Latter Gay Stories

189: Laurie Lee Hall | Dictates of Conscience

Wed, 16 Oct 2024

Laurie Lee Hall was the Chief Architect for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Designing and overseeing some of Mormonism's most sacred spaces, this former Stake President and bishop made one of the most profound decisions of her life: authenticity. Laurie sits down with Latter Gay Stories in a follow up to her last interview (episode 168) and she shares with us her just published memoir, "Dictates of Conscience: From Mormon High Priest to My New Life as a Woman." In this interview, Laurie pulls back the curtain to share a "behind the scene" look at how the First Presidency and other top church leaders govern the affairs of the church. She discusses her transition, excommunication, and restrictions placed on her because of her power to live her "eternal identity." Through the power of lived experience, this interview affirms the reality of gender identity and the strength and joy of self-acceptance. Pick up Laurie Lee's book on Amazon or directly through Signature Books. #LatterGayStories #LaurieLeeHall #DictatesOfConscience

188: Chosen Path: A Memoir by D. Michael Quinn

Tue, 06 Feb 2024

Chosen Path, a memoir by D. Michael Quinn is a story of self-denial and inner struggle, while Michael strove to follow through on his personal commitments faithfully. The memoir, published by Signature Books is an intimate look into the life of one of Mormonism's most prolific historians of church governance and LGBTQ intersections. Moshe Quinn, son of Michael Quinn and Barbara Jones Brown sit down to share a story of truth, struggle, excommunication, and honor. The book is available at your local bookstore, or available online through Signature Books and Amazon. Moshe is the youngest son of Mormon historian, D Michael Quinn. In some ways intersecting between them, Moshe has pursued the humanities and the arts through his life, with more emphasis than his father on the arts. He lives in the Bay Area where he teaches photography, digital art and filmmaking with high school students. Barbara Jones Brown is a historian and the director of Signature Books Publishing. She is excited that Signature has just published D. Michael Quinn's memoir, Chosen Path, and will be also be publishing the memoir of Laurie Lee Hall, a leader in the transgender community. In May 2024, Signature will also publish The Book of Queer Mormon Joy, an anthology of personal stories from across the LGBTQ spectrum.

187: Carmina and Sabrina | Sister Missionaries Fall In Love

Tue, 17 Oct 2023

Carmina and Sabrina were called to serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Mormon missionaries. What they didn't expect was that they would meet each other--and eventually fall in love. This is a story about two Latter-day Saint women with unique stories of faith, of trial, of frustration, of hiding, and of freedom. Sabrina and Carmina share their stories about family, faith, and the future. #LatterGayStories #Queer #Lesbian #Bisexual #ComingOut

186: Dan and Sara Fisk | Being Prepared for Allyship

Tue, 26 Sep 2023

In 1998, the Fisk family faced what some might call a dilemma. A relative of theirs came out. Having been raised orthodox Mormon, Dan and Sara grappled with numerous questions: How should they navigate this news? What would the future of their relationship with their loved one look like? How could they move forward without sacrificing their standing in the Church? As you listen, you will learn from the Fisk's story. For the Fisk family, Mormonism had always been central to them, then everything changed in 2017 when someone even closer to them came out: their daughter. What happens when you allow yourself to lift, support, and love someone different than you? The Fisks share their story. #LatterGayStories #LGBTQAlly #Parents #LGBTQ #Mormon

185: Jacob Lambert | I Came Out by Inviting People In

Wed, 09 Aug 2023

Jacob Lambert's story is about finding support from those around you. Raised in an active Latter-Day Saint family, Jacob's world view shifted when he began to figure out that he was gay at 16 years old. Despite his awareness of his sexuality, Jacob felt inspired to serve a mission and attend BYU. Little by little, as he let people in he felt more comfortable and confident in his identity and eventually decided to come out on Instagram in June of 2021. As his religious views began to shift, Jacob decided that part of living authentically and honestly would involve transferring out of BYU and being more open about his beliefs. Throughout his journey, Jacob decided to let people in and received mixed responses, but decided to listen most to those who loved him unconditionally. #LatterGayStories #ComingOut #BYU #GayMormon

184: Cameron Call | Breaking Out of Mormon Expectation

Wed, 19 Jul 2023

Cameron Call grew up in Queen Creek, Arizona. He served a mission in Nashville, Tennessee—the same mission as his father. He married a woman in a Mesa Temple and has three children. He came out to his wife in 2018 after ten years of marriage and they decided to divorce in 2019. He and his ex-wife are helping their kids discover the beauties of life both in and outside of the Mormon church. This is his story of trying to meet the expectations of religion, life and society—and learning that there is happiness and joy in all the places he was promised it didn't exist. #LatterGayStories #Mormonism #ComingOut #EndureToTheEnd

183: Richard and Josh | A Love Story

Fri, 30 Jun 2023

In the final episode of our three-part story, Josh and Richard share the couch as a couple! They talk about dating, separating religion from their reality, family, navigating a vulnerable part of their lives, and MARRIAGE! They reflect on what they have learned through this journey, how their lives have changed, and what they hope for the future. Catch episodes 181 and 182 to hear Josh and Richard's individual stories.

182: Josh Castro-Mitchell | From the Philippines to Utah: Finding My Happiness

Tue, 20 Jun 2023

Josh was thriving as a young, out, gay teen in the Philippines, but Mormon missionaries knocked on his door and he and his family ended up joining the Church. Soon after, his mother married a man from Utah, and Josh found himself living in a small religious town in Northern Utah.

His life went from being openly gay and accepted to hiding his sexuality and being an ethnic minority in a community of opinionated Mormon farmers. Utah forced him to hide inside a "shell" because he found it impossible to live who he really was. In this interview Josh shares what he experienced as a convert from Catholicism to Mormonism, how he navigated homophobia in a small Utah town, and where he's at today—including his intergenerational, interracial, same sex marriage.

This is part two of a three-part series beginning with episode 181.

#Philippines #Mormon #Thrive #ComingOut #Marriage

181: Richard Mitchell | When A Mormon Bishop Comes Out

Thu, 15 Jun 2023

What happens when a former Mormon bishop can no longer stay closeted and hidden? He grabs the door-handle, walks through that door and into a world he's avoided his whole life.

Richard Mitchell was a very active, stalwart Latter-day Saint. He married a woman, had children, served in the church (including as Bishop) and tried to use the promises of Mormonism to "change" his sexual orientation. But was the "Mormon Message" sustainable for him? In this three-episode series, Richard shares a candid look into his journey through church leadership, marriage and divorce, navigating life outside of social and religious expectations, and so much more! Part Two of the series is Richard's husband Josh and Part Three will be the couple sharing their stories as married men (including some juicy details about their wedding!) #LatterGayStories #MormonBishop #ComingOut

180: Brad Talbot | I Colored The BYU Campus in Rainbow

Wed, 24 May 2023

What started as a dream to paint the Brigham Young University campus in rainbow paint ended up encouraging Bradley Talbot to start a movement that changed the face of BYU and literally lit it up with color. Brad took on Goliath—the Mormon Church and he organized a group of people to light the iconic Y in rainbow colors…not once, but three times. But how did we get here? Who is Bradley Talbot? Why color the campus? And why did he feel compelled to advocate for the LGBTQ community and one of the nation's most orthodox universities? He is going to tell all.

179: Flo Montierth | My Husband is Gay, Now What?

Thu, 11 May 2023

My husband is gay, now what? In a topic not regularly discussed, Flo Montierth shares her story of dating, marrying and then divorcing a gay Mormon husband. As a lifelong lover of learning and teaching, Flo is an advocate for special needs and the LGBTQIA community. Navigating Mormon life in a mixed-orientation marriage was challenging, but leaning into those challenges opened new opportunities and new insights into Flo's personal journey—and expanded opportunities for her family. Through this journey, it wasn't just Flo's husband that will come out! #LatterGayStories #MixedOrientationMarriage #ComingOut #Mormon

178: Joel J | I Tried to Do Everything Right

Wed, 19 Apr 2023

Joel was raised in an orthodox Mormon home, where rules were king—he never met a rule he didn't follow. His upbringing was one of "exact obedience". PBS and KBYU were the only TV shows they were allowed to watch. He knew he was different, but didn't have words to describe what that difference was. Family life for Joel was tenuous, to put it kindly. While serving a mission he was released early to come back to Utah for conversion therapy. His parents refused to pick him up at the airport. Joel shares his story navigating his religion and his sexuality. He was a former member and employee of the Mormon church, held stake callings and served as an early morning seminary teacher. After doing all the "Mormon" things, like serving a mission, getting married in the temple, having kids, and serving the church, he still couldn't reconcile an intrinsic part of who he is. This is his story. #LatterGayStories #LasVegas #Mormon #Missionary #ConversionTherapy

177: Colby Majors | "Now Thank Him and Let Him Go"

Wed, 29 Mar 2023

Colby is a convert to the church, having joined at 17 years old. One year later, he left his family to serve a mission in Venezuela. He returned home from his mission after 10 months due to anxiety-depression. The root cause of this depression…he had been withholding a secret: "same-sex" attraction. Not long after coming home from his mission, Colby met a woman who would eventually become his wife, and he remained closeted in an effort to allow God to "heal" him through his righteousness. After 15 years of marriage, and no longer believing that he needed to be "fixed," Colby came out to his wife and they separated shortly after. What remains is Colby's story of authenticity, of learning to love himself, letting go of the person the world expected him to be, and best of all: finding true love. #Mormon #MixedOrientationMarriage #Family #ComingOut #RuralUtah

