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Leonard Matlovich | Activist, Mormon, Gay Man

Posted 6 years ago Tagged

Technical Sergeant Leonard Philip Matlovich was a Vietnam War veteran, race relations instructor, and recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was a fierce advocate of LGBT rights and fought to end discrimination of sexuality. Matlovich was … Read the rest here

Edith Chapman | Salt Lake resident, proprietor, lesbian

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

In 1923, after the death of both her parents, prominent Salt Lake lesbian, Edith Mary Chapman opened her home just across the street from Liberty Park (615 South 900 East) as a boarding house for other lesbians, most of whom … Read the rest here

Joseph Fielding Smith | General Authority, Patriarch to the Church, Gay Man

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

If today were 1946 (and you were a high profile Latter-day Saint), coming out and confessing your infidelity to the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would secure you a vacation (and eventual residency) to the … Read the rest here

Eva McCleery | Shoemaker, Father, Trans-woman

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

William McCleery, later known as Eva McCleery, is the earliest known transgender person in the state of Utah. Born in Liverpool, England on October 11, 1850, William and his parents converted as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of … Read the rest here

Louie Felt | General Primary President, co-founder of “The Children’s Friend”

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

Sarah Louise “Louie” Bouton Felt was the first general president of the children’s Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a calling she faithfully served and dedicated her time with from 1880 to 1925. She was … Read the rest here

Brigham Morris Young | Son of a prophet, ‘Qween’ of the highest order

Posted 7 years ago Tagged

Brigham Morris Young, commonly known as Morris, was the son of Brigham Young, polygamous Mormon Church president, and his 35th wife, Margaret Pierce. In 1875, Morris Young served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in … Read the rest here

Latter Gay Stories
Latter Gay Stories

Latter Gay Stories

23

Real Stories. Real Talk. Real People
IN or OUT of Mormonism.

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Latter Gay Stories
11 hours ago
Latter Gay Stories

Washington, D.C. - In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today granted the Trump administration’s emergency request to enforce an executive order requiring all new U.S. passports to display “male” or “female” based on sex assigned at birth.

The ruling halts a federal district court’s injunction that had permitted transgender and nonbinary individuals to select “M,” “F,” or “X” markers aligning with their gender identity.

Issued on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump’s first day in office, the order cites national security and administrative efficiency as justifications for tying passport designations to birth certificates. The State Department argued the self-identification policy, introduced under Biden in 2022, created “operational chaos” and fraud risks.

The liberal dissent, penned by Justice Sonia Sotomayor and joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, sharply criticized the ruling as a blow to transgender rights. Sotomayor wrote: “This erodes dignity for millions, prioritizing bureaucracy over humanity.” She further argued that transgender Americans “lack the political power to vindicate their interests” in a system that marginalizes them, warning the decision invites “untold harm to transgender people and the families who love them.”

Justice Kagan, in a separate statement from the bench, emphasized: “In matters of identity and equality, the Court today abandons its role in shielding individuals from discrimination, condemning LGBTQ+ citizens to second-class status under the law.”

Justice Jackson concurred, stating: “This ruling erroneously equates administrative convenience with constitutional imperative, ignoring the judiciary’s duty to protect vulnerable minorities from invidious policies.”

The decision impacts around 1.6 million transgender Americans and nonbinary passport applicants, potentially delaying renewals.

What this means:

✅ New applications & renewals: Must use sex assigned at birth (M or F only); no self-selection or X marker.

✅ Existing passport are valid until expiration, including pre-2025 X or updated markers; no forced surrender or update required now.

The full opinion can be found at supremecourt.gov.
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Latter Gay Stories
22 hours ago
Latter Gay Stories

Removing rainbow crosswalks doesn’t pave the way to unity. They’re simple symbols of inclusion, not the root of division. The real issue is how we treat each other—marginalizing people fuels hate.

You’ve heard “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” but skip the mile and consider a rainbow crosswalk. You might be surprised who you’ll meet on your journey.

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Latter Gay Stories
2 days ago
Latter Gay Stories

Ten years ago, on November 5, 2015, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) implemented its “Policy of Exclusion,” a handbook change that profoundly impacted its LGBTQ members and their families. The policy labeled same-sex married couples as apostates, mandating disciplinary action that often led to excommunication. It also prohibited their children from receiving baby blessings, baptism, or other ordinances until age 18, requiring them to disavow their parents’ marriage and live separately from them.

The policy evolved through multiple iterations.

After its initial leak on November 5, public outcry prompted a clarification a few days later on November 13, restricting its scope to children primarily residing with same-sex parents and allowing rare exceptions with First Presidency approval.

The reaction was swift and severe.

Thousands of members resigned in protest, with mass resignation events signaling widespread disillusionment. Salt Lake's Liberty Wells Stake reported just over 10% of its members resigned their church membership. The policy exacerbated mental health struggles among LGBTQ youth, with Utah reporting a notable increase in suicides, particularly among those in Mormon communities. Families faced heart-wrenching dilemmas: parents saw their children barred from sacred rites, while LGBTQ individuals felt rejected by a faith they held dear. The policy deepened feelings of isolation, betrayal, and despair, fracturing families and communities.

For the LDS Church, the policy was a public relations and spiritual misstep. It eroded trust, accelerated membership declines, and drew global criticism, exposing tensions between doctrine and inclusivity. For LGBTQ members and their families, the pain was immeasurable—their children were caught in doctrinal crossfire, parents were forced to choose between faith and family, and individuals grappled with rejection from their spiritual home.

The policy remained in place until its reversal on April 4, 2019, when the church abandoned the law it once called “revelation”.

On this 10th anniversary, we reflect on the enduring harm of the 2015 Policy of Exclusion. For most, the wound has never healed. It serves as a reminder of the human cost of institutional decisions and the need for empathy and inclusion in all communities.

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