Queer Mormons: An Intersection

By Mallory Frame

Topic Of Interest

The topic that I am choosing to explore through my project is the intersection between queer identities and Mormonism. My research question is "In what ways do the conservative teachings on gender, family, and sexuality of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints impact the mental health, self identity, and relationship to faith of queer Mormons?" This research question holds significance because it is examining the ways in which these teachings impact the realities of queer individuals within the Mormon faith, including their mental health, emotional wellbeing, and ultimately their relationship with religion. Since this is a broader topic, I will be narrowing it down to three main areas of focus (impact on mental health, relationship to faith, and self identity). This question is answerable in the way that any sociological question is "answerable"- since I am exploring the lived experiences of individuals, there will never be one "answer" to my question. Rather, by doing research I will be able to identify themes and explore the variety of ways a queer Mormon might navigate their identity and the types of challenges they may face. When this information is presented together, hopefully it will create a fuller picture of what the realities of queer Mormons may look like, while leaving lots of room for the inevitable nuance of a topic like this. While doing my research, I have found two types of sources on the topic of queer Mormons- research studies and anthologies/personal accounts. In my project, I hope to bridge the two and offer a new perspective that combines statistical evidence and personal accounts.

Research Summary

I researched the intersection of queer identities and the Mormon Church, focusing on the ways that mental health, relationship to faith, and self identity are impacted in order to understand how the conservative nature of Mormonism influences the lives of queer individuals. I wanted to understand how people navigate it when two major parts of their identity (sexuality/gender expression and religion) seem to contradict one another, which I believe is occurring in this case, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has explicitly condemned many aspects of queerness, including gay marriage and gender queerness as a whole. These Church policies and doctrines have a strong influence on Mormon culture, and when these two factors are combined a conservative environment is created. The goal of my research was to understand how this impacts the lives of queer Mormons and shapes their lived experiences. I approached this question in two ways: analytical studies and sociological observations. The first allowed for me to get physical data on the impact being a queer Mormon has on mental health and self identity. The second approach allowed for me to see how this manifests in the actual lives of these individuals. It is important to note that this topic is inherently nuanced. Every single experience will be different, and my research and the claims that I make are not representative of the experiences of every queer Mormon, but are rather based on the conclusions I have drawn based on the stories I have heard and the research I have done. Additionally, not every queer Mormon would agree with my statement that the Church of Latter-Day Saints is oppressive towards queerness. For some, that has not been the case, and it is likely they would disagree with some of the conclusions I have drawn. However, my research does not focus on these individuals, but rather primarily focuses on the overwhelming majority of queer Mormons who have faced unique struggles due to this intersection of identity.

With this understanding, I have broken down my findings into three main areas of impact on the lives of these individuals: impact on mental health, impact on self identity, and impact on relationship to faith. All three of these areas have been profoundly impacted by the intersectionality of being queer and Mormon. Statistical evidence shows that mental health struggles are increased in this demographic. Self identity is impacted in multiple ways. Statistically speaking, self esteem is decreased, likely due to the conflict between the teachings of the Church and self identity. As a result, many people find themselves internally struggling with this self identity, which can be seen in the suppression of their queerness or internalized homophobia or transphobia. Often, it is not until later in life that queer Mormons explore this aspect of themselves, due to a belief that being queer is wrong, unnatural, or simply not something they themselves could be, which is rooted in the teachings of the Church. It is at this point that the relationship to faith comes into play. While I cannot conclude that all queer Mormons consider or have a desire to leave their faith after coming out (although some do) it can be deduced that claiming their queer identity does alter their relationship to faith in some way in nearly every case.

My research is relevant to this course because it explores the intersectionality between queer identities and religion within the context of Mormonism, and this is a foundational understanding of our discussions. Within my research, I have advanced the understanding of queer Mormons by combining analytical and observational studies to form a cohesive look at what it really looks like to be a queer Mormon today. Since Mormonism is a relatively new religion that is deeply shaped by the political landscape of America and is consistently altering policies and teachings, it is necessary that we continue to explore this intersection as it evolves. This research project is reflective of the lives of queer Mormons in this era of time, and it is likely that it will continue to change as the world progresses.

Artist Statement

I chose to present my research in the form of a social media post, highlighting quotes/information I found to be the most significant for each area of impact. I included quotes from queer Mormons that I thought would be the most representative of the general themes I identified for each subtopic, because I felt it was important to center the voices of those who have lived experience with the intersection between queer identity and Mormonism. I believe that by formatting this in a social media post, it becomes more accessible for people outside of the narrow demographic that is familiar with this topic due to personal proximity and experience. Hopefully by doing this, people will start to have conversations about this intersectionality, and the experiences of these individuals will be recognized. I combined quotes with summarized data, to paint an overall picture of the ways queer identities and Mormonism intersect. It is intentional that the quotes do not necessarily share the same perspective. This is because queer Mormons do not all share the same perspective or experiences.