176: Lacey Bagley | Bisexual, Married, Polyamorous and Thriving

Thu, 09 Mar 2023

Dr. Lacey Bagley is a queer Mormon and the owner of Celebrate Therapy. She has been married for 14 years to her husband Evan and together they have 2 young children. She's polyamorous and is navigating, with happiness, this chapter of her life. What does the intersection of Mormonism and sexuality look like for Lacey? After devoting your whole life to religion, how can you reconcile its doctrine and policies against people like you? What advice do you have for others? In this episode, Lacey takes us through a very candid discussion of the difficult and beautiful parts of her story. It's honest. It's hopeful. It's a necessary discussion. #LatterGayStories #Bisexual #Polyamory #Mormonism #MarriedAndMingling #CelebrateTherapy #BYU

175: Jake Shepherd | I Was Unprepared to Come Out

Thu, 23 Feb 2023

At age 10 Jake was mercilessly bullied, the kids called him "gay" a word he didn't understand. Using the family's dial-up internet connection Jake turned to Google to better understand the word. A path of pain ensued. It would take Jake nearly seven years to finally say " I am gay" out loud. In the wake of that coming out experience came shame, personal reflection, and a sexual assault. These factors convinced him to retreat back into the closet and further into Mormonism's seemingly safe protection. Jake's story is one of healing, rising above the pain, setting religion aside, and finding strength and hope in the path ahead. #LatterGayStories #Mormonism #ComingOut #Healing

174: Nate Gardner | Mission, BYU & (gay) Marriage

Thu, 09 Feb 2023

Born and raised in Utah, Nate Gardner did everything he was supposed to do to be a good Mormon boy. After serving a mission and going to BYU Nate came out of the closet—fearing he would lose his family. Because of love, respect, communication and boundaries, Nate is closer to his family now as an openly gay man than he ever was when he was in the church. And he has his husband to support him. You don't want to miss the story of Nate's Christmas miracle, and what happened inside a Latter-day Saint chapel in Utah county. #LatterGayStories #Love #Family #CultureVersusLove

173: A Gay Mormon Rescue? Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird: Panel Analysis

Fri, 27 Jan 2023

Throughout Mormonism's history there have been a series of "rescues" where grassroots members, teamed with local church authorities, band together to rescue Saints in despair. Are we seeing an LGBTQ+ rescue in Mormonism? We're digging in...and talking about it. Inspired by Elder M. Russell Ballard's charge to "better understand the LGBTQ community," Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird, gay Latter-day Saints, have been training ward and stake leaders/members on LGBTQ inclusion and love. Through these efforts, Ben and Charlie aim to change the tradition and culture surrounding queer experiences in Mormonism and creating a space of better understanding regarding sexuality in the church (not much is being said about gender identity). In this special episode hosted by Latter Gay Stories and Mormon Stories, a panel of queer voices, moderated by John Dehlin, tackles this topic by analyzing a recently recorded fireside in a Surrey British Columbia Stake. Is this new method of training effective? Does it move the needle? #LatterGayStories #BenSchilaty #CharlieBird #GayMormonRescue #LGBTQMormonism

172: Brayden Singley | A Journey of Finding Myself

Thu, 19 Jan 2023

Viral Tik-Tok creator Brayden Singley sits down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to spill the tea on life as gay man with Mormon roots. Brayden was born and raised in Northern Utah. He grew up a member of the LDS Church, served a 2-year mission in the state of Washington and attended BYU. In this episode Brayden candidly shares his story of shame, guilt, pornography, sexual experiences, rising above societal judgement—and ultimately finding his footing as a gay man in a seemingly unforgiving world. It's a wonderful episode about hope, and about following your heart. Please leave your comments and questions about this episode. If you haven't yet, please subscribe to our LatterGayStories YouTube channel. Clicking the big SUBSCRIBE button guarantees you'll get instant updates whenever we post new content. That way, you won't miss any videos from Latter Gay Stories. #ComingOut #HookUps #SexualExperience #GayMormon #GayStories

171: David Doyle | @NerdyGayMormon

Wed, 28 Dec 2022

David Doyle is a Latter-day Saint from Florida. He is humble, reliable, lovable, nerdy, and gay. He is an active Latter-day Saint with stake leadership callings—and it is through those callings that he is able to fulfill some of his self-described "life missions". Many people might argue that David's life is not sustainable—that by choosing to remain an active Latter-day Saint he must deny his sexuality. David addresses that dichotomy and shares much more about the benefits of being a queer Mormon, including his continued friendship with apostle, Elder Dale G. Renlund and his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund. David is the person behind the very popular @NerdyGayMormon Tumblr handle, sharing positive, honest, and sometimes difficult discussions at the intersection of LGBT Avenue and LDS Street. #LatterGayStories #NerdyGayMormon #MormonAndGay #DavidDoyle

170: The Naked Pastor | David Hayward

Thu, 08 Dec 2022

He's known around the world as The Naked Pastor—and you've likely seen his cartoons on social media or in print—but who is David Hayward and why does his art speak so loudly for the LGBTQ+ community? David sits down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share more of his story and offers a behind the scenes peek into his talent. Have you had to deconstruct what you once believed in? Did you leave your church but not your faith? As a former church leader, David beautifully shares his journey about deconstructing religious beliefs, how to find community and connection after leaving religion, uniting and supporting the marginalized communities—and stories behind some of his most famous cartoons and art. #TheNakedPastor #DavidHayward #LGBTQart #Compassion #Deconstruction

169: Carol Lynn Pearson | Loving My Gay Husband To Eternity

Tue, 08 Nov 2022

Carol Lynn Pearson is a Mormon icon. In the early 1960's two monumental experiences happened in her life: she married Gerald, a gay man—and she published her first book. From that first publishing—and her relationship with her gay husband—Carol Lynn Pearson forged a path forward for Latter-day Saints to better understand the LGBTQ experience. Her life has been a lesson of love, compassion, understanding and advocacy. Escaping the gazing eyes of Utah Mormons, the Pearson's left Salt Lake City and settled in California to allow their little family the opportunity to embrace the unknown and to grow in uncertainty. Through her best-selling book, "Goodbye, I Love You", Carol Lynn allowed the world too peer into the Pearson family story. For the first time a well known Latter-day Saint family was openly talking about homosexuality, mixed orientation marriage, kindness, advocacy, harmful doctrine and more. In this episode Carol Lynn sits down with Kyle to dive deeper into that journey, discuss the impact it had on Mormonism, and how marrying a gay man changed her life.

#LatterGayStories #CarolLynnPearson #Family #Love #ChurchOfJesusChristofLatterDaySaints

168: Laurie Lee Hall | From Temples to Transformation

Wed, 26 Oct 2022

At age five Laurie Lee Hall knew she was different, but she didn't have words for what the "difference" was. For her, language—and better understanding wouldn't come until many decades later. Few transgender people have had more influence on Mormonism than Laurie Lee Hall. Prior to (and sometimes during) her process of transition she served as a Bishop, Stake President, and Chief Architect for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She designed numerous temples, chapels, designed the rebuilding of the Provo City Center Temple, and the design of the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Did the First Presidency and other Church officials know she was transgender? Yes! And how they interacted and treated her is part of this interview. Laurie's story is fascinating look at Mormonism, the inner workings of the church, and how honesty and authenticity create incredibly beautiful and resilient people. #LaurieLeeHall #LDSChurch #Transgender #FirstPresidency #ProvoTemple #LatterGayStories

167: Weston Smith | Gay Mormon Missionary: Survivor

Tue, 11 Oct 2022

Weston Smith came out as gay while his dad was serving as a bishop in the Mormon church. His parents were understanding, but navigating life a gay Mormon teen, trying to better understand your sexuality, and remain the "best" Mormon possible is often a recipe for disaster. Weston was no stranger to the turmoil that often comes from being gay and Mormon—a situation, for Wes, that led to serious suicidal ideation. He ultimately decided to serve a mission as an "out" gay Mormon, but even in the mission field the suicidal thoughts persisted. It was there, on his mission, that he resolved to leave the church and live an authentic, happy life. After leaving his mission early and finding complete familial support, Weston has thrived. He recently published a memoir titled, "This Body of Water", detailing his journey and what the future looks like for him. A copy of Weston's book is available at WestonSmithBooks.com. Weston's father, Evan, shared his individual story with LatterGayStories as episode 166 on this podcast. #LatterGayStories #ThisBodyofWater #WestonSmith #Love #Honesty

166: Evan Smith | From Stake Presidency to LGBTQ+ Ally and Beyond

Tue, 04 Oct 2022

Evan Smith met the intersection of sexuality and religion while serving as an LDS Bishop and eventually in a Stake Presidency. It didn't take long before Evan began to better understand the difficult and impossible restraints the Church's policies and doctrines place on LGBTQ Mormons. In the midst of these dichotomies, Evan, and his wife, Cheryl learned that their own son, Weston, was gay. The Smiths learned that understanding and advocating for LGBTQ people takes a sharp turn when someone close to you is directly impacted by this topic. As a result, Evan and Cheryl became allies and advocates for queer Mormons, and Evan used his position in his Stake Presidency to directly discuss this topic with General Authorities and Latter-day Saint congregations. In this episode, Evan candidly shares his discussions with Church leadership, what his family has learned having a gay son, his current membership status in the Mormon church, and what we can all do to better understand the LGBTQ experience. Evan Smith is also the author of Gay Latter-day Saint Crossroads, a book he acknowledges was written to explain, and hopefully do something productive with the pain that comes from the church's teachings about sexual orientation and gender identity. The book also explores whether the church's current position on gay sexual behavior is more reflective of human prejudice than it is of divine truth. Evan also uses the book to try to make amends for any harm he caused in the past as a leader in the church. Download the book for FREE by visiting www.GayLDSCrossroads.org #GayMormon #LatterGayStories #QueerLatterDaySaint #MormonLeader #GayLDSCrossroads

