lift+love recommendations for you
9 things to consider - protests
Many protests, vigils, and memorials across the country occur peacefully, but unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. There are inherent physical safety and legal risks that are important to consider with any of these types of gatherings, and the risks are prominent in the current political climate.
Only you can determine when/if it’s appropriate for you to attend a protest. No matter what, it’s important to keep yourself and loved ones as safe as possible in every situation. And part of that is knowing your rights and where you can turn for assistance.
These tips are based on “The Trevor Project - Navigating Personal Safety while Taking Action as an LGBTQ Young Person by: Danielle Ehsanipour (they/them), Director of Lifeline, The Trevor Project & Paloma Woo (she/her), Senior Crisis Services Manager, The Trevor Project.
This information is meant to help people consider options to make the safest decisions for themselves if they are considering attending a protest. “It is up to you to learn about and abide by laws specific to your state, how to express yourself online or at vigils and protests, and to decide how comfortable you are with publicly sharing parts of your identity.”
These tips and suggestions are not a replacement for legal advice. If you need legal advice or assistance, please contact a lawyer.
Online dating safety for LGBTQ+ teens
Download this free pdf with these 6 tips for online dating safety for LGBTQ+ teens
LGBTQ+ teens are at higher risk for being victimized online (see slides for details!) and it's not uncommon for teens to pretend to be older on dating apps (which can lead to additional risks). This is why it's important for all youth (and their parents!) to understand the risks of online dating and know how to be smart online... These practical tips are actually great ideas for anyone who may be considering online dating (including non-LGBTQ folks and adults!), but since LGBTQ+ teens are especially vulnerable to being targeted online, we are presenting these tips especially to help LGBTQ+ youth stay safe.
Download this free pdf with these 6 tips (see slides!) for online dating safety (free pdf download - see link in bio linktree) OR comment DATING and we'll send it to you by dm. We've got 6 great tips for staying safe online - especially in online dating or dating-adjacent situations, where the people you meet might not be everything that they seem.
Please share this important information with your youth friends and parents, leaders, mentors, and teachers. Even if you or your teen aren't online dating now, education is the key to preventing potential problems in the future! The more we know about teen online dating (and especially LGBTQ+ teen online dating), the better you will be able to build healthy relationships and avoid potential problems if you do decide to date online.
You deserve to be safe and you are worthy of love.
Crayon Analogy (understanding modern LGBTQ terms you're not used to) - Allison Dayton
Lift+Love founder Allison Dayton uses crayon analogy to help explain why it's sometimes difficult for older generations to understand LGBTQ identities and terms. To find resources for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and their parents, relatives, leaders, friends, and allies, please visit www.liftandlove.org for online support groups, LGBTQ terms, F.A.Q., family stories, podcast episodes, and more!
pride month 101 - pride for beginners!
Are you new to the LGBTQ+ community or just looking for information about Pride Month? We’ve got answers to some of the most common questions about Pride Month - What is Pride Month about? Why does Pride get a whole month? What’s the deal with pride flags and parades? Whats the deal with the rainbow? Isn’t Pride a bad thing? Is being LGBTQ+ something to celebrate! Find answers in our free downloadable pdf here!
Can I still have an influence my child? Video by Parenting in the Wilderness
In this short video, Anita from @parenting_in_the_wilderness explains how a parent can still have an influence on their child, even though they can’t control their choices. How do you want to show up in your child’s life?
Choosing Between Faith and Family? - Parenting in the Wilderness
Anita from @parenting_in_the_wilderness explains why you don’t have to choose between faith and family.
Lunch with the Renlunds - A blog post by the Nerdy Gay Mormon (David Doyle)
David Doyle @nerdygaymormon (one of the hosts of the Lift+Love LGBTQ+ Adult Support Community) has a new blog post about his recent experience having lunch with Elder Dale G. Renlund and Sister Renlund:
“I had the opportunity to meet Elder & Sister Renlund. They were cute. Elder Renlund said something, then his wife didn’t exactly correct him, but pointed out his words could mean this or that. I commented it’s obvious she’s a talented lawyer. She looked amused and he said it’s true.
Sister Renlund apologized and said we were going to eat in a little cafeteria, and the food is fine but nothing to write home about. It’s a place we can go without being constantly interrupted. I’m thinking, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Are we about to eat in the Church Administration cafeteria? The most exclusive spot in town?!!”
Weddings
The wedding of Devin and Jake was literally full of loved ones who flew from all over the world to celebrate their marriage. It was a perfect day.
Many of the people pictured here are not active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and some are not members at all. WHAT IF they had purposefully not come to the wedding because they didn’t want anyone to think they approved of where (or how) the happy couple were getting married?
I hear about so many members who question if they should go and support the weddings of their LGBTQ family or friends.
