2026 LDS Queer Anniversaries
I’m in charge of my stake's calendar, which isn't just putting meeting on the calendar but also holidays. In addition to those, I like to add significant anniversaries of LDS history that happened 200, 150, 100, 75, 50, 25, 10, and 5 years ago.
While I don’t post them to the stake calendar, I also look for anniversaries of Queer LDS history, notable things that made an impact.
100 years ago
November 1926 - Ruth Drake (age 23) and Sarah Lundstedt (age 22), after being pressured by family to end their 4-year relationship and move away from each other, drank cyanide poison together in North Salt Lake City. Their tragic love story, complete with love letters, made national news.
50 years ago
1976 - A new version of the Church Handbook was released and changed the grounds for a church court from "homo-sexual acts" to a "homosexuality" which was identified as a "moral transgression." This made simply having a homosexual orientation subject to church punishment. The Handbook also included adultery and child molestation in the same category, and it remained this way in the Church Handbook through 1989.
1976 – A 20-year study was published showing that 10% of BYU men and 2% of BYU women indicated having had a "homosexual experience". In 1950, 1961, and 1972 BYU Sociology professor Wilford Smith conducted a survey of thousands of Mormon students at several universities including many from the BYU sociology department as part of a larger survey. "The consistency of response over time concerning homosexuality was remarkable." He found that "Differences between Mormons and non-Mormons were generally negligible, and frequency of church attendance seemed to make little difference".
March 1976 - On March 6, 1976, police raided the I-15 Pleasant Grove Rest Area, known to be a cruising spot for gay individuals. 54-year old BYU music professor Carlyle D. Marsden was arrested for alleged homosexual activity, thus outing to his family, friends and acquaintances. Two days later he took his own life.
September 1976 - BYU President Dallin H. Oaks creates create the Institute for Studies in Values and Human Behavior, with the purpose to do research to find evidence supporting the LDS Church's views on homosexuality with the goal to write a book on homosexuality and to get the book published by a non-church-related source in order to boost the book's scientific credibility. BYU psychologist Allen Bergin acted as the director and book author. Institute member and church Social Services director Victor Brown Jr. wrote, "Our basic theme is that truth lies with the scriptures and prophets, not with secular data or debate." The Values Institute was unsuccessful in its goals and closed in 1985. In 2020, Allen Bergin released an apology for "being part of a professional, religious, and public culture that marginalized, pathologized, and excluded LGBT persons."
October 1976 - LDS apostle Boyd K. Packer gave the sermon "To Young Men Only" in the priesthood session of General Conference. In the sermon, Elder Packer commended a missionary for hitting his companion so hard it "floored" him. It was implied this was in response to an unwanted sexual advances from that companion. Elder Packer said, "Somebody had to do it". He further asserts that it is a "malicious and destructive lie" that "some are born with an attraction to their own kind". The sermon was published as a pamphlet by the church from 1980 to 2016, and often was read annually in Aaronic priesthood quorums in those years. In 2017, the year after Elder Packer's death, the church ceases publication, removed it from the church's website, even if you go to the 1976 General Conference talks, it is missing.
25 Years ago
2001 - The "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet was updated to say "Homosexuality is a serious sin. If you find yourself struggling with same-gender attraction, seek counsel from your parents and bishop. They will help you." This replaced the language from the 1990 edition which characterized homosexual feelings as unnatural, perverse, and an abomination.
January 2001 - Dean Byrd, a director of LDS Family Services, published the book "Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ: Understanding Homosexuality According to the Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." In this book, he states that homosexual attraction can be changed (and uses many statements by LDS Church leaders to support his view)
October 2001 - BYU hosted the Family Under Fire Conference where LDS Family Services director Jerry Harris gives the address "Understanding Homosexual Problems." His slide show is available and it appears the "problems" appear to be that gay people aren't as hated as they once were and they are seeking equal rights, and he presents steps to "recovery" from homosexuality
November 2001 - Confessions of a Mormon Boy by Steven Fales opens (later becoming an off Broadway show), dealing with his homosexuality and disaffection with the church. It later tours internationally.
