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by Olin Thomas August 2006 Affirmation's Writing Awards will be adopting a different format. After six years of operating as a literary contest with a panel of distinguished judges, for 2006 and beyond a committee will instead select a written work, body of work, film or play to recognize for excellence. Affirmation will continue to use the Writing Awards to acknowledge those whose efforts help educate the community about GLBT Mormon issues and experience. We will recognize works which not only chronicle our experiences, but which have the potential to profoundly impact the LDS community on gay issues. An award may be presented for previously published or produced work and we will also continue to accept material to be considered for awards. Works may be nominated by anyone, submitted by the author or artist, or selected by the committee. We encourage everyone to continue submitting essays, experiences, and articles for potential posting at www.affirmation.org. We read every submission we receive, and we continuously post new entries. Stories and testimonials written in the first person are especially welcome for “Personal Voices,” an area of the website focusing on GLBT Mormon experience. The “Learning Center” contains more educational, less personal articles, organized by topic. We welcome submissions to both these areas of the website. Affirmation is also interested in the creation of brochures or articles that can be used to aid new members and those who turn to Affirmation for help. All submissions will be considered for awards automatically. The 34 entries which received awards and honorable mentions from 2000 to 2005 will be permanently posted at www.affirmation.org/awa. The essays represent the diversity of gay Mormon experience and include the voices of women and men, parents and supporters, the young and the not-so-young, those who live in the U.S. and those who live elsewhere, those barely coming out and those who had accepted themselves many years ago. Affirmation thanks all those who submitted to the contest over the years, sharing their insights about gay Mormon experience. Affirmation wishes to thank the panel of judges, the contest coordinator, the donors, and those who have submitted writing selections over the past six years. We acknowledge the support of those who made the awards possible including the distinguished cadre of judges: Lavina Fielding Anderson, Alan Blodgett, John-Charles Duffy, Cindy LeFevre, D. Michael Quinn, and Kathryn Steffensen. Further information about the new system will be published in upcoming Affinity issues and the new guidelines will be published when they have been completed. We look forward to discovering and recognizing more great essays, articles, films and plays in the coming years.
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www.affirmation.org