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by Olin Thomas, Executive Director While Affirmation has long attracted members from beyond the United States, it has only been in the last several years that groups of gay and lesbian Mormons have begun to organize chapters. A regional conference was held in Mexico City in April of 2004, marking the first Affirmation-wide event outside the U.S.A. In 2006, the Mortensen Award was awarded to someone from outside the United States for the first time. In light of such developments, I am going to make the International side of Affirmation the focus of increased attention during 2007. Each month Affinity will carry news of chapters or individuals from around the world. We will also work on better outreach to potential members outside the United States. If you served an overseas mission and would like to help with this effort, please contact Olin (olin  affirmation.org) or Alyson (alysonPDXaffirmation.org) and let us know what in what country you served and what language you learned. GLBT Mormons are everywhere and Affirmation wants to be there for them. Affirmation Nigeria Created [Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons believes the story posted here was based on inaccurate and fraudulent information, and therefore the story has been removed from the Affirmation website]
A More Perfect Union by Olin Thomas Wouldn't we all like to see our country, church and society become "more perfect"? Of course, one person's treasure is another's garbage. Changes that some welcome are society's decline for others. The Affirmation conference for 2007 will focus on the changes occurring around us and what would lead to a more perfect union or to more perfect unions between individuals, families and other groups. Join us in Washington, D.C. over the weekend of October 5-7, 2007 to explore both these ideas and one of the most fascinating tourist destinations in the world. Mark your calendar now, or better yet, book your room! We will be holding the conference at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, located at 400 New Jersey Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001. For more information and a picture of the location, visit the conference web site at http://conference.affirmationdc.org. This is an incredible location for first time or repeat visitors to D.C. The picture on the web site is NOT trick photographer—the hotel is only three blocks from the US Capitol itself and thus the same distance from the National Mall and all the museums and monuments you can visit in a week are located. Come early or stay late and make take advantage of this opportunity to visit Washington. Hotel rooms in Washington, DC are at a premium and not inexpensive. Affirmation has negotiated a very good rate (for city like Washington) of $149 per night (plus tax of 14.5%) for single through quad occupancy. Reservations MUST be made by telephone to take advantage of the Affirmation group rate. Call the hotel at 1-800-233-1234 or (202) 737-1234. Sorry, no internet reservations at this point. The Affirmation roommate finder feature is available if you would like to cut costs or have company. Get your friends to come and stay together! Affirmation has a limited room block reserved. We highly recommend reserving early if you are coming, because the hotel is expected to sell out and rooms are not likely to be available after our room block is gone and it will not be easy to find other rooms downtown at these rates. The Washington, DC Chapter promises you a conference to remember in an unforgettable city. Don't be left without a place to stay in October!
Jan. 19 You Can Get In for Half Price The hit solo play Confessions of A Mormon Boy, written and performed by Steven Fales and directed by Tony Award-winner Jack Hofsiss, will open in Los Angeles at the Coast Playhouse for a limited six-week run on January 12. Since premiering in Salt Lake nearly five years ago, the play has had highly successful runs in San Francisco, Miami, San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, Palm Springs, Chicago, Atlanta, and Austin in addition to its highly successful run at the SoHo Playhouse in New York and a sold-out performance at Lincoln Center's Mitzi Newhouse Theatre. Affirmation Night: Affirmation members get in for half price on Friday, January 19th, 8 PM. The code is "Affirmation" on www.Tix.com for that night only! There will be a special "Family Night" immediately after that performance. You can buy tickets at (800) 595-4TIX. You can mention that code to buy tickets over the phone as well. Confessions of A Mormon Boy is Steven Fales' compelling, humorous, and inspiring true story about how a young gay man went from being model Mormon boy in Utah to a high priced call boy in New York City. His captivating tale takes audiences through his excommunication from the Mormon church as he struggles to reclaim himself, his children, and his “Donny Osmond smile.” For more information and tickets, visit www.mormonboy.com.
