Parallel to the LDS Church’s shifting position regarding homosexuality, there have been new crops of faithful gay public figures who are held up by the church as role models on how to be a faithful gay member of the church. As the LDS Church has softened its stances and opened the window for “righteous celibacy,” gay public figures in mixed-orientation marriages have lost popularity and a more nuanced breed of celibate role models has emerged E.g. Charlie Bird and Ben Schilatty.
In this episode we discuss how these public figures enable the perpetuation of harmful church rhetoric and spiritual trauma towards the LGBTQ community, and explore some possible solutions that could help ignite positive change in the church.
Show notes:
- Mormon Stories’ interview with Gerardo Sumano
- Mormon Stories’ interview with Kyle Ashworth
- Tyler’s review of “Without the Mask”
- “Without the Mask: Coming Out and into God’s Light” by Charlie Bird
- “Coming Out Mormon: An Examination of Religious Orientation, Spiritual Trauma, and PTSD Among Mormon and Ex-Mormon LGBTQQA Adults” by Brian William Simmons
- “Navigating Sexual and Religious Identity Conflict: A Mormon Perspective” by John Dehlin
- “Believer” – HBO documentary
- “Psychosocial Correlates of Religious Approaches to Same-Sex Attraction: A Mormon Perspective” by John Dehlin
- “Sexual Orientation Change Efforts, Identity Conflict, and Psychosocial Health Amongst Same-Sex Attracted Mormons” By John Dehlin
- “Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Gender in Modern Mormonism” by Taylor G. Petrey
- “Gay Rights and the Mormon Church: Intended Actions, Unintended Consequences” by Gregory Prince
- “The Aftermath of Prop 22” by Alan Hansen and Nadine R. Hansen (Sunstone Magazine; January 2001)
- Netflix documentary “Pray Away”
- Voices of Hope
- Court testimony about nude cuddling and abusive practices during conversion therapy
- “A Walk in My Shoes: Questions I’m Often Asked as a Gay Latter-day Saint” by Ben Schilaty
- Questions From the Closet podcast, hosted by Charlie Bird and Ben Schilaty
- “A Chronology of LGBTQ+ Messaging” Latter Gay Stories podcast, hosted by Kyle Ashworth
- Mormon Stories’ interview with Matt Easton
- “Sexual Orientation Change Efforts Among Current or Former LDS Church Members” by John Dehlin
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I love the podcast, can’t get enough of it. One (hopefully) constructive criticism that I’d like to give: show notes often do not include items John specifically says will be included in the show notes. As someone who listens while driving, I get excited when it’s stated links will be in the show notes and then I am often disappointed to find them missing. This episode in particular would have benefitted from show notes including the books referenced. The books that were not recommended to be read were all listed, but the other half were not listed and finding that slide in the video presentation would be difficult without knowing the time stamp. Again, love the podcast and hope this is a helpful note.
Same here exactly. I am a donor and love the podcast as well, but this happened in a recent episode I watched. It was mentioned that something in particular would be in the show notes and I was planning on following up on it, but it ended up not being there. Unfortunately I don’t remember which episode, I just remember it was one of the more recent ones.
Tyler Perry and Gerardo bring such intelligent non-confrontational perspectives to the show. I hope you have them on more often.
I was in Bishoprics in Europe, married with wonderful kids, but I always knew I was Gay. The church forced me into a pretty loveless marriage when I was 22. My wife and her supposedly devout Mormon Bishop father had sexually abused her and a sister too, so our temple marriage was destined for problems, two of us thrown into a relationship, full of unresolved damaged baggage. I know the church hurt my former wife more than me, she was a lovely kind woman, dying tragically too young. I feel so sad, how it all went wrong, but blessed with loving mature kids and grandkids now, so now I´m living an exiting new life now, in a different country. Thank you Mormon Stories for your amazing uplifting interviews and support. (I hope I can send a donation through my European bank: I´m not brilliant in my old age doing on-line transactions!?
Wouldn’t it be a better conversation to talk to Ben and Charlie directly, instead of criticizing and making assumptions? This just seems like a bitter gossip circle.