165: Paul Bird | Finding My Balance As a Gay Mormon

Tue, 20 Sep 2022

For orthodox Christians, especially Latter-day Saints, Paul Bird's life doesn't fit the mold. He admittedly loves the Word of Wisdom, but loathes the Law of Chastity. And that is where is story blossoms. Paul is from Tucson, Arizona. He grew up Mormon and, in the closet. He decided to come out when the exclusion policy was leaked in November 2015. Paul shares a candid story about sex, agency, chastity, charity, love, and carving a way through Mormonism that works for him. As an active, non-temple recommend holding Mormon, Paul details where his journey has taken him and the joy he's found along the path. #LatterGayStories #PaulBird #GayMormon

164: Josh Morris | An Honest Conversation About Being Gay

Fri, 02 Sep 2022

Josh Morris was raised in a very small, rural Utah community. Living as a closeted gay teen, in a predominately Mormon town leaves a lot to be desired. The community isn't rich with diversity or opportunity when it comes to understanding your sexuality. In this episode Josh candidly shares his story. He opens up about the good, the bad, the mistakes, and eventually--the successes. How do you come out (and thrive) to your Mormon family, who believes in religious and organizational fundamentalism? #LatterGayStories #EphraimUtah #Fundementalism #Mormon

163: Melinda Hannah | Painting The Faces of Love

Tue, 16 Aug 2022

Melinda Hannah is no stranger to pain or trauma. She battled her own traumas while simultaneously watching other's experience their own. Melinda is an artist. She used her talent and brush to paint to tell the stories of the marginalized people among us. While meeting with members of the LGBTQ community who were dying of AIDS, she visioned an art project that would show the world the love and beauty that encompassed these men and women who had been rejected by their families. In time, Melinda, an active Latter-day Saint, began painting the portraits of the LGBTQ+ Mormon community. She wanted the world to see their beauty, their love, and their worth. After displaying her works of art in 5 cites across the United States, Melinda sits down with the Latter Gay Stories audience to share her story. She shares more about the portraits, what the project meant to her, and the lives that were influenced because of this Portraits of Courage project. www.MelindaHannah.com

162: Colter Wild | Finding My Inner Peace

Tue, 19 Jul 2022

Latter-day leaders have often warned that happiness, truth, and spiritual experiences are only found within the framework of Mormonism—Colter's story defies that narrative. Shortly after coming out to his "Provo Mormon" family, Colter began to navigate his own course of spirituality, connection, and mindfulness. Outside of the church, he was able to find all the things his former Mormon leaders told him he wouldn't. Colter is a Galactic Shaman who has found success as a spiritual guide—exploring various exalted states of consciousness. If you are navigating outside of Mormonism and looking for new forms of spirituality, Colter's story will impact you. You can find Colter on Instagram @ColterWild #LatterGayStories #ColterWild #Mindfulness #PlantMedicine #Hypnotherapy

161: sExcommunication: The Mormon LGBTQ+ Dilemma

Wed, 13 Jul 2022

The LatterGayStories podcast has been following over a dozen same-gender couples that are facing excommunication (membership councils) from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their offense: being legally and lawfully married.

In April of 2019, the Church publicly announced that same-sex couples would no longer be considered apostates and subjected to mandatory excommunication. Instead, the Church proclaimed that "immoral conduct in heterosexual and homosexual relationships will be treated the same way."

However, determined bishops and stake presidents have often used their personal bias and ignorance to continue the excommunications of gay members—despite church leaders stating that these excommunications are not happening.
Join us for a special 7.5 HOUR LatterGayStories and Mormon Stories episode where we sit down with Brennan and Douglas. They are a married couple from Idaho who were just subjected to a membership council for being in a legal, monogamous marriage. And they provide an audio recording of that council.
But there's more… When asked by Douglas and Brennan why they *really* were being forced out the church, the bishop and stake president couldn't keep their stories straight. The church leaders piled lie upon lie to justify their actions. They accused them of making evil social media posts about the church, accused them of drinking coffee and tea, and even compared their legal and lawful marriage to a husband and wife embroiled in infidelity.
We have the audio recordings of the phone calls, meetings, and the membership council itself and we will play them during this interview. We want to use this episode to show the constant misrepresentations, deflections, and gaslighting perpetrated by LDS bishops and stake presidents to protect "the good name of the church." And we also want to show the harm that is done to good people when you use ignorance and prejudice to force people out of the fold.

Is there a place for same-sex couples in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

#PrideMonth #LDS #BehindTheScenes #LyingforTheLord #Mormon #MembershipCouncil

160: The Black Menaces | Televising the Mormon Revolution

Wed, 11 May 2022

In less than one year, five students at Brigham Young University have amassed a social media following of nearly 1,000,000 people. The group, calling themselves the Black Menaces, create videos online that have been liked and shared more than 25 million times and messages supported by celebrities and influencers around the globe. So, what are these BYU college students doing to create such a buzz? Using a cell phone camera and microphone, the BlackMenaces are exposing the candid reactions of BYU students through questions about race and social justice. It's no surprise, given the nature of LDS/LGBTQ policies, that the most viral videos produced by the BlackMenaces are directly related to the LGBTQ community and the Mormon church's treatment of queer people. We've invited the Menaces into the studio to share their "revolution" with the LatterGayStories community. In this episode we dive deep into the BlackMenace story and learn more about the people behind the TikTok and Instagram videos. Why did they start the social media project, and what they've learned in the process? This episode is a candid and honest discussion about Mormonism's racial and prejudicial problems. #LatterGayStories #BlackMenaces #BrighamYoungUniversity #MormonChurch

159: Kris and Kay Packer | Loving, Learning, and Living

Thu, 07 Apr 2022

For the Packer's, love and connection brought them together—and it was honesty and authenticity that helped their love and connection flourish. In this fascinating story of love and transformation, Kay and Kris share their early dating experiences—and marriage as a lesbian couple. It was later in that marriage that Kris transitioned as a transgender male. As the couple loved, they learned—and as they learned, they lived. This is the third and final episode in the Packer series. Kay shared her individual story in episode 157. Kris shared his story in episode 158. These episodes and others are available in video form on the LatterGayStories Facebook and YouTube pages. All of our podcast episodes are ready to download now everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts. #LatterGayStories #Love #Transgender #Growth #Mormonism #LGBTQMormon #UtahGay

158: Kris Packer | From Wife to Husband: A Story of My Journey

Wed, 30 Mar 2022

Kris Packer has a long Mormon history. His father, Lynn is a Mormon historian, and Kris' great-uncle is apostle Boyd K. Packer. What happens when you come out to your family as a lesbian, but as life progresses, your journey through love and connection helps you to connect the dots and come to understand that you are also transgender? Kris had great family support through his life and even through the learning, bumpy stages, found connection and love in even the least-likely spaces. In this episode Kris discusses his family relationship, meeting his wife Kay, working in public education—and then gender transitioning as a school principal. How does his school and students react? This episode is part of a three-part interview. Kris's wife, Kay is episode 157 and the couple sits down together in episode 159. #LatterGayStories #Transgender #PublicEducation #Married #MormonRoyalty This episode is available now as a video on the LatterGayStories Facebook and YouTube pages.

157: Kay Packer | My Lesbian Mormon Love Story

Thu, 24 Mar 2022

Kaylene Packer was a very normal Mormon girl. She went to church, she prayed, and she tried to hide an important part of her identity...she was really, really into girls. Growing up Latter-day Saint, you quickly learn that there isn't a road map designed to help you thrive as a closeted lesbian girl. But Kay tried. Ultimately, her journey led her to embracing who she was, to coming out, to finding love in a relationship, and then—familiar to many Latter-day Saints: breaking off that relationship to give Mormonism another chance. Kay's story is deep and full of twists—including marrying her wife, a niece of apostle, Boyd K. Packer. And then Kay's wife eventually coming out to her as a transgender man. Together, Kay and Kris navigated a new dynamic in their marriage. Join us for this special three-part interview series. The next three Latter Gay Stories episodes are Kay's story, her spouse, Kris' story, and finally an interview together, as a couple. #LatterGayStories #Lesbian #GayMormon #FIndingLove #BreakingTheShell

156: Ashley Ryan | My Story of Transition and Hope

Tue, 08 Mar 2022

Ashley was born male into a Lutheran home in Texas. At a young age, Ashley knew she was different. Not having language for what that "difference" was, she navigated her journey the best she could. It was finally an Oprah episode featuring a transgender story that gave her the WORD that described how she felt. Well after puberty, high school, dating –and while in college, she finally felt the power to lean into her truth. Currently a stand-up comedian, and a casting director for reality television, Ashley Ryan sits down to share her story, how religion and education impacted her path, and what life looks like post-transition. #LatterGayStories #AshleyRyan #Transition #Transgender #Truth #Oprah

155: Kray Casper| BYU Changed My Life: My Gay Coming Out

Thu, 24 Feb 2022

Kray was a remarkably normal Mormon. He knew he was gay, but did everything in his power to deny and hide it. If you bury it, it doesn't exist, right? He gave everything to the church, served a full-time mission, and then enrolled at BYU. All this to bury what he was (a normal gay man). As he was leaving his mission, Kray's mission president made him a promise: if you date and marry a woman, your SSA (same-sex attraction) will disappear. Kray believed him. It was his experience at BYU Idaho that changed Kray's life forever. His story involves a professor, a new friend, an affair, losing his education at the University, and reassembling the shattered pieces of a life that 'once was'. Kray's story is more familiar and relatable than most want to admit. It is raw and candid. Catch the video version NOW on the LatterGayStories You Tube channel. The audio version of this podcast is available everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts. #LatterGayStories #Trying #BYU #HonorCode #ComingOut #Happiness

