I’ve been a contributor to Main Street Plaza for a few years now. Recently, I’ve been posting a lot less frequently because my interests have developed in other directions than Mormonism. This is probably because I’m 30 years old and left the Church half-my-life ago! Looking back through my posts,…
Author: Alan
Three Gay Mormon Organizations Become Two
Three gay Mormon organizations are now two, as of January 1st, 2014. North Star has absorbed Evergreen International. Here is a brief history to contextualize this absorption: The first gay Mormon organization, Affirmation, was founded in 1977. It was “against” the Church in that, back in the 1970s, one could…
LDS.org posts Historical Context for Ban on Black Ordination
It’s been brought to my attention that, last Friday, LDS.org posted a page on their “Gospel Topics” section called “Race and the Priesthood.” I’m not sure what was there prior to this article, but it seems that some of the more contentious church issues are slowly receiving revamped attention. For…
What Hannah Arendt can teach us about Women’s Ordination in the Church
Just like the issue of accepting same-sex intimacy, Mormons are beginning to understand a good Mormon can hold the position that women should be ordained. And this means that half (okay, maybe one quarter) of the battle is won, because now Mormons talk amongst themselves about the following equation as…
Orson Scott Card really wants you to watch Ender’s Game
An early boycott for Orson Scott Card’s book-to-movie adaptation Ender’s Game is in the works due to Card’s past homophobia. Card has responded to the boycott thusly: Ender’s Game is set more than a century in the future and has nothing to do with political issues that did not exist…
End of Exodus International: what does it mean?
The closure of Exodus International is good news. Unfortunately it’s not the end of “reparative therapy.” If we remember, reparative therapy these days is not really about attempting to change one’s sexual orientation. That is what it was up through the 1990s. Last year, even Exodus attempted to distance itself…
Pride parades this summer: Will MBB march again, and if so, will they allow signs that advocate equality?
Summertime is upon us, which means it’s time for planning for the annual Pride parades. Last year was the first time Mormons marched in Pride in large numbers. The contingent in Salt Lake City was the largest, marching behind a banner titled Mormons Building Bridges (MBB). MBB garnered nearly all…
The Social Psychology of Mormon Heteropatriarchy
Sometimes my own life corresponds to the current news cycle. There’s been a spat of conversations regarding how GOP in Congress are slowing coming out in support of gay marriage because they have gay children themselves. But then Mormon congresspeople are holding out with the idea: “Of course I love…
“Imagine a Church where your beloved grandmother is your stake president.”
Great interview by Joanna Brooks of Kate Kelly who launched ordainwomen.org. I REALLY hope momentum builds on this issue. On Tuesday, I ran into a female missionary on my campus. Since I just left a course on “feminist international political economy,” I couldn’t help but give her an earful. She…
The Curious Case of Mormons and LGBT Rights
If you haven’t already, check out my article published yesterday on Religion Dispatches!