Latter Gay Stories

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

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

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 #ChurchofJesusChristofLatt

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  

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

“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   

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

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 

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 beaco

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 c

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 

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

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  

“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.

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.

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

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    

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

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. 

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.