154: BYU ADMINS to BYU HEALTH CLINIC: Terminate Health Services to Transgender Patients

Thu, 10 Feb 2022

In a surprising move, BYU-Provo administrators dismissed three transgender clients from the BYU Clinic on 2/7/2022, and informed their student/faculty clinicians that transgender patients needed to be transferred to providers OUTSIDE of BYU. The patients were being seen at the on-campus BYU Speech and Language Clinic for speech therapy. BYU administrators informed the clinic and faculty that service to transgender patients is a violation of the LDS Church Policy (as found in the LDS Handbook) and is contrary to BYU principles. In this live stream discussion, we are joined by R.J. Risueno, Lisa Hansen, and Wendy Chase. All three guests are clinicians who serve this population. We also discuss in more depth, revelations about what happened behind the scenes, who made the decisions and what does this mean for BYU's desire to create bridges to the LGBTQ community through its Office of Belonging. #LatterGayStories #Transgender #HIPPA #HealthCareForLGBTQ #Discrimination

153: Duane Jennings | Balancing Science and Spirituality

Thu, 27 Jan 2022

From an early age, Duane felt drawn to better understanding life from two perspectives: science and spirituality. His desire for knowledge and the human understanding led him to better understand empathy and opportunity. Shortly after returning home from his Mormon mission to South Africa, Duane realized that his life was best lived in authenticity and honesty. The author of Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones shares his personal story and how embracing his identity made all the difference. This episode is also available as an audio podcast available everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts. #LatterGayStories #Spirituality #Science #ComingOut

152: Page Petrucka | Happiness Exists In Authenticity

Tue, 21 Dec 2021

Page knew she was different, but Mormonism has a way of convincing you to keep those "different" feelings buried deep inside. Those feelings and natural connections can only stay hidden for so long—and eventually they blossom.

After coming out later in life, Page Petrucka shares her journey of finding happiness, understanding her divine worth, harnessing the power of good friends, and thriving in affirmative spaces. She shares her experience coming out to her family, no longer fearing her sexuality, and learning first-hand that happiness does exist where religion told her it didn't.

Enjoy this and many other episodes online at LatterGayStories.org and on our YouTube channel. An audio version of this episode is available everywhere you catch your favorite podcast episodes. #LatterGayStories #LesbianMormon #GayMormon

151: Cole and Kent | Our Real-Life Gay Mormon Love Story

Wed, 10 Nov 2021

They're back! Cole Rasmussen (episode 145) and Kent Carollo (episode 142) sit down together—as a couple to share their story of dating, connection, and engagement. Where do gay Latter-day Saints learn to date? Where do they learn how to navigate the world of feelings, connection, and the very real desire to be loved? In this episode Kent and Cole describe their experience coming out, accepting and honoring their divine creation, and finding each other in the process. This is candid and real-life love story. VIDEO VERSION ALERT...**Be sure to stick around for the end, there might be a really cute wedding video ;) ** The video version of this episode is also available on our Latter Gay Stories YouTube Channel and our LatterGayStories Facebook page. #LatterGayStories #GayLoveStory

150: Mormon Parents of a Gay Child: When Dogma Collides with Ignorance

Wed, 22 Sep 2021

There isn't a manual or Sunday school lesson that teaches us how to prepare for our child's coming out experience. For parents (especially Mormon ones,) you often feel wholly unprepared for the news. For many Latter-day Saints, we aren't trying to understand this topic because we are convinced it isn't relevant to us—because something like this doesn't happen to families like ours. Right? In this powerfully candid and honest episode, Glen and Sandee Traasdahl share their mistakes, their successes, and the beautiful experiences they've learned as they navigate their son's coming out experience. ** This episode is a must watch for all parents. ** The Traasdahls discuss: Their son's coming out experience. Visiting with their bishop and stake leaders. Navigating their own faith and understanding. Wading through feelings of loneliness and fear. Searching for helpful resources. Suicidal ideation and depression. Love and acceptance. Joy. #LatterGayStories #Learning #ParentsofGayKids #LGBTQ

149: James Kent | Aloha to Authenticity and Love

Wed, 08 Sep 2021

In this special outdoor episode, we sit down with James Kent in the beautiful Iao Valley on the island of Maui, Hawaii. James shares a stunning history of Hawai'i including the native Hawai'ian's respect to the topics of sexual orientation (aikāne) and gender identity (māhū). James also shares a tender story of his own journey. His is a message of coming out, marrying a woman, joining Affirmation, watching his friends succumb to the AIDS epidemic, and how he has found aloha in his journey. Aloha ia O'Koa Pa'ulo #LatterGayStories #Aloha #Hawaii #Mormon #Aikane #Mahu

148: Tommy Francesco | The Kiss That Kicked Me Out of BYU

Fri, 27 Aug 2021

As a convert to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tommy Francesco wanted to do what was right. He studied with the missionaries, joined the church, obeyed the word of wisdom, served a mission and generously gave of his time and talents—but Tommy was gay and that reality met him at every intersection in Mormonism.

One weekend at BYU, a kiss with another man changed Tommy's life forever. That kiss was a violation of BYU's Honor Code. Within days,

Tommy had been stripped of his academic credits and expelled as a student at BYU. Then came church discipline.

This is a story of the trials and experiences of a person who tried to do good and to follow what felt natural and whole.

#LatterGayStories #BYU #ComingOut

147: Brandon Spevak | Rearranging Everything That Was Comfortable in My Life

Wed, 11 Aug 2021

Brandon Spevak's life was familiar to many Latter-day Saints. He served in leadership callings, he married his wife in the temple, and together they started to raise their young family. In the midst of that journey, feelings within Brandon's heart and soul began to expand. Brandon began to understand more about Brandon. As he reached into the darkness his world opened up into beautiful rays of light. It led to an increase of happiness and a brand-new future. He met new people. He made hard decisions. He discovered more about himself. He no longer needed to run from the person he is. This is a story about doing what is right and letting the consequences follow. It's a story of navigating a really difficult journey of coming out, rearranging everything comfortable in life, and finding authenticity and honesty. The video episode is available on our Facebook and YouTube pages. The audio episode is available everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts. Links to this and 150 other episodes are available in our bio. #LatterGayStories #ComingOut #VeryMormon #Authenticity #Married

146: Tate and Kara: Mixed Orientation Marriage

Wed, 28 Jul 2021

Over the last six decades, Latter-day Saint leaders encouraged mixed orientation marriages as the only best option available to gay Mormons. Many gay Latter-day Saints used these types of marriages to diffuse their feelings of same-gender attraction, hoping (and believing) that God would provide a way for them to create a traditional family. In this episode, Tate and Kara Avey share their experience in a mixed orientation marriage. They discuss the four essential characteristics that help to make a marriage like theirs successful: open communication, a high level of personal commitment, adaptability, and a nuanced religious position. This is a candid discussion about a marriage that is non-traditional, but also exists because of informed consent, compatibility, and desire.

Are there mixed orientation marriages that work? Yes, of course!
Let your truth be true. Many people have walked this path, the Avey's invite you to hear their story.

#LatterGayStories #MixedOrientationMarriage #ChurchofJesusChristofLatterDaySaints #Marriage #Love

145: Cole Rasmussen | Reconciling My Faith By Accepting My Sexuality

Thu, 08 Jul 2021

In an office at the Church Office Building—overlooking the angel Moroni atop the Salt Lake Temple, Cole received a blessing from Elder Cook. In that blessing Cole was promised that he would be able to marry a woman, have children, and eventually serve a mission with his wife. Unfortunately for Elder Cook, the priesthood power of a general authority could not make Cole straight. After years of navigating (and trailblazing) a path of authenticity and honesty, Cole has found joy in his journey, and love in his life. In this episode he shares what it took to get him to this point—and what he's learned along the way. #ComingOut #Authenticity #Love #BeTrue #ChurchofJesusChristofLatterDaySaints #LatterGayStories

143: Love: From Our Perspective | Fathers of Gay Sons

Mon, 21 Jun 2021

Let's face it, no parent expects (or can adequately prepare) for their child to come out. With few social and religious resources available to help parents navigate this journey, where do you turn when your child needs you the most? Three fathers, all with different backgrounds, share their candid experiences raising sons who identify as gay. They talk about the coming out process, where they made mistakes, what they learned, navigating religious issues, telling friends and family—and so much more. The dads discuss some difficult topics and share how they reacted to some comments like: "If I knew my tithing dollars were going to BYU to help gay kids graduate, I'd call and complain!" "How can you choose between your church and your child?" "As LGBT people we are pretty easy to love, because we don't get it very often, so we can easily recognize it when it happens." "Part of our process was to grieve what we were losing. That was real." #LatterGayStories #ComingOut #ParentsOfGayKids #DadsOfGayKids

142: Kent Carollo | Fulfilling The Measure of My Creation

Mon, 07 Jun 2021

"I never missed general conference, I held leadership positions, I served a mission, I studied at a church school, I got married—you reach a point where you do all the things you believe are best and true, but when there are no more boxes left to check, and you still feel a certain way, you have to start to ask yourself some really significant and often difficult questions." Kent Carollo sits down with Latter Gay Stories to share his journey from the closet, to coming out and navigating a world that to him, seemed to be incredibly foreign and inaccessible. His story is a message of hope and love. It is a story of kindness and doing what is right—despite the many voices that encouraged him to "stay true to gospel truths".

