Latter Gay Stories

Latest Episodes:

142: Kent Carollo | Fulfilling The Measure of My Creation Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

"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

141: Natasha Helfer | A Special Episode Interviewing Kyle May 23, 2021

Show notes

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

140: Tanner Jones | Life After Coming Out, Divorce and Leaving Mormonism May 20, 2021

Show notes

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

139: Our Gay Kids: A Mother's Perspective Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

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.

138: Jessyca and Savana | From MormonAndGay to our Wedding Day Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

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.

137: Craig Call | My Grandpa was an Apostle: This is My Story Feb 18, 2021

Show notes

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

136: Miles and Jim | Giving Ourselves the Permission to Thrive Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

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

135: Jennifer and Shaunie | Stepping Across Lines To Embrace Our Happiness Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

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

134: David Staker and Rob Schopke: Finding Ourselves and Finding Each Other Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

"We were not only gay. We were not only married. But we were also attending Church—with our children, and the Church didn't know how to handle all of that. It took a couple of General Authorities to determine the fate of our family…and then November 2015 happened."

Rob Schopke and David Staker sit down with the Latter Gay Stories podcast to share their journey. Each divorced from marriages married to women.

Each worked to find happiness and fulfillment.

Each found each other.

Give us an hour to better understand the experiences of the LGBTQ community.

The video version of this podcast is available on the Latter Gay Stories Facebook page, the LatterGayStories YouTube channel and right here on LatterGayStories.org. The audio podcast version is available everywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

133: Tiana Matson | How Coming Out to my Mission President Changed My Life May 21, 2020

Show notes

Tiana story is similar to many others in her shoes. She knew from a very early age that she was different. What did that difference mean? And how do you explain something that you can't define? Following the path laid for her, Tiana served a mission and it was in a discussion with her Mission President that she acknowledged what that "difference" was.

This episode is the story of her journey after leaving her mission early and making difficult decisions to help her find peace, happiness, and her best future.

Please like, share, or comment on this episode. We also invite you to subscribe to our LatterGayStories YouTube channel and LIKE the LatterGayStories Facebook page. It is stories like this that help us build bigger and stronger bridges between the LDS and LGBTQ communities.

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