10 Years ago
January 2016 – The advocacy organization FreeBYU filed an accreditation complaint to the American Bar Association (ABA) against the BYU law school. The complaint argued that the honor code's prohibition on leaving the LDS church and the ban on dating, romantic expression, and marriage between same-sex partners, but no similar ban on their heterosexual counterparts, violates the accrediting body's anti-discrimination policies. Shortly after FreeBYU's complaint, BYU added an "Application for Exception" clause that would theoretically enable a formerly LDS applicant to be enrolled if there were "compelling," "extenuating," and "unusual circumstances." The ABA stopped considering the complaint in response to the changes made by BYU
January 2016 - Mama Dragons reports that 32 LGBTQ Mormons had committed suicide in the wake of the Nov 2015 policy of exclusion which made church discipline mandatory for members in same-sex relationships and banned their children from joining the LDS Church. Elder Dallin H. Oaks was asked by KUTV about church leaders and members' responsibility for the treatment of LGBTQ individuals that may have led to the suicides, to which he stated "that's a question that will be answered on judgment day" and that "nobody is sadder about a case [of suicide] like that than I am".
January 2016 - Judith Mehr, a lesbian Latter-Day Saint, wrote an op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune where she came out publicly and implored the LDS community to love their gay children, relatives, and friends. For 26 years, Judith was commissioned by the church for paintings which have appeared in the Ensign magazine and are displayed in a variety of places owned by the church
January 2016 – Stumbling Blocks and Stepping-Stones: Including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Children of God in the LDS Plan of Salvation was published as a 2-volume set by Duane E. Jennings. The books document the church’s relationship with its queer members and the progress made and steps to take toward inclusion and acceptance of all of God’s children.
February 2016 – During his final semester at BYU, Harry Fisher came out on Facebook in a post where he shared that "being gay in Utah while being a Latter-Day Saint can be hard. … It seems like every couple of Sundays I have to go out to my car to keep from crying at church." A month later, he died by suicide on February 12, 2016. A search team found Harry’s body 11 days later, lying atop a canyon overlook, the same day that Elder Bednar made media waves when he said, “There are no homosexual members of the church.” In his car, Harry left his scriptures in the passenger seat, bookmarked on Matthew 16:25: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” This is reported on by CNN. In 2019, Matt Easton says when he learned of his classmate's death, he thought to himself, "Is that my future?" Matt was inspired by Harry's life to come out as gay in his commencement speech at BYU, hoping that some other gay BYU students may hear him and decide that their future can be brighter and better, that we can succeed. A video of Matt's commencement speech goes viral
February 2016 - In a broadcast, Elder David A. Bednar answered a question by stating that "there are no homosexual members of the Church" since we are not defined by sexual attraction or behavior and "all of us have different challenges in the flesh". He compared homosexuality to a physical handicap like "being born with a body that is not fully functional".
March 2016 – Saving Alex: When I Was Fifteen I Told My Mormon Parents I Was Gay, and That’s When My Nightmare Began was published by Alex Cooper and Joanna Brooks. The book tells Alex’s story as a gay teenager who was held captive by an unlicensed Utah-based residential treatment program after coming out to her Latter-Day Saint parents. In response to media inquiries based on Alex's book, Church spokesperson Eric Hawkins stated that the church "denounces any therapy that subjects an individual to abusive practices" and hopes LGBT Mormons "find compassion and understanding from family members, professional counselors and church members".
March 2016 – God’s Plan for Me: Keeping the Faith as a Latter-Day Saint with Same-Gender Attraction was published by Ivan Neal. The book relates Neal’s internal struggles and how he reconciled his Latter-day Saint faith with his sexual orientation
May 2016 – The Mama Dragon Story Project book is published, it includes essays and stories by Latter-day Saint mothers with LGBTQ children.
June 2016 – The Mexican area authority presidency had a letter read in congregations around the country urging members to oppose the national legalization of same-sex marriage.
July 2016 – After a court ruling, one of the largest LDS dating sites, LDSsingles.com, was required to allow same-sex dating as an option
August 2016– BYU is a candidate to join the Big 12 athletic conference, and it's anti-LGBTQ policies and those of the LDS Church become a focus as LGBT groups at Big 12 universities say the policies are inconsistent with Big 12 values. BYU is not selected to join their homophobic Honor Code as one reason why.
October 2016 – Young Women's General President Bonnie L. Oscarson said in General Conference that Mormons shouldn't avoid speaking boldly against Satan's lies like same-sex marriage out of fear of offending gay people
October 2016 – A series of videos were leaked that show leaders of the church being briefed on various social and political topics. One of the videos, dated November 19, 2008, includes a conversation on the church’s involvement in politics with regards to LGBTQ people
October 2016 – The Mormons and Gays website was revised to include videos by queer members and was renamed Mormon and Gay as a way to indicate you can be both. An important addition to the website was the statement that "it is unethical to focus professional treatment on an assumption that a change in sexual orientation will or must occur." The 2016 update still offered qualified statements that reparative therapy should be an option available, and promised that orientation change could occur.