#LatterGayStories #ComingOut #MixedOrientationMarriages

141: Natasha Helfer | A Special Episode Interviewing Kyle

Sun, 23 May 2021

In April of 2021, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a disciplinary council for Natasha Helfer. Natasha has been a personal ally and friend to the LGBTQ+ community. In her professional career, Natasha has opened doors to healing and growth for better mental and sexual health among queer people and their families. In this special episode, Natasha interviews Kyle Ashworth of LatterGayStories about his experience attending her disciplinary council held in Derby, Kansas. They discuss LGBTQ/Mormon relations, a little history on the topic and what the future looks like for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints. This episode originally aired on The Mormon Sex Info Podcast: Facebook.com/mormonsexinfo #LatterGayStories #Mormons #Excommunication #NatashaHelfer

140: Tanner Jones | Life After Coming Out, Divorce and Leaving Mormonism

Thu, 20 May 2021

Uprooting your life and making a course correction is never an easy experience. In this episode, Tanner Jones shares his experience coming out to himself, his family and his young family. He describes his experience trying to do his very best and his path to happiness—even if it meant divorce and leaving his lifelong faith tradition. Tanner's story is a candid look into the lengths many gay men will go to "do what is right" in the face of doing what is honest. This is Tanner's inspiring story of coming out, divorcing and leaving Mormonism. #LatterGayStories #ComingOut #MixedOrientationMarriage

139: Our Gay Kids: A Mother's Perspective

Thu, 29 Apr 2021

Where do parent's turn for education, guidance, wisdom and direction when their child comes out? How does religion and society impact the well-being of our youth? What did you wish you had known prior to your child coming out? Join us for this panel discussion as we hear four candid stories from mothers who navigate this journey with their gay and lesbian children. What worked? What didn't? How can we do better? Danette Tolman and her daughter are lesbian. She shares her own personal coming out story and experience and how being queer gave her the tools to better support her daughter in her own coming out journey. Sherine Smith has a gay son. Sherine discusses the difficulties of being Latter-day Saints in this space. She offers loving advice to church leaders and other mothers on this path. Jill Mortensen has a lesbian daughter. Nuanced from Mormonism, Jill openly shares the difficulties their family experienced from the policies and doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ. Her advice to "love first" a beacon of hope and growth. Liisa Frei shares her nearly two decade journey supporting her gay son. She shares the many resources available to parents today and reassures the community that our queer youth are vital to the health of our communities.

138: Jessyca and Savana | From MormonAndGay to our Wedding Day

Wed, 10 Mar 2021

Jessyca Fulmer's personal story was featured as a video on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' MormonAndGay website. What Jessyca's video didn't show was her personal struggle for survival. After nearly ONE MILLION views she pulled the plug and asked for it to be removed. In this episode we talk about that decision. Happily, Jessyca reunited with a high school friend, Savana Fulmer and many of life's missing pieces fell into place. They went from MormonAndGay to their wedding day. Savana, discusses her asexuality and bisexuality. And offers sweet advice for a wide audience. She talks about finally feeling a connection with someone and how in LOVE she is with Jessyca. The last half of the interview is a home-run. The whole interview is a grand-slam. This is a story for active Latter-day Saints, parents and our LGBTQ friends. Please help us share this episode. The video version of the episode is available online at LatterGayStories.org and our Facebook and YouTube channels.

137: Craig Call | My Grandpa was an Apostle: This is My Story

Thu, 18 Feb 2021

It's no secret that your grandpa is Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles, but what happens when he finds out there's something you're keeping secret?
Identifying as bisexual and polyamorous, coming home from his mission early, listening to conference talks written specifically about him, and honoring his happiness over tradition; Craig Call, the grandson of Elder Richard G. Scott found his own path and he shares his story with the LatterGayStories audience.

Craig opens up about the preferential treatment he received growing up, the inner-workings of Mormonism, and what he's learned from life's lessons. He also answers audience questions!

The video version is available on our Facebook and YouTube channels. The audio version is available everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts!

#LatterGayStories

136: Miles and Jim | Giving Ourselves the Permission to Thrive

Thu, 03 Sep 2020

Miles Hunsaker and Jim White sit down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share their individual stories of coming out, finding inner peace and thriving as a couple. Both Jim and Miles label themselves as "late-bloomers." They came out later in life: both were married to women, with children. They each held high callings in the LDS Church and both worked to reconcile their religious teachings with what their heart testified to them. In this episode, Jim and Miles take a deep dive into personal experiences, what they did to navigate the rocky waters of uncertainty, and what led them to each other. This episode is also available as a video podcast. You can watch it on our YouTube channel or the interactive version of this episode available on the LatterGayStories Facebook page. We invite you to subscribe to this channel and to follow us on social media and our website at www.LatterGayStories.org

135: Jennifer and Shaunie | Stepping Across Lines To Embrace Our Happiness

Wed, 15 Jul 2020

Shaunie Schow was a small-town Idaho woman who served as a Relief Society President and in the Stake Relief Society presidency.

Jennifer Saunders was the complete opposite.

Individually, they navigated their desires to love and be loved. They both worked to do good in the world and to cultivate Christlike attributes. Together, they found the measure of their creation.

This is story of hope, of love, and of rising above the expectations of a community to live an authentic and honest life.

In this episode Jenn discusses her TEDtalk: "Loving Outside the Lines".

The link to that talk is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8H1BDHvbyk

The video version of this episode is available on the LatterGayStories Facebook page and YouTube channel. You can find more than 100 stories like this online at www.LatterGayStories.org/episodes

134: David Staker and Rob Schopke: Finding Ourselves and Finding Each Other

Thu, 11 Jun 2020

"We were not only gay. We were not only married. But we were also attending Church—with our children, and the Church didn't know how to handle all of that. It took a couple of General Authorities to determine the fate of our family…and then November 2015 happened." Rob Schopke and David Staker sit down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share their journey.

Each divorced from marriages married to women. Each worked to find happiness and fulfillment. Each found each other. Give us an hour to better understand the experiences of the LGBTQ community. The video version of this podcast is available on the Latter Gay Stories Facebook page, the LatterGayStories YouTube channel and right here on LatterGayStories.org. The audio podcast version is available everywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

133: Tiana Matson | How Coming Out to my Mission President Changed My Life

Thu, 21 May 2020

Tiana story is similar to many others in her shoes. She knew from a very early age that she was different. What did that difference mean? And how do you explain something that you can't define?

Following the path laid for her, Tiana served a mission and it was in a discussion with her Mission President that she acknowledged what that "difference" was. This episode is the story of her journey after leaving her mission early and making difficult decisions to help her find peace, happiness, and her best future. Please like, share, or comment on this episode. We also invite you to subscribe to our LatterGayStories YouTube channel and LIKE the LatterGayStories Facebook page.

It is stories like this that help us build bigger and stronger bridges between the LDS and LGBTQ communities.

132: Bernie Jessop | From Mormonism to Polygamy: How A Gay Man Found His Path

Thu, 30 Apr 2020

He was born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in a turn of events Bernie was excommunicated. His excommunication didn't come because he is gay—that would come later—but because he joined a fundamentalist polygamous church. How does someone who knows he is gay, decide to enter into polygamy? Watch this episode to find out. The video version of this story is also available on the LatterGayStories YouTube channel (please subscribe). The audio version of this podcast is available everywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. #LatterGayStories #Polygamy #ComingOut #Authenticity

131: Laura Root | My Story of Happiness and Joy

Thu, 16 Apr 2020

For many it's a familiar story: active Latter-day Saint, hiding the feelings of same-sex attraction, and doing the things society requires of you to remain "normal". But what happens when you can no longer do it all? Laura Root shares her story of hope, love, pain and progress. Hers is a story of finding a path that is her own and at the same time staying close to her faith and her personal revelation.

Laura came out while serving as a Relief Society President in her ward. The sisters in her ward threw her a bridal shower, soon after the wedding, her new bishop excommunicated her. But she found happiness in the journey. We invite you to share an hour and better understand Laura's story. Watch the video on our Facebook or YouTube channel or catch the audio podcast version everywhere you find your favorite podcasts (just search LatterGayStories and click the subscribe button). #ComingOut #FaithAndSexuality #LatterDaySaint #GayMormon

130: Tyler Lefevor | Four Option Survey: LGBTQ/LDS Research

Wed, 15 Apr 2020

So, you've heard of the 4 OPTION SURVEY, but do you know what it is? We've got you covered!

Tyler is an assistant professor of psychology at Rhodes College studying LGBTQ topics specific to Mormonism, his research aims to understand the mental health implications of gender, sexuality, faith, and their various intersections. As a self-identified queer Mormon, he is passionate about creating space for voices of all orientations and life paths to peacefully coexist.

Want to take the survey? Click here: www.4optionssurvey.com

129: Keindrick Willis | My Personal, Mental and Spiritual Tug-of-War

Thu, 12 Mar 2020

A convert to the Church from Alabama, Keindrick did everything exactly "Mormon". While serving a mission to New York he also identified his sexuality. This story is Keindrick's journey coming out, attending BYU, dealing with bigotry and finding joy in his journey. "The pain of living closeted was greater than the pain of coming out."

Keindrick shares his advice to members and Church leaders, and gives insight into his (multiple) experiences being turned into the BYU honor code office. Please comment, like or share this episode to help us expand our reach. We also encourage you to rate this podcast episode and subscribe to this channel.

