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026: Mormon Transgender Experiences

Friday, 12 May 2017 / Published in Blog, Diversity, LGBT, Podcast

In this episode John and Margi interview four individuals who are transgender and either active LDS or former LDS.  Our panelists for this interview are Kimberly, Ann, Emmett, and Augustus.  We discuss:

  • What it was like growing up in the LDS Church
  • What effect bullying and life in the “closet” had on them
  • How the panelists see transgender people fitting (or not) into LDS Church doctrine
  • “Trans-erasure” in the Church where lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities receive more focus and attention; therefore, transgender issues are less understood
  • How they were treated when they attended church as their authentic selves
  • Things they would like the Church to address with their transgender members

We thank our panelists for sharing each of their unique stories and for bringing light to the Mormon transgender experience!

Notes:

022-025 Nicki and Lance Miles’ Epic Mormon Transition and their Meeting with Elder Marlin K. Jensen

Monday, 24 April 2017 / Published in Blog, Healing, Marriage, Raising Children

As part of our series on meetings with Mormon General Authorities, we interview Lance and Nicki Miles. Lance and Nicki’s story four-part story has so many compelling (and epic!) components, including:

  • The death of Nicki’s dad at 13 years old, bonding her to the church.
  • Sexual shame in the teenage years and into their missions.
  • Lance’s father (a Mormon bishop) coming out as gay and being ostracized from the family.
  • Lance and Nicki’s own faith transition.
  • Lance and Nicki’s private meeting with Elder Marlin K. Jensen, former LDS Church Historian.
  • Nicki and Lance’s feminist awakening.
  • Re-defining their marriage and lives post-transition.

The interview is divided into the following parts:

Part 1: Mormon upbringing, how they met, and how their individual mission experiences intertwined

Part 2: A serious discussion about Lance’s father who comes out as gay and the impact it had on the Miles family.  Nicki and Lance share how their feelings towards their father evolved in a more positive direction as time progressed.

Part 3: The meeting Nicki and Lance had with Marlin K. Jensen, former historian for the LDS Church.  They detail the questions asked of the historian, and the impact his answers had on them.

Part 4: Nicki’s feminist awakening and the impact it had on Lance’s view of their marriage.  Transitioning out of the LDS Church led the couple to take a serious look at the foundation of their marriage and their approach to raising their children.

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018 – 021 Noah Rasheta’s Mormon Transition

Sunday, 16 April 2017 / Published in Blog, Philosophy, Spirituality

In this episode of Mormon Stories, we interview Noah Rasheta — the Executive Director of the Foundation for Mindful Living and host of the Secular Buddhism podcast.  This meaningful and compelling interview covers:

  • Noah’s early life as an orthodox Mormon believer and his struggle with the thought that with all of the good in the world, is it possible that the path set forth by the LDS Church is the only valid one?
  • How he felt uneasy and shaken as he broadened his study of the Mormon faith
  • His description of his transitioning process, his fears of leaving the LDS Church, and “coming out” as a non-believer to those in his faith community
  • How as his transition progressed, his view towards people became more kind, warm, and compassionate
  • His studies of Buddhist philosophy and the development of a purpose-driven life by integrating Buddhist teachings, modern science, humanism, and humor

Notes:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

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Part 3

Part 4

016 – 017: Utah’s Escalating Suicide Crisis and LDS LGBT Despair

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 / Published in Blog, Mental Health, Sexuality

Panelists Wendy & Thomas Montgomery and Daniel Parkinson delve into topics related to Utah’s escalating suicide crisis and the feeling of despair that many LDS LGBT individuals experience.

Part 1: In this episode, the panel discusses appropriate guidelines when discussing suicide and work to identify possible correlates unique to Utah and the broader LDS LGBT community.

Part 2: In this episode, the panel discusses the perceived “whiplash” of mixed messaging from LDS Church leadership about LGBT people.  They also discuss how to communicate and address the possible causes of the escalating suicide crisis, without violating the guidelines shared in episode 1.

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