After 11 sold-out performances in Salt Lake City, Facing East is now set for a four-week off-Broadway run in May and June, and a San Francisco run in August. Written by LDS author Carol Lynn Pearson, Facing East explores how the suicide of a gay young man affects his LDS family. “Facing East may well be the best thing Carol Lynn Pearson has ever written, at least for the stage” wrote Ivan M. Lincoln in the Deseret Morning News. “It raises plenty of questions and concerns but doesn't offer any pat answers.” “What the play does well is offer a respectful portrait of Mormons in struggle,” wrote Ellen Fagg in the Salt Lake Tribune. Fagg calls Pearson's new play “a tightly wound domestic tragedy that raises questions about faith and sexuality.” Facing East is tentatively scheduled to play at the 99-seat Atlantic Stage 2 in New York City for a month-long run during May and June, followed by an engagement during August at Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco. More information about these runs will be available in early January at www.planbtheatrecompany.org. To buy a copy of the playbook, read reviews, and learn more about Pearson's new book No More Goodbyes, visit www.nomoregoodbyes.com.
by Nancy Batchelor Nancy Batchelor made these remarks during the devotional session of the Affirmation Conference "Bridging the Journey" in Portland, Oregon, on October 22, 2006. I'd like to speak a few moments about a very significant bridge in my journey. It took me a very long time to find the bridge, and it took a very long time to decide I wanted to start crossing the bridge. To set the scene for you, I had left the church for a few years after attending Ricks College. My girlfriend at the time was tracted by the missionaries and had the missionary discussions. We mutually decided to "change our ways," and she was baptized by my father. She subsequently married and moved out of the ward. I was happy at church for several years and felt resolute in my testimony of the gospel, but through a series of events and a move to a new stake, I began living my double life again. Fast forward to the mid-80s, and Susan and I had been together for a few years. We had an active social life, partying with friends on weekends, and on most Sunday mornings I pulled it together to go to sacrament meeting in a singles ward. I felt reasonably successful at keeping my two lives separate but, of course, the guilt demons periodically came. One day while reading the local gay newspaper, Susan spotted a small personal ad for a gay Mormon organization named Affirmation, with a California post office box address. She encouraged me to make contact. I couldn't believe such an organization existed and I was very leery of responding, fearful that somehow my name would get back to the church. Susan continued to gently prod me and I finally sent a letter, with a phony name, asking for information. I received some printed materials and promptly filed them away. Fast forward a few years to the mid 1990s. We were still pretty much partying on the weekends and I was by then going to a family ward that I thoroughly enjoyed. One Saturday night we were at a party where I was introduced to a temple-married LDS woman who had just moved out from her husband and young children to come to Portland to start a new life. The short version of this story is that she became aware of Affirmation, found out there was a small local chapter, and coerced me into going to a potluck event. I was beginning my journey across the bridge. I didn't know quite what to expect. I was thirsty to find other gay Mormons, but I was also very curious to discover if the people in this group had been well grounded in the church and had ever had a solid testimony. As luck would have it, at that first or second get-together I went to, Gary & Millie Watts were there with their daughter who was graduating from a local college that weekend. That was a huge validation for me. As I learned more of other people's stories, I felt my guard come down and my heart open up. This was probably the beginning of the transition from the voices in my head telling me that I was not worthy of Heavenly Father's love, to being shown just the opposite. Our first Affirmation Conference was in 1998 when it was held in Portland. I was nervous because it was being held here, within my ward boundaries. I had grown up in this area and my aging parents still lived in this stake. My parents never showed me anything but love, but I did not want to cause them any pain or awkwardness in their church associations by being found out. Another few steps onto the bridge. That conference began to change me in ways I could not foresee. I saw the love and camaraderie, the fun, the irreverence, but I also saw the pain, the challenges, and in many cases, I saw the peace I desired. Most importantly I heard many stories of otherwise faithful latter day saints who had had testimonies, who had served missions, and who had married in the temple and had families. I went home excited, strengthened, less afraid, less alone. I began receiving the Family Fellowship and Affinity newsletters — more insight and strength from the sharing of personal stories. Susan and I have managed to make almost all of the conferences since that time. There hasn't been one where I was not touched and taught in some way, or where I was not challenged in my thinking. The conferences, the friendships, the terrific websites of both Affirmation and Family Fellowship loaded with so many resources, James Kent's Ohana News, and various e-mail lists have all given me hope, comfort, assurance and strength. I know many of you have left the church, both physically and theologically. Quite honestly, that was something I thought would never happen to me. Even though it was difficult living this double life that