128: Debi and Aimee | Breaking Down The Barriers

Thu, 20 Feb 2020

How many years does it take to realize that you're not as straight as the church wanted you to be? For Debi and Aimee, it took almost ten. Even after living together, working together and spending all their time together, it took nearly a decade for them to realize (and accept) that they were lesbian. "I knew what the Church teaches about people like us … it just is not true. I couldn't be happier. What we have is so good—and all good comes from God." Listen to Debi and Aimee share their story of hope, love and happiness. The video version of this podcast is available on the Latter Gay Stories Facebook page, our YouTube channel or online at LatterGayStories.org. You can listen to the audio version wherever you catch your favorite podcasts. Please help us by liking, sharing and commenting on this (and our hundreds of other) podcast episodes.

127: Kyle Ashworth and Justin Utley | LifePlus Logan, Utah Event

Tue, 28 Jan 2020

Kyle Ashworth and Justin Utley join the Logan, Utah LIFEPLUS group to share their stories, some music and a few laughs. In this episode Justin sings songs from his newly released album, SCARS. Kyle discusses the topic of "belonging" and shares his personal story of coming out and thriving. Justin and Kyle open the discussion to an audience Q&A—and the inquiries from the audience are powerful! Pay attention to the questions from mothers and fathers of LGBT children, church leaders, LGBT people and allies, and the responses they received from the speakers. "This discussion was powerful and changed my whole perspective" -attendee

126: Skyler Wixom | My Faith. My Sexuality. My Path Forward.

Tue, 14 Jan 2020

Skyler Wixom, a BYU graduate and adjunct professor, shares his story of coming out and finding his path of authenticity and honesty. Skyler gives kind and sympathetic advice to Latter-Day Saints and Church leaders regarding his sexuality. He shares his story coming out for the first time to his mission president and the loving advice his mission president gave him. Skyler discusses where is at today, including the transition of his faith and what led him from life as an active Mormon to exploring his sexuality. (Oh, and he's single…hint, hint...guys!) You will learn and you will better understand by listening to Skyler's experience. Share this invite with anyone who might be interested! The video version of this episode is available on our Facebook page, our YouTube channel and online at www.LatterGayStories.org. The audio version is available everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts.

125: Sunny and Joe Smart | Our Story of Family and Marriage

Thu, 19 Dec 2019

Sunny Smart is gay. Her family knows, her friends know, her husband knows, and she knows. In this podcast episode, Sunny shares her story of coming out, remaining in a mixed orientation marriage, a transition of faith, and how proceeding forward in authenticity has changed her life. She and Joe, share their experience navigating this journey together, as a family. And their decision to come out—and support the LGBT family has impacted their experience. Their missionary son, Adam was recently denied a temple recommend and was asked to leave his mission for supporting the LGBT community and people like his own mother. The Smart's share their feelings about this tragic turn of events for their son, and what must be done to honor the journey of all people—in or out of the LDS church. Watch this episode on the Latter Gay Stories Facebook page, online at LatterGayStories.org, on our LatterGayStories YouTube channel, or listen to the audio version wherever you catch your favorite audio podcasts.

To make a donation to the podcast log onto our website at www.LatterGayStories.org and click on the donate link, or send us a donation via Venmo: @LatterGayStories

Daniel Spencer | Millions Know My Social Media Humor But Few Knew Me

Thu, 21 Nov 2019

Millions and millions of people know Daniel Spencer from his hilarious Mormon themed memes, stand-up comedy and his role on Provo's Most Eligible (a straight dating show). However, few people knew the secret that Daniel was hiding. He is gay. Daniel recently came out to his fans and to the world. This is his story about what its like to be gay, closeted and a Latter-day Saint. Daniel talks about serving a mission, coming out to his mission president and family. Making mistakes, learning about empathy, depression, suicide, and finally finding a path of authenticity and honesty. The video version of the episode is available online at LatterGayStories.org, on our YouTube channel or find it (along with real-time comments) on our LatterGayStories Facebook page.

Please like, comment, subscribe and share this episode wherever you catch LatterGayStories.

123: Chris Richards | What Life Taught Me About Authenticity

Fri, 08 Nov 2019

Chris Richards sits down with Kyle Ashworth to share his Latter-Gay story. In this episode Chris talks about the mission, growing up "different," getting married to a woman and navigating life in a mixed orientation marriage. He is honest. He is raw. He holds nothing back in this interview. We invite you to listen. Chris shares the story of how his wife introduced him to Grindr, leaving the LDS Church, navigating boundaries within a non-traditional mixed-orientation marriage and so much more. Watch the interview on our Facebook page, our YouTube channel (YouTube.com/LatterGayStories) on the LatterGayStories.org website, or listen to the audio version of this episode wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

122: Judith Mehr | I painted some of Mormonism's most iconic art—and I was closeted.

Thu, 24 Oct 2019

Judith Mehr is arguably one of the most well-known artists continually commissioned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has painted prophets, apostles, murals, and some of the most iconic gospel art used within the LDS Church. Behind that talent and her paintbrushes lived a secret. Judith was gay—and feared coming out.

This is her story. Judy shares her experience growing up closeted, college life at BYU (where she was tasked to spy on women in her dorm to determine if they were lesbians), finding (and hiding) a partner, coming out and finding her authentic self. The video version of this podcast is available on our website at LatterGayStories.org, our Facebook page and YouTube.com/LatterGayStories. We invite you to like our Facebook page where we publish content weekly and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest video episodes of this podcast.

121: Yaeger Chivers | Coming Out, conversion therapy and finding my way forward.

Thu, 10 Oct 2019

Yaeger Chivers sits down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share his story coming out in a small, Utah town, navigating his sexuality within the Church, his experiences with conversion therapy programs, and trying to please his family—while repressing his identity. He touches upon the difficulties of trying to meet the expectations of society and family, and what it took for him to live his best life, despite what others thought of him. This episode is provided in both video and audio versions on our Facebook page, YouTube channel or listen wherever you find your favorite podcast episodes.

120: Justin Utley | Coming out, conversion therapy, and using music to advocate

Tue, 10 Sep 2019

Justin Utley, singer, songwriter and LGBTQ advocate sits down with Latter Gay Stories for an epic, in-depth interview. Justin shares the painful details of his coming out experience, conversion therapy, the deaths of people close to him and what he's doing to make a difference in the lives of the LGBTQ family. Using music and his vocal talent, Justin has performed worldwide sharing a story of hope to the LGBTQ community. He continues to fight on a local, state, national and international level for a complete ban of conversion therapy. Find Justin's latest album SCARS, available for download on his website at www.JustinUtley.com

119: Brock Messinger | Raw. Candid. And a little messy.

Wed, 21 Aug 2019

Sometimes we need to hear the raw and candid journey—unfiltered and real. This is Brock's story. This is a no-holds barred interview where Brock shares his complete journey. It includes depression, leaving his mission early, suicidal thoughts, Grindr, hook-ups and ultimately finding love in the most unsuspecting places. Brock shares his feelings about growing up LDS and trying to tow the line to look, act and be a good Mormon. He served a mission which ultimately led his Mission President to out him to his parents. For the next hour we invite you to listen to Brock's story of survival and eventual thriving as a husband and father. The video version of this podcast episode is available at LatterGayStories.org, YouTube and on our Facebook page. We invite you to share, like and subscribe to LatterGayStories!

118: Picnic In The Park | Latter Gay Stories, Let's Love Better & Peculiar

Sun, 11 Aug 2019

Let's Love Better: Susie Augenstein, Peculiar: George Deussen and the Latter Gay Stories Podcast teamed up for a Picnic In The Park to help the LGBTQ+ community, their friends, and allies share an evening of food, fun and friendship. For those allies, church and community members who are looking for ideas to better understand the LGBTQ+ experience, events like this are monumental. We become better people when we understand and involve ourselves into unfamilar situations. This short podcast/video is the program portion of the event. A special thanks to the more than 300 people who supported the picnic and to Esera J. Mose who rocked the night with his voice!

117: A. Todd Jones | Navigating My Marriage, Coming Out, And Helping Others

Thu, 25 Jul 2019

In this interview we sit down with A. Todd Jones as he shares his story of living in a mixed-orientation marriage, dating, coming out, finding authenticity and what he's doing in his life now to help the LGBTQ community. A. Todd Jones dives deep into his coming out story—a story very relatable to the many who struggle to understand who and what they are. The video version of the podcast and others are available on our Facebook and YouTube channels, online at LatterGayStories.org and the audio podcast is available wherever you find your favorite podcasts! SUBSCRIBE to our channel now!

116: Valerie Green | Finding My Identity and the Path of Authenticity and Happiness

Thu, 18 Jul 2019

She was married to a woman and found solace secretly cross-dressing to help her find her inner beauty. While navigating this journey to best understand her gender identity, Valerie Nicole Green took the crucial steps to live a life of authenticity and honesty. Valerie shares her story of her youth, holding stake and bishopric callings, coming out to her family and friends, life within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the death of her wife, and where her journey has taken her today. Together, we can better understand the journey our trans brothers and sisters navigate. #Transgender #TransMormon

115: Bryce Cook | Understanding the History: Homosexuality and the LDS Church

Wed, 10 Jul 2019

If you're a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and navigating a journey to understand the intersection of religion and sexual orientation, we invite you to join us for this Latter Gay Stories episode. Bryce Cook is an active Latter-day Saint, father of two gay sons and the author of "What Do We Know of God's Will For His LGBT Children? An Examination of the LDS Church's Position on Homosexuality." In this episode, Bryce Cook and Kyle Ashworth fairly and candidly breakdown the history of LGBT discussion within the Church, changes within the policies and doctrines, social impacts and what the future might look like for the LDS and LGBT communities. We invite all Latter-day Saints to listen to this interview, regardless of how you personally feel regarding these topics. We invite you to follow the counsel of Elder M. Russell Ballard who invites the Saints "… to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing. Certainly, we must do better than we have done in the past."

