There isn’t a manual or Sunday school lesson that teaches us how to prepare for our child’s coming out experience. For parents (especially Mormon ones,) you often feel wholly unprepared for the news. For many Latter-day Saints, we aren’t trying to understand this topic because we are convinced it isn’t relevant to us—because something like this doesn’t happen to families like ours. Right? In this powerfully candid and honest episode, Glen and Sandee Traasdahl share their mistakes, their successes, and the beautiful experiences they’ve learned as they navigate their son’s coming out experience. ** This episode is a must watch for all parents. ** The Traasdahls discuss: Their son’s coming out experience. Visiting with their bishop and stake leaders. Navigating their own faith and understanding. Wading through feelings of loneliness and fear. Searching for helpful resources. Suicidal ideation and depression. Love and acceptance. Joy. #LatterGayStories #Learning #ParentsofGayKids #LGBTQ

Latter Gay Stories

150: Mormon Parents of a Gay Child: When Dogma Collides with Ignorance

In this special outdoor episode, we sit down with James Kent in the beautiful Iao Valley on the island of Maui, Hawaii. James shares a stunning history of Hawai'i including the native Hawai'ian’s respect to the topics of sexual orientation (aikāne) and gender identity (māhū). James also shares a tender story of his own journey. His is a message of coming out, marrying a woman, joining Affirmation, watching his friends succumb to the AIDS epidemic, and how he has found aloha in his journey. Aloha ia O'Koa Pa'ulo #LatterGayStories #Aloha #Hawaii #Mormon #Aikane #Mahu

149: James Kent | Aloha to Authenticity and Love

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

148: Tommy Francesco | The Kiss That Kicked Me Out of BYU

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. #LatterGayStories #ComingOut #VeryMormon #Authenticity #Married

147: Brandon Spevak | Rearranging Everything That Was Comfortable in My Life

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 #ChurchofJesusChristofLatterDaySaints #Marriage #Love

146: Tate and Kara: Mixed Orientation Marriage

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  

145: Cole Rasmussen | Reconciling My Faith By Accepting My Sexuality

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 experience raising sons who identify as gay. They talk about the coming out process, where they made mistakes, what they learned, 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

143: Fathers Know Best? | What We Learned When Our Sons Came Out

“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   

142: Kent Carollo | Fulfilling The Measure of My Creation

 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 

141: Natasha Helfer | A Special Episode Interviewing Kyle

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 

140: Tanner Jones | Life After Coming Out, Divorce and Leaving Mormonism

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 beacon of hope and growth. Liisa Frei shares her nearly two decade journey supporting her gay son. She shares the many resources available to parents today and reassures the community that our queer youth are vital to the health of our communities.

139: Our Gay Kids: A Mother's Perspective

 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 channels.  

138: Jessyca and Savana | From MormonAndGay to our Wedding Day

 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  

137: Craig Call | My Grandpa was an Apostle: This is My Story

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

136: Miles and Jim | Giving Ourselves the Permission to Thrive

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  

135: Jennifer and Shaunie | Stepping Across Lines To Embrace Our Happiness

You're at the intersection of sexuality and reality--this is Latter Gay Stories! A podcast and resource blog featuring real people, real stories, and real talk! We discuss life inside and outside of the closet, coming out, and families, religion, dating, and best of all--living your best and most authentic self.

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Latter Gay Stories

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