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.
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!
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
Respecting Pronouns - A Simple Way to Save Lives
Lift+Love Transgender Mama Specialist Anita Ervin has compiled an easy-to-understand resource titled “Transgender and Non-Binary Education” that covers many of the basic facts about being transgender or non-binary. It’s great for beginners or anyone who has questions about what it means to be transgender or non-binary. You can find the document on the Lift+Love website in the educate section (under “helpful info”). She covers definitions, pronouns & appropriate verbiage, and more. Check it out - you will learn a lot!
What Do You Do When Church Leaders Give Talks That Are Painful?
It’s okay to acknowledge that church leaders said something that caused you pain. And it’s important to allow yourself to feel it without judgment. Sometimes, as members of the church, we think that in order to be “all in” the gospel we need to be 100% behind what every church leader says from every pulpit. That is simply not true.
To Condone or Not To Condone - That is the Wrong Question
It’s common to talk about condoning as it applies to LGBTQ people (whether they’ve actually done anything wrong or not), but why is this the thing that people feel they are obligated to judge, when there is an endless list of our neighbor’s actions and beliefs we could potentially choose to condone or not condone?
