Category: Sexuality issues

Grace

Recently we held a fireside at our home.  There was no specific topic, speaker or agenda.  We simply sent out the invitation and 20-30 people came.  Many were our LGBT+ friends who live in the area and a few visitors…

Anger

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.…

The Scarlet Letter: Apostasy

“…if truth were everywhere to be shown, a scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom…” The last few weeks have been agony.  On November 5th, the Church shifted its policy regarding LGBT members.  Now any LGBT person who…

For Parents: Discussing HIV And Safe Sex With Your Gay and Bisexual Sons

Speaking as an MD, I want all of your gay sons to be extremely cautious and reluctant about sex, because of the health consequences. Your concerns are legitimate, because the risk is real. As loving parents I hope that you…

Complicating Factors in the LGBT Mormon Spiritual Path

I am contacted fairly frequently by parents or other family members of gay or lesbian Latter-day Saints. They are anxious for their gay or lesbian loved ones to somehow find a way to stay active in the LDS church. Even…

The Doctrine of Celibacy

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,…

What Words Can’t Define

Mormons, like most Christian’s, in pursuit of greater spiritual understanding, pursue Christ’s words in scripture. Who’s words, on any given subject, are more authoritative than those of the Savior himself? Even more notable are subjects on which Christ never spoke…

“good girl” or asexual?

By Megan Howarth (originally published at http://youngmormonfeminists.org/)   Growing up in the church female we were always told we needed to be the good girls. We needed to be the guardians of virtue. We needed to dress modestly to stop boys’ minds…

A Difference of Opinion

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…

Identity or Attraction?

The central theme of the Circling the Wagons Conference held in Salt Lake in February of this year was relationship building. The focus of the conference was on developing a set of guiding principles or norms for people of differing…