Showing posts with label gay Mormons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gay Mormons. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 02, 2023

Latter Gay Stories: Miles and Jim | Giving Ourselves the Permission to Thrive | Reupload

Sep 4, 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.


Sunday, April 30, 2023

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

Oct 4, 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 here.


Wednesday, November 16, 2022

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

Premiered Nov 10, 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. SPOILER ALERT…you will also get to watch their wedding video at the end of this episode! 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 a candid and real-life love story.

Monday, November 07, 2022

Kyle and Reece | Life, Dating, Marriage and Our Love!

Kyle and Reece Jacobsen join the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share their journey and stories! The married couple share their experiences growing up closeted, serving missions, exploring their sexuality, and life after coming out.

Kyle discusses his experience with the Journey into Manhood 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, dating—and swiping right on Tinder—an experience that would change his life forever.

The Jacobsens are married, they are the happy dads of a cute dog, and their life is likely as normal as yours.



A note to my visitors and followers: I should like to inform you all that I have no connection with the Mormon Church. Because I frequently put videos up about gay ex-Mormons, you might think that I do, or have been associated with the Church at some time in my life. I do not and have not; I have never been associated with the Church. I was, and I suppose technically I still am, a member of the Anglican Church. (For me, living in Wales, the Church in Wales.) Though I must admit that I rarely attend church these days, despite being a choirboy and a stalwart attendee and communicant earlier in my life. I even used to read lessons from the lectern in church from time to time. Imagine that!

I often put up these Mormon videos up because Kyle, the host of the shows, does such a great job of interviewing his guests. Moreover, I find so many of his episodes truly fascinating. I hope and trust that you do too. It’s an excellent series. – Mark

Saturday, November 05, 2022

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

Oct 4, 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 clicking here.


Friday, November 04, 2022

Bernie Jessop | From Mormon to Polygamist: How a Gay Man Found His Path | Reupload

Apr 30, 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.

Friday, February 04, 2022

Judith Mehr : I Painted Some of Mormonism’s Most Iconic Art—and I Was Closeted

Oct 24, 2019 • Judith Mehr is arguably one of the most well-known artists 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.


Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Miles and Jim | Giving Ourselves the Permission to Thrive

Sep 4, 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.


Recently, I stumbled upon this great series on gays in the Mormon Church. I have already posted a few of these episodes here on this blog for you. I have posted them not because I have any connection to the Mormon Church; I don’t. But the quality of these discussions is excellent and commendable. These are also quality people: sincere, good-living people who simply have come to terms with same-sex attraction.

Further, there is much to be learnt from these discussions, there is much that crosses religious divides. I find that the people that are interviewed are very fascinating and very much to be respected. They are sincere people who have had great difficulty coming to terms with their sexuality. I therefore hope that you enjoy these discussions every bit as as much as I do. Please remember that this blog is open to people of all faiths and none. Hopefully, you will enjoy this discussion as much as I have. – © Mark

Monday, December 20, 2021

Bernie Jessop | From Mormon to Polygamist: How A Gay Man Found His Path

Apr 30, 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.

Friday, November 05, 2021

Ryan Oldroyd | I'm From Glenwood, UT | - True Gay Stories

March 16, 2011 • A young Mormon is ex-communicated then outed to his parents after he comes out to his Mission President.


This video clip is from 2011, but has much changed for gay Mormons since then when it comes to acceptance? – Mark