Showing Support for the LGBTQA Community

Where feminist issues meet religion, it is often difficult to have an open discussion with others. That's why I like to retreat to my feminist Mormon blogs where I can get a healthy dose of it, and don't need to worry about offending anyone. However, my friend Heidi courageously tried to open up a discussion with her roommates a while ago by asking them if they had ever experienced any gender related oppression or discrimination in church. None of them admitted to having any experiences of this kind, or feeling like any members should ever really feel this way. Then she asked them, "What if you were a Mormon lesbian?"

I certainly admire her guts in asking that question. It is blunt, and deserves consideration. I personally am not aware that very many of my acquaintances are LGBTQ, let alone LDS church members who are. But I can only imagine how difficult it would be to identify as one while also being Mormon. I'm glad that members are increasingly more sensitive to issues regarding sexual orientation, and are fostering the development and expression of greater love, tolerance, and acceptance for LGBTQ people. It's totally awesome, in my book. I even read that BYU recently hosted a panel discussion with a few homosexual and bisexual students. It had a big turn out, and was a positive and encouraging event. 

Showing support and understanding can begin in simple ways. I'll offer some suggestions from a handout I got in one of my classes a while back.