Led by the child who simply knew

The twin boys were identical in every way but one. Wyatt was a girl to the core, and now lives as one, with the help of a brave, loving family and a path-breaking doctor’s care.

LINK in the Boston Globe

The Salt Lake Tribune published an article over the weekend that detailed an LGBT event for LDS-oriented people. Apparently one self-invited speaker–Bishop Kevin Kloosterman–gave an inspiring talk that the Trib has titled “Mormon bishop says church responsible for gays’ emotional wounds“.

Some commentators are saying that the Trib is making too much of this and has missed the gist of his comments. To those, I submit a transcript of his remarks.

For me, these were the most confirming:

And as I read these stories and as I learned more about these issues, I began to see the emotional wounds and the scars that many of you still have today. And I seem to ask the question, “Where did you get these wounds?” and unfortunately the answer was, “In the house of my friends.”

Our brothers and sisters in New York were able to legally marry today.

LINK

Interesting story in today’s Salt Lake Tribune about a “gay BYU filmmaker”.

A lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 41-year-old Wilcox has been the epitome of a good Mormon. He served a two-year mission to Barcelona, Spain, earned a degree from BYU, worked and taught Spanish at the church’s Missionary Training Center in Provo for five years, then joined the staff at BYUtv, where he has produced documentaries, talk shows and reality-based series.

He did it all secretly knowing he was gay.

I suspect that he will quickly find incompatibility.

LINK

From The New York Daily News:

Gay marriage now just one vote shy of becoming law in New York despite Archbishop Dolan’s objections

BY KENNETH LOVETT
DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF

ALBANY – Gay marriage moved just one vote shy Tuesday of becoming law in New York as the state’s top Catholic raised holy hell trying to stop it.

Sen. Roy McDonald (R-Saratoga) – in a dramatic reversal from his earlier opposition – became the second GOPer in as many days to give his blessing to same-sex nuptials, bringing Senate support to 31 votes.
(more…)

In response to an online treatise on gay Mormons and how the church deals (or not) with them, a friend responded with the following (JNR — let me know if its okay to post this; I only steal from the best):

The part of Mormon cosmology that claims an exalted destiny involves at least one heterosexual marriage is pretty hard to get around

I agree. And you’re right that it would be a disservice to not address that fact, so I’ll just say this (again this is just my personal belief):

Mormon belief/doctrine/dogma/cosmology is pretty messy and has changed an awful lot since 1830. We’ve changed our position on things like polygamy, blacks and the priesthood, the doctrine of tithing and the organization of church leadership. We’ve changed our policies on what members can/can’t eat and drink (no coffee/tea/alcohol, but it used to be okay to drink beer though not anymore). We no longer observe the doctrine of gathering, and we’ve even changed the content of our most sacred ceremonies several times and so dramatically that people who had been alive 50 years ago wouldn’t recognize our current iterations. We barely even recognize the doctrine of common consent, even though it was pretty obvious that it was a big part of the early church.
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It’s getting tougher to justify the stance of the United States regarding basic human rights.

Brazil’s Supreme Court approves civil unions for gay couples

by Jessica Geen | Pink News

Brazil’s Supreme Court has voted overwhelmingly to give gay couples the right to civil unions.

The panel backed the measure 10-0, with one abstention.

The ruling does not grant gay couples the right to marry, but it will allow “stable” couples the right to benefits enjoyed by straight married people, relating to benefits, inheritance and tax.

They will be able to register their relationships with solicitors or public bodies. Religious and public ceremonies will not be allowed.
(more…)

We went to a house concert last night given by former Catholic seminarian and now traveling singer, Tom Goss.

After the performance, he joined in the with the twenty or so (mostly gay) attendees to mingle, eat a light dinner and converse. I overheard the following:

“What percentage, would you say, of seminarians are gay?” asked one interested man.

Tom responded, “In my seminary, probably ninety percent. Overall, probably seventy,” he continued, “which made it so weird when the Catholic church recently started an [inquisition] to determine if there was ‘homosexual influence’ in the seminaries”.

“So, here are gay cardinals, giving direction to gay bishops, giving direction to gay priests to ask gay seminarians about homosexual influence. I mean, what are they supposed to say? That’s just messed up”.

He went on to say that the overall atmosphere in the seminary was supportive and that the only real issues came from the self-proclaimed “straight” seminarians, “wanting to take you to bed”.