Your Are Currently Browsing: Straight Stories
KARYN
KaRyn is a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and loves the gospel, the Book of Mormon, and the Prophet Joseph Smith. She also loves her gay friends. KaRyn’s commitment to the LDS Church and her support of the LGBT community sometimes feel at odds, …
- Join the conversation. 3
LAURIE
In part three of her interview, Laurie goes in depth about the pain she faced as the pull between a romantic relationship and her testimony intensified. On the one hand, the woman she loved wanted to settle down, buy a home, and create a life together. On the other hand, Laurie’s …
- Join the conversation. 2
TY & DANIELLE
In part 1 of their interview, proud parents of two children, Ty and Danielle Mansfield married in 2010 and currently live in Provo, Utah, where Ty is studying to become a marriage and family therapist. In 2004, Ty coauthored In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction and later in 2011, compiled the anthology Voices of Hope: …
- Join the conversation. 12
TY & DANIELLE
In part 2 of their interview, proud parents of two children, Ty and Danielle married in 2010 and currently live in Provo, Utah, where Ty is studying to become a marriage and family therapist. In 2004, Ty coauthored In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction and later in 2011, compiled the anthology Voices of Hope: Latter-day …
- Join the conversation. 3
ANDREA
Growing up, Andrea was her younger brother’s biggest advocate. Watching her brother come to terms with his homosexuality and learning to openly express his feelings prepared Andrea to better support her son during his coming out process years later. Although Andrea struggled with her son’s homosexuality at first, she invested …
- Join the conversation. 9
TY & DANIELLE
In part three of their interview, proud parents of two children, Ty and Danielle married in 2010 and currently live in Provo, Utah, where Ty is studying to become a marriage and family therapist. In 2004, Ty coauthored In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction and later in 2011, compiled the anthology Voices of Hope: Latter-day …
- Join the conversation. 2
JOSH & LOLLY
In part 4 of their interview, Josh and Lolly have been married since 2002 and are the parents of three daughters. Josh recently came out to the world as a Mormon homosexual married to a woman in the blog post that went viral, “Club Unicorn: In which I come out of …
- Join the conversation. 2
MANDI & MIKEAL
In the second part of their 2-part interview, sixteen years into their marriage, Mikeal and Mandi Jensen have a keen awareness of what exactly it means to be in a “mixed-orientation marriage” and they do not hold back in sharing how they feel about it. When they first married, though …
- Join the conversation. 16
JOSH & LOLLY
In part 2 of their interview, Josh and Lolly Weed have been married since 2002 and are the parents of three daughters. Josh recently came out to the world as a Mormon homosexual married to a woman in the blog post that went viral, “Club Unicorn: In which I come out …
- Join the conversation. 1
JOSH & LOLLY
In part 1 of their interview, Josh and Lolly Weed have been married since 2002 and are the parents of three daughters. Josh recently came out to the world as a Mormon homosexual married to a woman in the blog post that went viral, “Club Unicorn: In which I come …
- Join the conversation. 4
MANDI & MIKEAL
(part 1 of 2 ) Sixteen years into their marriage, Mikeal and Mandi Jensen have a keen awareness of what exactly it means to be in a “mixed-orientation marriage” and they do not hold back in sharing how they feel about it. When they first married, though they were both …
- Join the conversation. 17
BOB
In part 3 of his interview, Dr. Bob Rees, a former bishop, shares the experiences that helped him to better tend to the gay and lesbian members of his congregation. In this part Bob talks about the difficulty found in embracing the spiritual and emotional tensions that come from confronting …
- Join the conversation. 1
JOANNA
(part 5 of 5) Joanna Brooks, Ph.D, is a national voice on Mormon life and politics and an award-winning scholar of religion and American culture and the author of The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith. In part 5, Joanna refutes the misconception that homosexuality is one stop on …
- Join the conversation. 0
JOANNA
(part 4 of 5) Joanna Brooks, Ph.D, is a national voice on Mormon life and politics and an award-winning scholar of religion and American culture and the author of The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith. In part 4, Joanna acknowledges the homophobia within Mormon culture and suggests …
- Join the conversation. 0
RICH
(part 5 of 5) In part 5 of his interview, Rich Wyler, life-coach and founder of the non-profit People Can Change and “Journey Into Manhood”, explains that his philosophy isn’t about force and expresses gratitude for what he has learned from his experience with same-sex attraction. When coaching a young LDS …
- Join the conversation. 4
JOANNA
(part 3 of 5) Joanna Brooks, Ph.D, is a national voice on Mormon life and politics and an award-winning scholar of religion and American culture and the author of The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith. In this part Joanna shares her hope for the future and confidence in …
- Join the conversation. 0
RICH
In part 4 of his interview, Rich Wyler, life-coach and founder of the non-profit People Can Change and “Journey Into Manhood”, describes his motivations for establishing those organizations and explains his purpose and vision behind them. Through his confession, excommunication, and restoration of church membership and temple blessings, Rich found some …
- Join the conversation. 1
RICH
In part 3 of his interview, Rich Wyler, life coach and founder of People Can Change, expounds his perspective on the origins and expression of his same-sex attraction and the experience of finding that perspective. While Rich describes his father as kind, he also believes a fear of touch may …
- Join the conversation. 2
JOANNA
(part 2 of 5) Joanna Brooks, Ph.D, is a national voice on Mormon life and politics and an award-winning scholar of religion and American culture and the author of The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith. In Part Two, Joanna and Kendall explore Mormon Identity–what happens when one is …
- Join the conversation. 0
JOANNA
In the first part of her interview, Joanna Brooks, Ph.D, a national voice on Mormon life and politics and award-winning scholar of religion and American literature and culture, talks about growing up as a zealous and devoted Mormon who considered the church her spiritual home. As a student at BYU Joanna was …
- Join the conversation. 5
RICH
(part 2 of 5) In part 2 of his interview, Rich Wyler, life coach and founder of People Can Change, describes how he finally found meaningful help with his sexual-religious conflict. Married, with children, he’d been to 12-step programs for sexual addiction, but he hadn’t found sustainable resolution for his …
- Join the conversation. 1
SHIRLEY
Shirley grew up in a home with little religion. Throughout her life though, she has had the opportunity to study or be a part of several different religions, including Christian Science, Methodist, Catholic, and Episcopalian. She eventually came into contacted with missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, and …
- Join the conversation. 0
RICH
(part 1 of 5) Rich Wyler is a life-coach and founder of the non-profit People Can Change, which is best known for “Journey Into Manhood”, a 48-hour experiential weekend for men who want to resolve unwanted homosexual attractions. Having once considered himself to be homosexual or of a “same sex …
- Join the conversation. 3
BOB
(part 2 of 5) Bob Rees, a former bishop, explains the experiences that helped him to better tend to the gay and lesbian members of his congregation. He articulates where the difficulties can lie for many members of the church, including parents, in truly welcoming their homosexual brothers and sisters. …
- Join the conversation. 1