What if some of these people in this wedding photo had decided not to come to this traditional LDS temple wedding because they were worried about the message their attendance would send? Was their attendance ever interpreted by us to mean that they agree with our beliefs and where the marriage was taking place? Or did it simply mean that they love my family? Without each of them, would this photo still be a reminder of a perfect day, or would the holes of those missing loved ones forever remind us of those who stayed away because of differences in beliefs?
I am grateful for those, not of our faith tradition, who waited on the grounds of the temple as my baby was sealed to her honey inside, and then joined us on those gorgeous stairs for a priceless memory of our greatest day ever - Allison
Can Latter-day Saints Support Gay Marriage?
In this video, Lift+Love Founder Allison Dayton explains why Latter-day Saints Support Gay Marriage. Her explanation includes quotes and video clips from Elder D. Todd Christofferson.
Why Does Pride Get an Entire Month? - Video by Allison Dayton
In this video, Lift+Love Founder Allison Dayton answers a common question - Why does Pride Month lasts an entire month (when many other celebrations/holidays like Mother’s Day only last one day)?
MAY 2024 LIFT+LOVE HEARTH FIRESIDE - IDENTITY AND LANGUAGE OF BELONGING
MAY 2024 LIFT+LOVE (UTAH) HEARTH FIRESIDE - IDENTITY AND LANGUAGE OF BELONGING
Heterosexual Marriage for Those Who Experience Same-Sex Attraction? (CHURCH WEBSITE)
D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON: “We don’t counsel people that heterosexual marriage is a panacea. You’ll see in some of these experiences that are related on this site that it has been a successful experience in a few cases, or some have expressed the success they have found in marriage and in raising a family and the joy and all that has filled out and blessed their lives as a consequence. But that, we know, is not always true. And it’s not always successful. Sometimes it’s been even disastrous. We think it’s something that each person can evaluate, and they can discuss both with priesthood leaders and family and others and make decisions. But we simply don’t take a uniform position of saying, ‘Yes, always,’ or ‘No, always’” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Purpose of This Website,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Are There Restrictions on Church Participation for Gay Members? (CHURCH WEBSITE)
D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON: “Someone who is adhering to the norm of chastity—someone who is following the covenants and the standards, teachings of the gospel of Christ, though they may be dealing with same-sex attraction—really there is no reason they cannot be fully participative, that they can’t be a full-fledged member of the Church and hold callings and speak and enter the temple and serve there, and all the other opportunities and blessings that can come from Church membership will be available to them”
How Can I Help Gay Church Members Feel Loved, Welcomed, and Inspired at Church? (CHURCH WEBSITE)
CAROL F. MCCONKIE: “It is so important that we understand, first of all, that everyone is in a different place along the path and that we develop an awareness of the people that are around us. I know people who come to church every Sunday so that they can be inspired and uplifted and who just simply walk away feeling judged and unloved and unneeded, like there is no place for them at church. We need to do this differently. We need to be deeply aware of what the purpose of coming to church on Sunday is and make sure that everyone who comes feels loved, needed, accepted, and lifted. Everybody has struggles we don’t even know about. And it’s so important that we be aware that everyone around us is loved of God and that we need to see them through Christlike eyes. And we cannot allow judgment to dictate the way we interact with people. It’s just simply not right. I feel that the Lord places us where we are and connects us with the people around us for a purpose…
LGBTQ Church Members - How Do I Minister to the One? (Church Website)
JEAN B. BINGHAM: “When you focus on the one, you can really lift and strengthen. I have had the opportunity to visit different areas of the world. And we have attended church in many different wards and branches. And until you’ve seen people that are different than you, in lots of different ways, I think it is easy to get focused on a very narrow segment and feel like that’s the only way to be. I think when we get outside ourselves, when we consider others, it helps us realize that we are all a family, our family of Heavenly Father. …Someone might say, ‘Well, I don’t have a need for other people.’ But maybe they have a need for you. When you choose to put yourself out there, you are blessing someone else’s life”
How Can I Help Those In My Ward/Stake Feel Loved/Valued/Needed? (CHURCH WEBSITE)
D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON: “It breaks my heart if someone comes and is very vulnerable and says, ‘I want to try it. I want to be here,’ and then get a cold shoulder or a lack of interest. And that’s tragic. It really is tragic. We have to be better than that…The diversity we find now in the Church may be just the beginning. Frankly, I think we will see greater and greater diversity. In the ancient Church there was tremendous diversity. And it’s not just diversity for diversity’s sake but the fact that people can bring different gifts and perspectives, and the wide range of experience and backgrounds and challenges that people face will show us what really is essential in the gospel of Christ. And that much of the rest, that has been perhaps acquired over time and is more cultural than doctrinal, can slip away and we can really learn to be disciples” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Is There a Place for Me?” ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
How Can I Include or Reach Out? (Church Website)
QUENTIN L COOK: “As a church, nobody should be more loving and compassionate. … Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion, and outreach. … Let’s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender…No family who has anybody who has a same-gender issue should exclude them from the family circle. They need to be part of the family circle” (Quentin L. Cook, “Let Us Be at the Forefront,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