Link to Bryce Cook's essay: CLICK HERE #Mormons #ChurchofJesusChristofLatterdaySaints #LGBTMormon #LGBT #Gay #GayChristian

114: Sarah and Madi | We Found Ourselves: This Is Our Story.

Thu, 27 Jun 2019

Sarah Cunha and Madison McConkie sit down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share their story. Sarah is a BYU graduate and remained closeted growing up in the Church. In this episode she opens up about her experience coming out, sharing the news with her family and navigating life as a gay woman at BYU. Madison shares her experience as a closeted youth, LDS missionary and student of Dixie State University. Sarah and Madison have found each other and continue their journey of authenticity and honesty, on their terms.

113: LGT Panel Discussion | Church Leader Session: Affirmation Conference

Thu, 27 Jun 2019

This episode features discussion from Ben Schilaty, a gay Latter-day Saint, Jodie Palmer, a lesbian Latter-day Saint, and Ann Pack, a transgender Latter-day Saint.

Each person in this panel discussion offer their personal experiences being queer and LDS. They offer tips, suggestions and glimpses into their experience, in an effort to help others better understand their path. As Elder Ballard admonished, "...we need to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing. Certainly we must do better than we have done in the past so that all members feel they have a spiritual home where their brothers and sisters love them and where they have a place to worship and serve the Lord."

112: Tom Christofferson | Church Leader Session: Affirmation Conference

Thu, 27 Jun 2019

Tom Christofferson is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he's gay and the author of "That They May Be One," a book detailing his life is a member of the Church and how he navigates his sexuality.

In this episode Tom shares his experiences and offers advice to church leaders and to the LGBTQ community from the 2019 Affirmation International Conference.

111: Jena Peterson | Church Leader Session: Affirmation Conference

Thu, 27 Jun 2019

Jena Peterson is an active Latter-day Saint who identifies as gay and remains married to her husband of 14 years, Todd, in a mixed orientation marriage. In this episode, Jena discusses her personal experiences being gay and the impact it has on her membership in the Church. She shares tips to help church leaders and members better understand the LGBTQ experience.

110: President Michael Mayfield | Church Leader Session: 2019 Affirmation Conference

Thu, 27 Jun 2019

President Michael Mayfield currently serves as a counselor in the Stake Presidency. He is a former bishop and is the father of a gay child. For President Mayfield, when his daughter came out, he was stunned, surprised, and blindsided by his daughter's revelation.

In this episode President Mayfield discusses his experience as both an ecclesiastical leader and the father of a gay child. He discusses the 10 Tips For Parents from MormonAndGay.LDS.org and offers his advice to parents and church leaders in this space.

109: Josh and Lolly Weed | The Beginning. The Middle. The Future.

Thu, 13 Jun 2019

Seven years ago (while celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary in Las Vegas), Josh and Lolly Weed made a quiet blog post announcing to their friends and family that Josh was gay, and together they were navigating life in a mixed-orientation Mormon marriage. The Weeds expected to have a candid discussion about their experience, but they weren't prepared to do it on a national and worldwide stage. Their story erupted into virality with millions and millions of people sharing and weighing in on their experience. Josh and Lolly are arguably the most famous example of a mixed-orientation marriage in Mormonism. Their story has been used by LGBT allies and activists as an example of a disingenuous marriage and at the same time, Latter-day Saint leaders hailed the Weeds as an example of endurance and principle–using their story to convince other Latter-day Saints that mixed-orientation marriages were viable and healthy. Five years after their original blog post, the Weed's announced their divorce. In their first sit-down interview since their announcement of their divorce, Kyle Ashworth sits down with Josh and Lolly to discuss the beginning, middle and future of Josh and Lolly's experience.

108: Ryanna Woods | Drag Queen, Survivor, Gay Man

Thu, 06 Jun 2019

Imagine life as a gay man growing up in an ultra-conservative Mormon family—who's weekend family activities included delivering flyers and hosting events aimed at shaming homosexuals. That was the world that Ryan grew up in. This is his story. His story includes the pain of hiding his true identity from his homophobic family, serving a mission in an effort to change his sexuality, self-harm and failed suicide attempts, marriage and divorce—and finally finding drag as an outlet to express his identity. This is a fascinating interview focusing on what it takes to find authenticity and honesty in each of our lives. And how unconventional expression can unite people.

107: Cher McCoy | A Mother's Love: My Journey as an LGBT ally, friend and mom.

Thu, 30 May 2019

On Mother's Day, Cher's son came out to her. From that day forward she fought to protect him and the community he belongs to. In this episode Cher discusses her journey as an LGBT ally and friend to the LDS/LGBT community. She shares the hard parts about religion, society and the traditional views of sexuality. Cher offers advice to parents of LGBT children and what her path looked like during those crucial "coming out" experiences. https://youtu.be/cyCKcECOYFU

106: Gregory Prince | A Complicated History: Mormonism and the LGBTQ Community

Fri, 24 May 2019

Dr. Gregory Prince sits down with Latter Gay Stories for a unique one-on-one discussion about the actions and unintended consequences of the LDS Church's history with LGBT people and their allies. In this episode we thoroughly discuss topics including: - Why the LDS Church has doubled down against homosexuality.
- Is there a genetic component (born this way) to homosexuality?
- Policy vs. Doctrine: does LDS doctrine change?
- What was the impact of the November 2015 Policy on Mormonism?
- What does modern day scripture say about homosexuality?
- Q and A session from Latter Gay Stories listeners
- and so much more! Kyle Ashworth and Greg Prince take a deep dive into LDS tradition, history, and the messaging behind a topic that could be the most polarizing subject in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. PURCHASE Greg's book: Gay Rights and the Mormon Church HERE: https://tinyurl.com/y6spyuuh Dr. Gregory Prince is an historian, author, and researcher who earned his graduate degree in pathology (PhD) at UCLA. He pursued a four-decade career in pediatric infectious disease research, pioneering the world's most current treatment for RSV (infant pneumonia). His love of history led him to write four books: "Power on High: The Development of Mormon Priesthood," "David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism," "Leonard Arrington and the Writing of Mormon History," and "Gay Rights and the Mormon Church: Intended Actions, Unintended Consequences."

105: Chad Merrell and Matt Weber | Asexuality and our journey

Wed, 15 May 2019

So often the we hear stories about the first four letters of the L-G-B-T community, but rarely do we have the opportunity to hear stories from those who identify with the other letters, like A as in asexual. What is asexuality? Who identifies as asexual? What does asexuality look like? In this episode we sit down with Chad and Matt to discuss their sexuality and their reality. Their interview is genuine, wholesome and rich in continual nuggets of shared wisdom and experience. Join the online conversation on our Facebook page: Latter Gay Stories

104: Debra Asper | Finding Strength From Within

Wed, 08 May 2019

Deb Asper is a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in LGBT therapy and more particularly, LGBT trauma. And to say that she's a gem—and an asset to the community is an understatement. Her dedication to seeing that the LGBT community thrives is evident in her actions. She loves you. She wants to see you succeed, she's in your corner. In this episode Deb cuts through a lot of life's rhetoric to help you begin healing from the difficulties of your situations. She is an expert in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR) therapy used for mitigating trauma. Deb's words and tools can help you overcome feelings of shame, doubt, public harassment and other situations that prevent progress.

103: An Evening With Affirmation | Nathan Kitchen and Laurie Lee Hall

Tue, 07 May 2019

103 | The Latter Gay Stories Podcast rebroadcasts An Evening With Affirmation, featuring speakers Nathan Kitchen and Laurie Lee Hall.

Nathan Kitchen is the current President of Affirmation and Laurie Lee Hall serves as the Senior Vice President of Affirmation. In this episode, Nathan Kitchen and Laurie Lee Hall discuss their vision for Affirmation and their hope for the future of LGBT people.

Laurie Lee Hall, the former Chief Architect for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a modern day miracle. The spaces she created for the LDS church include the newly constructed Provo, Utah MTC, the historic Tabernacle at Temple Square, many chapels, exquisite temples, local meeting houses and even the famed Provo City Center Temple.

Listen as Laurie tells her story of building sacred spaces, while building authenticity within herself.

102: Greg Barnett | The vital role of love, inclusion and understanding the journey each of us navigate.

Wed, 24 Apr 2019

102: Greg Barnett | The vital role of love, inclusion and understanding the journey each of us navigate. Greg Barnett sits down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share his experience navigating life as a gay man—in and out of the LDS Church. Greg was asked to give an LGBT themed talk in a sacrament meeting. He shares that talk in this episode, what he's learned along the way and what each of us can do to make the intersection of LDS Street and LGBTQ Avenue a friendlier place. Oh, and there are a few tears in this episode. You've been warned.

