#queerward

[rainbeam]

My therapist really loved my pitch for a Mormon murder mystery novel!!! It’s called The Gadianton Conspiracy, and I already have about 1k in the first chapter so I feel like it’s going pretty well!!!

It’s about two gay boys being resurrected so they can solve their murders and stop the killer before anyone else is murdered. And one of them is a trans boy 💅 because I’m exploring the intersectionality of queerness and being a faithful member of the church, and how to live your life with ✨queer joy ✨despite the hardships of this life

[bookish-bi-mormon]

hey! hope this isn’t offensive, but i was wondering what it’s like to be NB and bi in the Mormon church. Are you out? Does your community respect your identity? I’ve heard about Mormons sometimes being pretty bigoted so I was curious what that’s like for you.

Hey buddy!

Thanks for the question, definitely not offensive but boy howdy is this a complicated question to answer.

So, I've been out as bi since 2016, and out as nonbinary since 2020. I served a mission for my church and was very open about being bi the whole time, and I attended BYU (a religious LDS university) as a nonbinary person.

I wouldn't say either one was easy, but there were a lot of really cool people I met who made it easier.

I have had bishops who were very understanding, one in particular was a trained therapist and was well informed about queer issues, and hopes that gay marriage will be allowed in the temple one day. I had a lovely ministering sister (kinda like assigned friends???), an older lady who took me under her wing and watched queer eye with me and listened to me when I had to cry or vent about homophobia in the religion as a whole.

I gave a talk in sacrament meeting (in front of an apostle!?!!!!) where I talked about being queer and the pain I feel because of unfair church policies and I was hearing from people for months how touching and meaningful my talk was.

There was a lovely family who hosted gatherings once a month for queer latter-day saints to meet and find community and belonging. I'm now part of a small group of trans Mormons who meet up every other week to have our own Sunday school. There are so many queer Mormons on this website who have given me support and community when I've needed it. I'm part of an leftist organization called Mormons With Hope for a Better World, and many of the members are queer in some way.

I guess in conclusion: yeah, as an institution the LDS church is homophobic and transphobic and they keep instituting policies that aim to keep it that way. But there are many many individuals who are fighting for change, some in little ways and others loudly. There are many people who are willing to learn and be inclusive they just don't know where to start. I love my religion and I want to practice it in community. I know it's not everyone's fight, but for me it's worth it to keep pushing back and carving out spaces for queer Mormons. I won't let the cishets forget I exist. I have just as much right to sit in the pews on Sunday as they do.

[plumsaucemadein2005]

Partner might read the BoM, he's about to discover the phrase "and it came to pass" very excited for him!

[ldsqueerstakeofficial]

Applications to join the Queerward Discord

We've noticed a lot of people asking where to find the link to join the discord. While we cannot safely justify having a floating link, the mod team has agreed that we can open entry to the general public. The discord is no longer limited to a know-someone basis. If you would like to join the discord, you can message @relatablemormonmoments @notsostraightandnarrow @vaguely-heavenly-things @riskydabritt with this form: Name or nickname: Discord username: Age or general age: How I discovered Queerward: Sexuality: Gender Identity: Romantic Orientation: How long have I been out to myself: Am I out to others: If straight, am I willing to be an ally and leave discrimination at the door: Do I hold concerning biases, such as racism, homophobia, or sexism?: (y/n) If yes, am I willing to unlearn them: Do I get into fights on the internet: [regularly, only when important, never] Do I promise to follow Queerward rules: (y/n) Am I kind: (y/n) Am I interested in a server dedicated to LGBT+ Mormons: (y/n) Am I Mormon or associated with the Mormon community, including ex-mormon, post-mormon, Church of Christ?: By sending in this application, you are permitting the mods to scroll through the blog you message us from to check that you are a real person, not a troll, not homophobic, racist, or sexist, and that you tend to respect others online. We will not be accepting requests from blank blogs.

[its-okay-youre-adorable]

tumblrstake how are we feeling this sunday

(image description under the cut)

Artwork of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother with skin striped and spotted in every skin color, with this note:

We Are In Their Image (Kayla BeckNuss)

Something that I’ve been thinking about lately is the representation of our Heavenly Parents. In my experience in media and art, they have most often been perceived as white. What if they didn’t have just one color? We were all created in their image and we all represent their image. So what if the color of their skin, their essence, their identity reflected every race, culture and background? What if their image changed according to each person? What if we see their image as we see ourselves? What if the language they speak is different according to each person? This little theory of mine has brought me comfort in knowing that our Heavenly Parents reflect us all, not just the color of our skin, but our culture and our experiences in this life. Culture and race IS important to our identity and I believe it is just as, if not more important, to them.

