Of course we’ve all heard the phrase “The grass is always greener on the other side”, right?
Well, not so much when it comes to the Mormons and the gays.
When I was Mormon, I thought a lot about the gays. To me, their lawn looked plastic and glittery and colorful, but underneath, it was dead and decaying.
Then, when I came out and started meeting gay former Mormons (or less active, or ex, or whatever) and non-Mormons, I realized that many of them had the same kind of vision that I did towards the Mormon church. They are nice and pretty and well put together, but underneath it, it’s a cult that belittles anyone that isn’t a straight white male.
I’ve been on both sides of the fence and have real life experience. I’m a returned missionary that was on the fast track to becoming a seminary teacher. And then I came out and my whole life changed. I tried to keep the Mormon and the gay parts of my life separate, but together, and it was tearing me apart. After a lot of thinking and praying, I made the decision to pursue the gay life style… whatever that means. I had a lot of great learning experiences, some positive and some, well…. downright shitty.
And here I am today. Although I no longer identify as Mormon, I still love my family and friends that do. I embrace what I learned as a member of the church. There is still so much of it in my heart, mind, and blood. I live with my same-sex partner and our terrible, smelly basset hound in Oregon, and I work to support LGBTQ youth.
I’m now in a position in which I can help others build understanding between two communities that, in many ways, are polar opposites. And while they may never see eye to eye, I think both communities can learn a lot from each other.
Click on a link to learn more about the Author, the timeline of his life, Gay Terminology, or Mormon Terminology.
The Latter Gay Saint 