the church condemned, I knew Heavenly Father knew the intent of my heart and I believed that in the end, that was how I would be judged. I enjoyed going to church and feeling the Spirit while I was there. But there came a time when my folks had both passed on and, though I loved my ward, and I loved the church, I could no longer be dishonest about who I was. I had a wonderful bishop who called me in to accept a new position. I came out to him, fully expecting I would be excommunicated. In my heart, I felt emotionally ready for that occurrence. Instead, he wanted to pray about it and then decided excommunication was not the path to take. He told no one and for the next two years I continued as a visiting teacher, but that was about it. In retrospect, I know I needed that time to grow and to explore more fully my deepest beliefs. About the time I started wondering how long I could continue being almost a non-participating member of the ward, a new bishop was called and, again, I came out to him. From that moment on I had no illusions as to the outcome and, as expected, I was excommunicated earlier this year. I attended the bishop's council, and subsequently sent a letter to the stake presidency, former bishops, high councilors, and others who knew me to some degree, telling my story, wanting to put a face on this issue, perhaps challenge their thinking, and perhaps soften some hearts. With it I included a copy of a talk Gary Watts had given in 1997 about sanctioning and affirming same-sex relationships. Because of the outpouring of tears, heartfelt written and phoned responses I have had from church members, I have glimmers of hope for future movement by the church. It has been a very bittersweet experience, but one that I am at peace with. I want to thank you all for being here today. I want to thank all of those who have come and gone in Affirmation and have added so much to the tapestry of my life. Your lives have comforted me, strengthened me, and given me the courage to live my life openly and in peace.
by Dave Melson Forty members of Affirmation DC gathered to celebrate a “Family” Thanksgiving. Coming from the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the members of the Washington Chapter of Affirmation gathered at the home of Robert and Lani Graves for what has over the years become an annual tradition on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Along with enjoying turkey dinner with all of the trimmings and much fellowship and good conversation, the day also included a time of reflection, as each person gave thanks for the people and events of the past year for which they were grateful. In addition, after dinner, ElRay and Anton announced that they will be getting married next month in Norway, and that after completing their Master’s programs at George Mason University here in the D.C. area next summer, they will be moving to Norway in order to reside in a country that recognizes their rights to live as a married couple on an equal basis with non-gay couples. Affirmation DC will be celebrating their marriage in February.
President Howard: “You have lost your moral compass” by Matt Christensen A former Nevada stake president sent an abusive letter to LDS Senator Harry Reid and chastised him for opposing a constitutional amendment which would have banned same-sex marriage. The letter was reported in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “You chose your party's agenda over Nevadans', over your Prophet's wishes, and defied God in the process,” wrote James Howard, who has been recently released after serving for nine years as president of the Las Vegas East Stake. “You have sold out for power and position… You fear your party more than God.” Even though LDS leaders claim that they do not meddle in politics, there is a long history of bishops and stakes presidents harassing and disciplining members who dare express political views. In 2000 Yvette and Alan Hansen from Tracy, California, were placed on "informal probation," a form of discipline, for opposing a California ban on same-sex marriage, and in 2005 Kim Lawson, Mayor of Kamas, Utah, sent a letter to the stake president of Matt Livingston complaining because the 17-year-old boy criticized Lawson for passing an anti-gay revolution. “Having sold out your Church, your State and possibly your soul for political power, I will have a hard time supporting you or voting for you in the future, should you attempt to hold on to your seat,” Howard added in his blistering letter to Reid. “Your soul is vacant, and you have lost your moral compass.” Reid believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but he opposed the constitutional amendment because he saw it as a ploy by the Republicans during an election year. After Reid’s office released the letter, Howard said that the letter was never intended to become public. “This was a personal letter,” Howard said. “I was not speaking for anybody else. I was not speaking for the Church. It was my opinion.” “I have been shocked and offended at the malice and rancor with which many who disagree with me on this issue have personally attacked me,” Reid responded in a letter to Howard. “Frankly, I expect better of my fellow saints who share with me reverence for Jesus's example of forbearance, patience, and love.” Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons P.O. Box 46022 Los Angeles, CA 90046 National Phone Line: (661) 367-2421 To see a directory of current Affirmation chapters, visit www.affirmation.org/chapters Executive Director: Olin Thomas Senior Assistant Director: Alyson Bolles Assistant Director: James Morris Associate Director & Affinity Editor: (affirmationLDS earthlink.net)
AFFIRMATION GAY & LESBIAN MORMONS is a non-profit support group serving
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