Will this summer be remembered as a tipping point in the struggle for gay rights? In June, polls showed that for the first time a majority of voters in two American states -- Maryland and Washington -- are poised to hand same-sex marriage its first victories by popular referenda. Also this summer, LGBT pride parades in 10 American cities are witnessing the arrival of an unlikely new contingent of gay allies: Mormons.
So, I will put on my Sunday dress, tie on my walking shoes, take my daughters by the hand and head for San Diego's LGBT pride parade, the final event of the summer gay pride schedule. Together, we will walk with other believing Mormons behind a banner that reads "Mormons for Marriage Equality."
Many LGBT people resent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' prominent role in California's 2008 Proposition 8 campaign, which eliminated civil marriage rights for same-sex couples. Given the bitter legacy of Proposition 8, no one imagines that this summer's LDS LGBT Pride parade delegations will create change overnight. It will take hard work and deep searching among Mormons to end suicide among gay LDS youth, and reconcile our faith's unique teachings about the theological importance of heterosexual marriage with the Christian commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.
But that work is beginning to happen. On June 3, about 400 members of the LDS Church marched in Salt Lake City's LGBT Pride Parade as "Mormons Building Bridges." Their message was a simple expression of love for LGBT friends, relatives and neighbors. Simple but powerful given the LDS Church's prominent role in national opposition to same-sex marriage, and it has sparked an important conversation about empathy and understanding among Mormons across the country. I hope that conversation will grow.
Throughout the month of June, additional contingents of church-dressed Mormons walked in Pride Parades in Boise, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Washington, D.C, San Francisco and New York City, bearing signs that read "God loves all His children;" "I support marriage equality ... and I'm a Mormon;" "Gay kids grow up Mormon; I'm here to keep them safe."
Skeptics have incorrectly characterized this effort as an election-year gambit to promote presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who is Mormon and opposes same-sex marriage. In truth, this has been a grassroots movement led by faithful Mormons concerned about deep wounds over gay issues within LDS communities and the LGBT community at large.
Some gay Mormons have been rejected by their families and many have left the LDS Church, which teaches that homosexual behavior is sinful. Rejection has left a powerful need for reconciliation in our deeply felt faith tradition. In Washington, D.C., where about 75 Mormons marched behind a "Mormons for Marriage Equality" banner, a gay man attending the parade rushed from the sidelines toward the marchers. "Mormons are here?" he cried in astonishment, weeping. "I'm Mormon too!"
There are also feelings of anger. In Minneapolis, where about 35 Mormons marched as "Mormon Allies," an older gay man approached the delegation and explained that he had once been a member of the LDS Church. "I was excommunicated three days after my lover died," he said. "I love you people. But get out."
Mormons who support LGBT civil equality know that even as the rest of the nation begins to accept same-sex marriage our community has a long road ahead. But we take strength in a faith that has not been deterred by hard work or long journeys. Perhaps this summer will be remembered as the moment Mormons showed up, in the words of an LDS pioneer hymn, to put our shoulders to the wheel.
Joanna Brooks covers Mormonism, faith, and politics for ReligionDispatches.org and is the author of 'The Book of Mormon Girl: A Memoir of an American Faith' (Free Press, August 2012).
Follow Joanna Brooks on Twitter: www.twitter.com/askmormongirl
Jane and Bob: Why -- And How -- We Accept Our Gay Son As Devout Mormon Parents
They would still distrust and hate her because she can't give them the happiness they want yet cannot find.
Now, about that hierarchy and that White Horse Prophecy and that Mitt of the Willard of the Marriott Romney .... when will #LDS confront THAT mess of Magic Stones Inna Hat?
When you allude to the "White Horse Prophecy" you decrease your credibility. The White Horse Prophecy may be part of Mormon folk-lore, but the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been warning members against it for over 90 years.
Even Wikipedia acknowledge its bogus nature: Again "in early 2010, the LDS Church issued a statement saying that "the so-called 'White Horse Prophecy' is based on accounts that have not been substantiated by historical research and is not embraced as Church doctrine." Also in 2010, LDS historian Don L. Penrod examined significant differences in two early handwritten accounts of the prophecy, noted some words and phrases which were not characteristic of Joseph Smith's speaking style or current in his time, and speculated that Rushton had "in his elderly years recorded some things that [Smith] actually said, mixing in words of his own creation"—commenting additionally that "memories of words and events, especially many years later, are often faulty."'
I find Wikipedia to generally be reliable, but I could give you other sources if you were really interested. Sorry to cloud your issue with facts. ;-) For more information see the Wikipedia article on the White Horse Prophecy for yourself.
By the way "THAT mess of Magic Stones Inna Hat" has been confronted, dealt with, and resolved by reasonable scholars several times. However, I sympathize that its such a nice inflammatory image that its hard to resist using it. ;-)
Where has this author and these other "sudden" glbt advocates in the Mormon Church been for the past decade? They've cowed into silence by their faith. Now it would appear someone has given them more latitude, I think for tactical reasons only.
This 3rd statement is a developing and generally improving situation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has always taught that we are all sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us and we are to follow the loving example and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, in dealing with each other. We try to live up to our doctrine, but acknowledge that we sometimes fall short.
21st century social developments and challenges have lead the Church leaders to clarify and emphasize how members should deal with LGBT individuals. That is: Same sex attraction of itself is not sinful and "We are to love one another. We are to treat each other with respect as brothers and sisters and fellow children of God, no matter how much we may differ from one another." For further details see the materials at "Official Statement: Same Sex Attraction" (at http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/official-statement/same-gender-attraction including "Additional Resources.") It is realistic to expect Mormons to continue to improve in being kind and civil, but never in viewing homosexuality as a virtue.