Two of myfavorite artists inspired this piece: @jkirkrichards and his beautiful depiction of Christ and our LGBTQ friends piece and @caitlin_connolly_with her Heavenly Parents piece.

[relatablemormonmoments]

Most of you know that I cofounded and help moderate @ldsqueerstakeofficial and the discord server QueerWard. Every year for April Fools, the mods spend months planning a theme to prank everyone with. Throughout March, I take the time to photoshop together profile pictures to match the vibe. Last year we had Sith Lord Jesus and the Counsel of Jedi Apostles... this year we have tinder tropes jesus. I will share the tinder tropes Jesi tomorrow [they are most excellent], but I wanted to share last year's, since they are really cool to look at.

[John Lesbian is my Ravenheart's favourite]

[dont-wake-the-dragon]

To my fellow Mormons

what's your favorite thing about Mormon culture

funeral potatoes

hessian wall weave (the wall carpet)

That One Couch in the foyer

airplanes (iykyk)

bigfoot cain

wild pioneer stories

other (explain in tags)

are you people okay

Voting ended onMar 13, 2023

[nerdygaymormon]

I just found this blog and I'm so happy it exists. I was raised in the church and with the area I live in, LGBT+ people are "accepted" readily but at the same time... No one talks about it in relation to Members being Queer. It's like everyone ignores the fact that there is at least 1 queer member in the area because "Oh they aren't part of the church" or something. It's confusing and difficult to be out as anything other than CisHetAllo. I have found that as much as I try, and I feel better knowing about myself, I have found it increasingly difficult to talk about the same things in Online spaces compared to Church spaces. Something always seems to conflict, whether it is members not being particularly supportive of LGBT+ or those online judging Anyone who is a member. (I have had some people I consider[ed] friends make some... Negative... Remarks regarding the church and its members.)

I'm glad to see a space like this existing, where I know that I can be both Queer, and a Member of the church, without being "othered"

Thank you so much. <3

I'm sorry you're having a bit of a rough time of it, but you're right, unless someone is saying to everyone "Hey, I'm here and I'm queer," most Latter-day Saints assume there's absolutely no one at church who is LGBT+.

The LDS Church does have a reputation for being homophobic, so if I say I'm Mormon, other queer people will nod their head and say something about how they know that had to be so hard growing up. Also, the LDS church isn't exactly respected by other Christian denominations, they like to speak of it like it's the punchline of a joke.

A lot of people are becoming aware of the research that shows social media negatively affects young people's mental health and well being. It interferes with their sleeping habits and they spend less time in person with friends and developing their real-world social skills. Social media for youth is associated with problems like depression, cyberbullying, eating disorders. Calls are being made to place limits on the amount of time youth can spend online.

However, research shows there's one group of youth for whom social media has a beneficial impact, and that's LGBTQ youth. TikTok, Tumblr, Discord, YouTube, and so on, are a lifeline. They go from feeling completely alone and no one understanding what they're going through to suddenly discovering there's thousands of people who feel the same way, which is eye-opening and comforting. Not that it's universally good, we still run into hateful speech.

Social media allows LGBT people to explore their identities and find acceptance and emotional support. Some research shows there's a decrease in depression and suicidal thoughts for LGBT youth who are online. It gives them hope and a sense of control. Even when they do encounter harmful things online, they can turn it off, which they can't do with a school bully or family members saying offensive things.

I think for queer Mormons, the experience is even more so like that when you find other LGBT LDS people online. They get you in a way no one else truly does. It is like finding a second home with friends & family. It helps build our resilience. Representation matters. Reading words that are how I feel, that gives us hope and courage.

I'm glad you found my blog. I suggest doing a search for #queerstake, you'll find more posts from other queer Mormons and former Mormons. We even have a discord server we call queerward which is a lively place. I know for me it gives me a sense of belonging. If this was a ward or stake in real life, I would move so that I could be part of it, but it's online so I can access it wherever I am.