Montgomery • March 3, 2013

My son came out to us (his parents) a little over a year ago. My wife and I, for some blessed reason, were able to rapidly traverse the landmine ridden, 180 degree, whiplash inducing evolution from Prop 8 campaigners to…

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What Helps and What Hurts

by Wendy Montgomery • March 2, 2013

This past year has been quite a journey for my family and me. Learning about our teenage son’s sexual orientation was life-changing. The heartache, questioning, and confusion was intense. But oh – the blessings that came! I feel my Savior’s…

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No Empty Chairs

by Cary Crall • February 16, 2013

The sentiment is as ingrained in Mormon culture as a Saturday’s Warrior dance climax and conjures up equally strong emotions. It derives from a metaphor comparing Mormon heaven to a great big family feast with God at the head…

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