And the Mormon Church hasn't just spent a decade spending millions trying to limit the equal civil rights in this non theocracy of glbt people. Not the equal civil rights of other "unrepentant sinners" such as those who covet, take the lord's name in vain, fail to keep the sabbath. So it is not about "sin," it's about homophobia.
In my 39 year public career I dealt with many individuals who, to use your lis were covetous, took the lord's name in vain, or failed to keep the sabbath.
Comments on the pejorative term, homophobic -- which I presume literally means an unreasoned fear and loathing of homosexuals. As I previously said in statement number 3: "most Mormons are a bit unsure and conflicted in dealing with LGBT individuals." I went on to explain some of parameters of this unsureness. Being a bit unsure and/or conflicted is not the same as an unreasoned fear or loathing, so you have overreached in your label of homophobia.
In my 39 year public career I dealt with many individuals who, to use your list, were covetous, took the lord's name in vain, and/or failed to keep the sabbath. Such “sins” by those with whom I worked did not prevent me from caring about them, working effectively with them, and developing friendships. Like most people, Mormons deal with diverse individuals and practices without any fear and loathing.
Of course we disagree about defining marriage to include same-sex marriage. Disagreements are not unusual in a pluralistic society with freedom of expression and democratic institutions. Shouldn’t we, of all groups, be able to discuss our differences without name calling? There are comments about Professor Brooks’ article accusing her of faking her sincerity about LGBT rights. These criticisms are either born of ignorance of her previous writings and activities or an unreasoned fear and loathing of Mormons. True “Mormonophobia” is on a par with true homophobia.
By preface: Lincoln spoke of when you can fool people which is often modified to be about pleasing people. So, you can please most of the people some of the time, some of the people most of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. Finally, there are some you can never please.
1. Joanna Brooks and Mormons like her are sincere in their beliefs about LGBT rights. Their position is not a public relations ploy.
2. Most Mormons disagree with the extent to which Professor Brooks takes her view on "LGBT rights" and continue to hold that all sexual relations outside of marriage between a man and a woman are sinful. Thus, most Mormons will continue to oppose same-sex marriage when given the opportunity to do so. Most Mormons focus on responsibilities more than rights.
3. Currently most Mormons are a bit unsure and conflicted in dealing with LGBT individuals. Most Mormons do NOT disown or shun LGBT relatives and they try to deal with LGBT individuals in a kind and civil manner.
I appreciate your touching anecdote. Of course I don't see it as a war that justifies lies, vitriol, arrogance or abuse on either side. I was involved in the Prop 8 campaign and encouraged others to be more careful with the truth and to quell their angst several times.
I was sensitized to the need to be more careful because of an incident in the spring of 2000 during the related Prop 22 campaign (a previous initiative defining marriage as only between a man and a woman). We and several neighbors had put up Yes on 22 signs and one other neighbor had responded with a home-made No on 22 sign. Then it rained. The home-made No on 22 sign streaked and faded. My neighbor and I were laughing about its fate and my son walked away upset. When I asked him why, he said it was unfair and unkind to laugh at the misfortune of someone else and to mock their beliefs. He was absolutely correct.
Arrogance, jeering, mocking, belittling, lies, terror and attacks do damage to both sides in this debate. Given your experience, I am appreciative that you are only unsure and conflicted in dealing with Mormons rather "filled with fear and loathing." On both sides we need to avoid overreacting to the worst behavior of the other side and the tendency to attribute that worst behavior to all who do not totally agree with us.
It's not JUST LGBT people who were upset by the LDS church's involvement in Prop H8 (and Prop 22 in CA and Amendment 2 in HI before that) -- many straight people were bothered by the church's overt political dealings in this matter.
Also, I would posit that "MOST LDS families reject their gay kids" as opposed to the "some" listed in this article.
Finally, I am happy to see Mormons supporting equality, but until the old white men in SLC see fit to recognize my marriage as valid (even in a non-eternal, non-temple marriage, gentile sort of way) little will change.
That being said, as soon as 85% of the US population supports gay marriage, I'm sure God will send a memo to the prophet, opening wide the doors of acceptance. It happened in 1978, it'll happen again.
"If you are faithful, on resurrection morning—and maybe even before then—you will rise with normal attractions for the opposite sex."
I find this doctrine to have sublime brutality that only the most twisted and cruel minds could conceive. The idea that merely identifying yourself as gay is giving into the temptations of the devil is typical of the hateful language I read on this website such as the following on a father dealing with a gay son,
ELDER OAKS: I can also imagine some circumstances in which it might be possible to say, ‘Yes, come, but don’t expect to stay overnight. Don’t expect to be a lengthy house guest. Don’t expect us to take you out and introduce you to our friends, or to deal with you in a public situation that would imply our approval of your “partnership.”
If that’s not rejection; what is?
Keep pushing Ms. Brooks, because the LDS church as a horribly long way to go.
You Conservatives just crack me up!!!
"Nearly irrelevant" seems more accurate.
If indeed they are changing their attitudes, let them really prove it and change church policy towards LGBT in the Mormon Church. Put it into writing and Practice. Show the rest of us by real deed, and not just word and a few actions.
As clergy, I will forgive, but as a human being, I won't easily forget. And it will take even longer for me to trust the Mormon church again.
Why are all these Mormon dissidents getting away with what would have gotten them censured just ten months ago?
Of course I have no doubt that the LDS itself hasn't _genuinely_ changed its stance one bit.
The only ones you need to worry about forgiving are those who lashed out against their brothers and sisters with Prop 8, stripping them of their rights given by state, by law, and as far as I'm concerned, by god.
Pastor Megan may sound a bit bitter, a bit offended—she should be—we all should be. We should be furious, and furiously engaged in righting this wrong.