Latter Gay Stories

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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