Can You Be Both Mormon and Gay?

Why a religion notorious in the gay community might be “evolving.”

0

Last week, Josh Weed and his wife, Lolly, marked their 10-year anniversary by announcing together on Josh’s blog that he is gay.
Josh works as a marriage and family therapist in Auburn, Wash. He and
Lolly have three daughters, and claim to have a very successful
marriage—one that includes, in their opinion, “a better sex life” than
most heterosexual couples.

Josh remains, in his words, “very happily married to a woman” even
though he has long identified as gay, because he also considers himself a
“a devout and believing Mormon.” When Josh came out to his parents at
the age of 13, his father served in the local stake presidency, meaning
that he helped oversee several Mormon congregations. His parents
nonetheless remained supportive of him—as did Lolly, who has been
friends with Josh since the two were kids. Despite his homosexuality
they have all agreed with his decision to stay true to the doctrines of
Mormonism, including temple marriage, which can only be “between a man
and a woman” and is “ordained of God” as one of the religion’s most
sacred covenants. Weed says that this decision is an entirely satisfying
one. “I am gay. I am Mormon. I am married to a woman. I am happy every single day.”

Read more