October 2016 – Tyler Glenn releases his solo album, "Excommunication", about his experience with the LDS Church and his frustration with their policies, especially the November 2015 policy of exclusion.
November 2016 – The "To Young Men Only" pamphlet by apostle Boyd K. Packer was discontinued. This happened a year after Elder Packer died.
December 2016 – The nonprofit organization Encircle was founded in Provo by Stephenie Larsen, who was motivated by the high rate of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth in the community.
5 Years ago
January 2021– Shane Carpenter publicly came out on Facebook as one of the first openly gay missionaries. He was later asked by his mission president to train other missionaries on being inclusive in their teaching.
February 2021 – The Peace Out podcast was started by Sally and Lena Osborne, two Latter-Day Saint women who divorced from their husbands, married each other, and left the church. In June, 2022 they were featured in a series released for streaming on Hulu titled "Mormon No More" that told their story.
February 2021 – Craig Call, a grandson of apostle Richard G. Scott, was interviewed on the Latter Gay Stories podcast. He talked about his experience going through a divorce, as well as being bisexual and polyamorous. He also related how Elder Scott gave a general conference address in October 2009 on pornography and told him that the address was directed at him.
March 2021 – Color the Campus, an LGBTQ awareness group at BYU, holds a Rainbow Day on March 4 to commemorate one year since the same-sex dating policy clarification. Rainbow Day is held about once per semester to "[show love] and support for LGBTQ+ students and faculty at all CES schools", as stated on the group's Instagram page. As part of the March 4 Rainbow Day, students lit the Y in rainbow colors for about an hour. About 20 minutes after the lighting began, BYU tweeted that it had not authorized the lighting of the Y that evening
April 2021 – Jessica Livier Haynes, a queer Latter-day Saint, spoke at BYU Women's Conference. She talked about creating safe, inclusive spaces in the church.
May 2021 – Queer Mormon Theology was published by Blaire Ostler, a bisexual and intersex Latter-day Saint. The book examines LDS Church doctrine from a queer theological perspective.
June 2021 – The BYU RaYnbow Collective was founded by students as a nonprofit to provide community and resources for LGBTQ students
June 2021 – The first Rexburg Pride celebration was held by Flourish Point. Many BYU-Idaho students have attended the yearly event.
June 2021 – Singer and American Idol alumnus David Archuleta came out as a member of the LGBTQ community. In his coming out post, Archuleta urged people of faith to "be more understanding and compassionate to those who are LGBTQIA+."
June 2021 – A recurring workshop class for LGBTQ individuals and allies began at the Utah Valley University Institute of Religion, the first such class in the Church Educational System. The workshop has featured guests like Ben Schilaty and former General Relief Society counselor Reyna I. Aburto. This workshop later became a full-semester class in 2025.
June 2021 – BYU Pride, a student-run LGBTQ resource center not sponsored by the university, organizes the first pride march at BYU. More than 1,000 people march from Joaquin Park to Kiwanis Park in support of queer BYU students.
July 2021 – The Sit Down with Sky podcast was launched by Skyler Sorensen with Preston Jenkins as co-host. The podcast focuses on putting obedience to church teachings above sexual orientation.[
August 2021 – During its annual University Conference, BYU president Kevin J Worthen announced the opening of the Office of Belonging, which was established to provide services for students in racial, sexual, and other minorities.
August 2021 – Church apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland makes a speech at BYU in which he calls for more "musket fire" from BYU faculty in opposition to same-sex marriage. He also indirectly targeted 2019 BYU valedictorian Matt Easton for coming out during his convocation speech, saying "If a student commandeers a graduation podium intended to represent everyone getting diplomas in order to announce his personal sexual orientation, what might another speaker feel free to announce the next year until eventually anything goes?" In 2024, portions of this speech were became required reading as part of a new course for all incoming students.
September 2021 - Students again light the Y in anticipation of Rainbow Day and LGBTQ history month.
November 2021 – In a live Q&A at the University of Virginia, apostle Dallin H. Oaks denied that electroshock conversion therapy happened at BYU while he was president of the university (1971–1980). Several days later, the Salt Lake Tribune published an article citing records that call this statement by Oaks into question.
November 2021 – A shooting occurred in a Colorado Springs gay bar where 5 people were killed and 17 were injured. The shooter was an inactive member of the LDS Church.
December 2021 – The Called to Queer podcast was launched, hosted by Colette Dalton (a gay Latter-Day Saint) and Kate Mower (a nonbinary Latter-Day Saint). The podcast features interviews with LGBTQ members of the church.
