Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Mormon Therapist

Home
Latter-day Saint
Health, Fitness and Religion
Protecting LGBT+ Members

Protecting LGBT+ Members

Last updated on: May 24, 2020 at 3:01 pm by Natasha Helfer

Protecting LGBT+ Members 2020-05-24T15:01:25-05:00 Natasha Helfer

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Tireless work by this papa dragon.

Today’s guest post is written by Thomas Montgomery. Opinions shared on guest posts may not completely reflect the positions of the blog’s author.

Thomas Montgomery is a father of a gay son who has done much work within the LDS church to bring awareness to issues facing LGBT+ members. His family was featured in the documentary Families are Forever, part of the work of the Family Acceptance Project.

Meridian Magazine has once again published an article protecting the LDS Church in any/every way possible regarding harm the LDS Church causes its own LGBTQ youth and adult members. The article meanders through many arguments without actually presenting anything new and attempting to put out many fires.

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/is-latter-day-saint-theolog…/…

It challenges John Dehlin‘s study saying that “most studies” say something else – except for the fact that there are no “other studies” that either contradict or challenge John’s study. John’s study is published and peer-reviewed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MxCXjfAunk

It ignores that John’s study is fully consistent with Brian Simmons‘s study on PTSD
among LDS-LGBTQ Mormons. Brian’s study is published and peer-reviewed.

https://athenaeum.libs.uga.edu/handle/10724/38227

It ignores that John’s study is fully consistent with the Family Acceptance Project’s research on the harm of rejection from orthodox religiosity. The Family Acceptance Project is published and peer-reviewed.

https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/

It ignores the spike of suicides from 2008- in Utah while saying Utah is comparable to other states in the region. Except for the past twelve years…..years in which the LDS Church’s political activism against LGBTQ people also spiked. From Prop 8 in California onward, the LDS Church has been actively, politically hostile to LGBTQ people. The only notable exception is the Utah work and housing bill extending rights to LGBTQ persons (with the notable exemption of the LDS Church to the rights outlined in the bill.) To think that this doesn’t seep into the minds of LDS members is significantly naive – even if they were not homophobic to begin with.

https://rationalfaiths.com/utahs-escalating-suicide-crisis…/

Saying that suicide is complex and multi-faceted, which is true, does not remove the demonstrable fact that several of those facets are (1) exclusively heterosexual/patriarchal theology, (2) Mormon anti-LGBTQ culture, (3) homophobic members and leaders, (4) continuous political activism against LGBTQ people, and (5) extensive history of harmful rhetoric and actions from LDS Church leaders.

For active members, ignorance is a shield, and articles (like this one) are taken as fact in the vacuum of that ignorance. In order to maintain this ignorance, no mention can be made of Greg Prince‘s comprehensive book “Gay Rights and the Mormon Church: Intended Actions, Unintended Consequences.” You can’t read this book and remain ignorant. Its final chapter is about the current suicide epidemic in Utah.

https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Rights-Mormon-Chur…/…/ref=sr_1_1…

To all this, I would add my own writing on the subject. Eight years immersed in the pain and harm the LDS Church causes its LGBTQ members and through its political activism, the LGBTQ community at large.

What Can’t Be Said (November 2018) –

http://www.nomorestrangers.org/what-cant-be-said/

The Safe Way (September 2018) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/the-safe-way/

Sacred Spaces (October 2017) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/sacred-spaces/

Grace (July 2017) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/grace/

Rejection and the Family (March 2017) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/rejection-and-the-family/

Anger (November 2016) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/anger/

A Tale of Two Weddings (September 2016) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/a-tale-of-two-weddings/

Clarity (July 2016) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/clarity/

Emotional Distance (May 2016) – http://www.nomorestrangers.org/emotional-distance/

The Scarlet Letter: Apostasy (December 2015) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/the-scarlet-letter-apos…/

Sadness (October 2015) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/sadness/

Trust (August 2015) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/trust/

Seeing Through My Tears (January 2015) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/seeing-through-my-tears/

Doctrine of Celibacy (October 2014) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/the-doctrine-of-celibacy/

What Words Can’t Define (August 2014) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/what-words-cant-define/

A Difference of Opinion (June 2014) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/a-difference-of-opinion/

Shame and Affirmation (June 2014) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/shame-and-affirmation/

Cool Tolerance (March 2013) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/cool-tolerance/

It’s Complex (August 2013) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/its-complex/

Christmas Cards (January 2014) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/christmas-cards/

What the Heck is Traditional Marriage? (July 2013) –http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/what-the-heck-is-tradit…/

Defending Marriage (May 2013) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/defending-marriage/

Why Does the Lord Allow His Covenant People to Err? (April 2013) –http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/why-does-the-lord-allow…/

The Catalyst (January 2013) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/the-catalyst/

The Victoria Theater (June 2013) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/the-victoria-theater/

Of Pain and the Journey (September 2013) – http://nomorestranger.wpengine.com/of-pain-and-the-journey/

I See the Image of Christ in My Gay Son, Lord (August 2012) –http://mitchmayne.blogspot.com/…/a-fathers-poem-to-his-gay-…

It is odd that the author of the Meridian article cites his own study, but doesn’t source his study. The LDS Church’s theology and culture harm LGBTQ youth and members. It may not harm every LDS/LGBTQ member, but it harms enough of them to be demonstrable. I think I have provided ample sources.

Natasha Helfer Parker, LCMFT, CST, CSTS can be reached at natashaparker.org and runs an online practice, Symmetry Solutions, which focuses on helping families and individuals with faith concerns, sexuality and mental health. She hosts the Mormon Mental Health and Mormon Sex InfoPodcasts, is the current past president of the Mormon Mental Health Association and runs a sex education program, Sex Talk with Natasha. She has over 20 years of experience working with primarily an LDS/Mormon clientele.

Emotional Abuse

Faith Crisis/Faith Transition

Previous Post

April 17, 2020

Symmetry Solutions Strategies

Next Post

May 24, 2020 Symmetry Solutions Strategies

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abuse Addiction Adolescents Anger Anxiety BDSM Bipolar Disorder Body Image Boundaries Children Circumcision Civil Rights Consent COVID19-Coronavirus Death Depression Divorce Domestic Violence Emotional Abuse Erectile Dysfunction Faith Crisis/Faith Transition Gender Identity Gender Roles Gospel Teachings Grief Homosexuality Infidelity LGBTQ LGBTQ+ Male Issues Marriage Masturbation Menopause Mental Health Mindfulness Miscarriage Missions Mixed-Faith Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Parenting Perfectionism Physical Abuse Physical Health Pornography Premature Ejaculation PTSD Race Relations Relationships Rest Righteousness Self Care Self Injury Self-Esteem Sexual Abuse Sexual Disorders Sexual Education Sexuality Single Adults Social Media Spirituality Suicide Survey Temple Issues Transgender Health Trauma Uncategorized Violence Women's Issues Word of Wisdom

Select a Month September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 December 2018 November 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 July 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 February 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many people did Jesus feed with five loaves and two fish?

Select your answer to see how you score.

About 5000 men About 7000 About 100 About 12