101: Jody Hansen | Suicide Prevention and Education, November 2015 Policy Update

Fri, 05 Apr 2019

Jody Hansen is a suicide prevention educator sharing the QPR program to wards, stakes, and community groups throughout the state of Utah and beyond. In this episode, the Latter Gay Stories Podcast sits down with Jody to discuss ways to better educate against suicide and what we can do to help prevent this epidemic from further reaching into our families. Additionally, in this episode we discuss the LDS Church's rescission of their controversial November 2015 Policy of Exclusion and the devastating impact it made to the LGBTQ community within Mormonism. To reach out to Jody regarding a QPR training or to learn more about her training opportunities email her: Hansen_home@comcast.net

100: Drew and Tyler Armstrong | Our Journey As A Trans Family

Wed, 03 Apr 2019

"All of you think I am weird, and I don't even know why. I don't even know why I feel this way, or why this is uncomfortable for me." - Tyler Armstrong At age three, Tyler knew he was different. His family knew he was different. Fourteen years later, Tyler and his dad sit down with Latter Gay Stories to share their journey as a trans family. Tyler talks about bathrooms, boys, church dresses, therapy, coming out, and bishop's interviews. Drew opens up about his experiences advocating for the LGBT community even before his then daughter—now son transitioned. He shares the difficult parts of religion and what we can do to better understand this topic. Tyler and Drew invite you to ask questions and create a conversation below! Together, they want to open a dialogue to better help each of us understand transgender topics.

099: Aaron and Marie Jones | A discussion about our gay daughter, the church, and love.

Sat, 23 Mar 2019

What happens when you hear the words, "mom and dad, I'm gay"? How do you react, what do you say, and what does the path forward look like? Aaron and Marie Jones, the parents of a lesbian daughter share a raw and candid discussion detailing their personal journey through sexuality and religion. He's a former bishop, she's an educator and wife in a rural, conservative, Utah community--factors that make any coming out experience difficult, at best. In this episode the Jones' discuss the progress they have made as they work to better understand the LGBT community, their own 'coming out' experience, and what Aaron and Marie want the LDS community to know about the power of loving people, unconditionally.

098: Kyle and Reece Jacobsen | Life, Dating, Marriage and Love

Wed, 13 Mar 2019

Kyle and Reece Jacobson join the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share their journey and story! The married couple share their experiences as growing up closeted, serving missions, exploring their sexuality, and coming out. Kyle discusses his experience with the Journey Into Manhood (JIM) reparative therapy program, he gives advice to young men and church leaders, what authenticity feels like and how he's found happiness. Reece shares stories about his mission, trying to find his place in life as a closeted teen, Prop 8—and swiping right on Tinder—an experience that would change his life forever. The Jacobsen's are married, they are the happy dads of a cute dog, and their life is likely as normal as yours. Catch the video version on the LatterGayStories website, Facebook page or YouTube channel for bonus video material! We add the video they made to recreate their first date and their eventual engagement!

96: 10-Minute QuickCast | Perspective

Thu, 28 Feb 2019

From time to time, I like to produce a quick 10 minute or so podcast that shares a few thoughts I have had during the week, or a lesson I picked up as I have interviewed guests who are featured on this podcast. The QuickCast is a great way to reflect on a message—even during a busy day or night. On this episode I reflect on a flight I took with my young son, 7 years ago. We both love to fly around in little airplanes. And on this flight we wanted to watch the sunset on Split Mountain, a rock face at Dinosaur National Monument in eastern Utah. As I reflected on this seven-year old memory, I started thinking about how much perspectives change our lives.

Enjoy!

095: Kelsey and Mekael | Coming out, divorcing and finding happiness together.

Tue, 26 Feb 2019

In this touching and inspiring episode of Latter Gay Stories, Kelsey Jones and Mekael Simmons share their journey as lesbian women. Both were married to men, came out to their husbands and followed their intuition forward into a path of authenticity and honesty. Now partnered, they share their candid story, their love, and their advice to others who are in a place similar to where they began.

094: Paul and Susie Augenstein | Our Journey Into LGBTQ+ Allyship

Wed, 20 Feb 2019

In January of 2018, Paul Augenstein, bishop of a Riverton Utah LDS ward, and his wife, Susie opened their chapel doors one Sunday to welcome a message of hope, inclusion and love. Their 5th Sunday LGBT Conference set into motion a movement that has created better understanding and love between the LDS and LGBT communities. In this podcast episode we discuss what compelled the Augensteins to reach into the LGBT community, their call to meet with LDS Church leaders in Salt Lake City, what the Augensteins are continuing to do within the LGBT community, and ideas to help you create a program similar to what they have created.

093: The introduction of Latter Gay Stories | Season 8

Wed, 13 Feb 2019

Welcome to season 8 of the Latter Gay Stories podcast, formerly the Gay Mormon Stories podcast! In this episode we welcome our new host, Kyle Ashworth and get a glimpse into his personal life, what to expect in season 8 of the podcast, and more!

Latter Gay Stories

Great mic for podcasters

189: Laurie Lee Hall | Dictates of Conscience

188: Chosen Path: A Memoir by D. Michael Quinn

187: Carmina and Sabrina | Sister Missionaries Fall In Love

186: Dan and Sara Fisk | Being Prepared for Allyship

185: Jacob Lambert | I Came Out by Inviting People In

184: Cameron Call | Breaking Out of Mormon Expectation

183: Richard and Josh | A Love Story

182: Josh Castro-Mitchell | From the Philippines to Utah: Finding My Happiness

181: Richard Mitchell | When A Mormon Bishop Comes Out

180: Brad Talbot | I Colored The BYU Campus in Rainbow

179: Flo Montierth | My Husband is Gay, Now What?

178: Joel J | I Tried to Do Everything Right

177: Colby Majors | "Now Thank Him and Let Him Go"

176: Lacey Bagley | Bisexual, Married, Polyamorous and Thriving

175: Jake Shepherd | I Was Unprepared to Come Out

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174: Nate Gardner | Mission, BYU & (gay) Marriage

173: A Gay Mormon Rescue? Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird: Panel Analysis

172: Brayden Singley | A Journey of Finding Myself

171: David Doyle | @NerdyGayMormon

170: The Naked Pastor | David Hayward

169: Carol Lynn Pearson | Loving My Gay Husband To Eternity

168: Laurie Lee Hall | From Temples to Transformation

167: Weston Smith | Gay Mormon Missionary: Survivor

166: Evan Smith | From Stake Presidency to LGBTQ+ Ally and Beyond

165: Paul Bird | Finding My Balance As a Gay Mormon

164: Josh Morris | An Honest Conversation About Being Gay

163: Melinda Hannah | Painting The Faces of Love

162: Colter Wild | Finding My Inner Peace

161: sExcommunication: The Mormon LGBTQ+ Dilemma

160: The Black Menaces | Televising the Mormon Revolution

Great mic for podcasters

159: Kris and Kay Packer | Loving, Learning, and Living

158: Kris Packer | From Wife to Husband: A Story of My Journey

157: Kay Packer | My Lesbian Mormon Love Story

156: Ashley Ryan | My Story of Transition and Hope

155: Kray Casper| BYU Changed My Life: My Gay Coming Out

154: BYU ADMINS to BYU HEALTH CLINIC: Terminate Health Services to Transgender Patients

153: Duane Jennings | Balancing Science and Spirituality

152: Page Petrucka | Happiness Exists In Authenticity

151: Cole and Kent | Our Real-Life Gay Mormon Love Story

150: Mormon Parents of a Gay Child: When Dogma Collides with Ignorance

149: James Kent | Aloha to Authenticity and Love

148: Tommy Francesco | The Kiss That Kicked Me Out of BYU

147: Brandon Spevak | Rearranging Everything That Was Comfortable in My Life

146: Tate and Kara: Mixed Orientation Marriage

145: Cole Rasmussen | Reconciling My Faith By Accepting My Sexuality

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143: Love: From Our Perspective | Fathers of Gay Sons

142: Kent Carollo | Fulfilling The Measure of My Creation

141: Natasha Helfer | A Special Episode Interviewing Kyle

140: Tanner Jones | Life After Coming Out, Divorce and Leaving Mormonism

139: Our Gay Kids: A Mother's Perspective

138: Jessyca and Savana | From MormonAndGay to our Wedding Day

137: Craig Call | My Grandpa was an Apostle: This is My Story

136: Miles and Jim | Giving Ourselves the Permission to Thrive

135: Jennifer and Shaunie | Stepping Across Lines To Embrace Our Happiness

134: David Staker and Rob Schopke: Finding Ourselves and Finding Each Other

133: Tiana Matson | How Coming Out to my Mission President Changed My Life

132: Bernie Jessop | From Mormonism to Polygamy: How A Gay Man Found His Path

131: Laura Root | My Story of Happiness and Joy

130: Tyler Lefevor | Four Option Survey: LGBTQ/LDS Research

129: Keindrick Willis | My Personal, Mental and Spiritual Tug-of-War

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128: Debi and Aimee | Breaking Down The Barriers

127: Kyle Ashworth and Justin Utley | LifePlus Logan, Utah Event

126: Skyler Wixom | My Faith. My Sexuality. My Path Forward.

125: Sunny and Joe Smart | Our Story of Family and Marriage

Daniel Spencer | Millions Know My Social Media Humor But Few Knew Me

123: Chris Richards | What Life Taught Me About Authenticity

122: Judith Mehr | I painted some of Mormonism's most iconic art—and I was closeted.

121: Yaeger Chivers | Coming Out, conversion therapy and finding my way forward.

120: Justin Utley | Coming out, conversion therapy, and using music to advocate

119: Brock Messinger | Raw. Candid. And a little messy.

118: Picnic In The Park | Latter Gay Stories, Let's Love Better & Peculiar

117: A. Todd Jones | Navigating My Marriage, Coming Out, And Helping Others

116: Valerie Green | Finding My Identity and the Path of Authenticity and Happiness

115: Bryce Cook | Understanding the History: Homosexuality and the LDS Church