Latter Gay Stories

Latest Episodes:

153: Duane Jennings | Balancing Science and Spirituality Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

From an early age, Duane felt drawn to better understanding life from two perspectives: science and spirituality. His desire for knowledge and the human understanding led him to better understand empathy and opportunity. Shortly after returning home from his Mormon mission to South Africa, Duane realized that his life was best lived in authenticity and honesty. The author of Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones shares his personal story and how embracing his identity made all the difference. This episode is also available as an audio podcast available everywhere you catch your favorite podcasts. #LatterGayStories #Spirituality #Science #ComingOut

152: Page Petrucka | Happiness Exists In Authenticity Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

Page knew she was different, but Mormonism has a way of convincing you to keep those "different" feelings buried deep inside. Those feelings and natural connections can only stay hidden for so long—and eventually they blossom. After coming out later in life, Page Petrucka shares her journey of finding happiness, understanding her divine worth, harnessing the power of good friends, and thriving in affirmative spaces. She shares her experience coming out to her family, no longer fearing her sexuality, and learning first-hand that happiness does exist where religion told her it didn't. Enjoy this and many other episodes online at LatterGayStories.org and on our YouTube channel. An audio version of this episode is available everywhere you catch your favorite podcast episodes.

#LatterGayStories #LesbianMormon #GayMormon

151: Cole and Kent | Our Real-Life Gay Mormon Love Story Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

They're back! Cole Rasmussen (episode 145) and Kent Carollo (episode 142) sit down together—as a couple to share their story of dating, connection, and engagement. Where do gay Latter-day Saints learn to date? Where do they learn how to navigate the world of feelings, connection, and the very real desire to be loved? In this episode Kent and Cole describe their experience coming out, accepting and honoring their divine creation, and finding each other in the process. This is candid and real-life love story. VIDEO VERSION ALERT...**Be sure to stick around for the end, there might be a really cute wedding video ;) ** The video version of this episode is also available on our Latter Gay Stories YouTube Channel and our LatterGayStories Facebook page. #LatterGayStories #GayLoveStory

150: Mormon Parents of a Gay Child: When Dogma Collides with Ignorance Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

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

149: James Kent | Aloha to Authenticity and Love Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

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

148: Tommy Francesco | The Kiss That Kicked Me Out of BYU Aug 27, 2021

Show notes

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

147: Brandon Spevak | Rearranging Everything That Was Comfortable in My Life Aug 11, 2021

Show notes

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

146: Tate and Kara: Mixed Orientation Marriage Jul 28, 2021

Show notes

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

145: Cole Rasmussen | Reconciling My Faith By Accepting My Sexuality Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

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

143: Love: From Our Perspective | Fathers of Gay Sons Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

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