All Out in the Open

Ben and Charlie are joined by Stacey Harkey for a discussion of the pros and cons of coming out. 

Ben and Charlie are joined by Joey, a current student at BYU, to discuss how they have made decisions in the uncharted territory of being a LGBTQ+ member of the Church. 

Welcome to the first Bonus episode! Ben and Charlie joke about how Disney movies are about the gay Latter-day Saint experience.

Charlie and Ben are joined by Summer Lee-Corry for a conversation about what it's like to attend worship services while in a relationship that is not sanctioned by the Church.

Charlie and Ben go through the logistics of starting a local LDS/LGBTQ+ support group with Michelle Sherwin and Byron Korth, who recently started a successful group in their home Stake.

This week Ben and Charlie are joined by T.J. Thomas, a therapist who identifies as bisexual, for a conversation about hurtful things that well-meaning members of The Church of Jesus Christ might say to an LGBTQ+ individual. They also have a discussion about bisexuality and what it's like for T.J. to be a male, bisexual, Latter-day Saint.

Charlie and Ben talk about why they decide to move forward in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Charlie and Ben are joined by Derek Lundahl to talk about the moral "pendulum swing" that often accompanies LGBTQ+ individuals raised in religious cultures, and how to set boundaries and stay safe after coming out. 

Ben and Charlie are joined by Tearza Foyston for an in-depth conversation about asexuality.

Ben and Charlie talking about their experiences dating while staying active in the Church.

Charlie and Ben are joined by Rachel Bloxham to talk about how allies can help support LGBTQ+ individuals.

This week Ben and Charlie are joined by Victoria Hutchings, group leader of Affirmation San Francisco, for a conversation about how to find community and support among other LGBTQ+ people. Ben and Charlie talk about finding community through coming out and Victoria shares some of her journey becoming more involved with church after stepping away when she was young.

Among the worries presented to us by gay Latter-day Saints, one of the most common is that early exposure to pornography might have altered their orientation. This week we were joined by Liam Essig, an expert in pornography use and addiction recovery, for a conversation about the myths of pornography use, associated shame, and how to overcome unwanted viewing.

Ben and Charlie are joined by Sarah Kellar Langford to talk about the phrase "gay agenda" and what they hope to accomplish through visible LGBTQ+ advocacy .

Ben, Charlie, and McKay Bryson have a raw conversation about what it's like to be a gay member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Youth leaders often ask us how they should approach LGBTQ+ topics in a religious setting. Today we sat down with Dave Smurthwaite to talk about his experience as a youth leader and how he ended up doing LGBTQ+ trainings with seminary teachers in Utah.

We (Charlie and Ben) both get a lot of messages from parents asking how they can help their kids stay In the Church and be just like us. This week we sat down with Jessyca Fulmer, who became one of the first "poster children" of the LDS/LGBTQ+ space when her coming out was featured in a Mormon Message. Jessyca talks about her experience coming out publicly, feeling social pressure from C...

Ben and Charlie are joined by LDS scholar and theologian Terryl Givens to talk about how LGBTQ+ individuals fit into the Plan of Salvation.

Ben teaches Cass's 6 Stages of Coming Out. Scott Christofferson joins Ben and Charlie to talk about their experiences in each stage, as well as give advice for how friends and family can support LGBTQ+ loved ones throughout the process.

Ben and Charlie are joined by Ally Isom to talk about how active members of the Church can be allies to their LGBTQ+ loved ones while supporting current Church teachings and policies.

Charlie and Ben are joined by Dr. Lisa Hansen to discuss how parents can safely and effectively teach their children about LGBTQ+ topics.

Ben and Charlie are joined by Marina to talk about pronouns. Marina shares her journey coming out as transgender and how using she/her/hers pronouns has helped her feel more like herself. 

Ben and Charlie are joined by Sammi Taylor to talk about how coming out as lesbian differs from coming out as a gay man, and why LGBTQ+ women seem underrepresented compared to LGBTQ+ men.

Ben and Charlie are joined by Tyler LeFevor to talk about the "Q" in LGBTQ+. They discuss origins of the label, common assumptions about those who identify as queer, and how they view "queer" in relation to their own and identities.

Ben and Charlie are joined by Zach Ibarra to talk about handling roommate crushes, straight crushes, gay crushes, and more.