#gather conference

[nerdygaymormon]

Artwork at the 2024 Gather Conference

The corridor at the conference had many art pieces on display. Here's the ones I liked the most. (I apologize to the artists of the pieces I didn't get their name nor a description of their work)

A Seat at the Table by Rachel Jensen

Rachel says that a gay man she follows shared a quote from his journal, “I feel like everyone says there is a seat at the table for God’s gay children, but nobody actually knows where it is. So instead I just stand here, hoping that seat appears before my legs give out.” That quote inspired this art. She wanted to show a table where LGBTQ people already have a seat and are no longer relegated to the margins. Each person in this painting is wearing colors representing a different pride flag.

Off To the Side by Steven Handley

Steven says that we queer folks often fall through the cracks or use the cracks to get through. Looking at this piece of art straight on, you miss the rainbow. The colors, like queer folks, are there, you just have to be open to seeing them.

Always by Sarah McDonald

Sarah says explains that holding space inevitably calls for change. For an expansion. For growing outwards, upwards, and inwards. Like a rainbow, change makes space for every color. Always.

Confronting Bisexual Erasure by Ashley Whitlock

Ashley is married to a man and could easily live a straight passing life. However, it's important to be her whole self. Holding back part of her was not helping her feel her authentic self. There are a LOT of bisexual people in the church who probably feel they are too straight for the gays and a bit too gay for the straights. She wants people to feel seen and to recognize that bisexuality is valid.

[hyacinthsdiamonds]

Niki Lauda would be so fucking proud of Max, I just know it

[vaguely-concerned]

I don't know what I love more, the fact that as rook you can make a statement in NO uncertain terms that you are NOT responsible one way or the other for the theological implications of the shit you're discovering in the 'regrets of the dread wolf' memories. not my jurisdiction. quite simply none of my business. not my chantry circus not my chantry monkeys. irrelevant to the matter at hand here we'll kill that god if we get to him he can get in line. or if the best thing about it is seeing the lone little 'lucanis approves' that pops up right after choosing it. corvid with a knife about to commit deicide keeping it real and sensibly, pragmatically, wilfully agnostic with me here in this magical lighthouse today

[loveerran]

We sang "Be Still My Soul" in church today.

Songs like this one hit a bit differently when one is queer.

[astraystayyh]

no triggering images in this video

reminder that the genocide is still ongoing in Gaza, these are the people we speak up for, these are the people Israel is "defending itself' against, these are the young children who will have unimaginable psychological scars, who carry a burden beyond words on their shoulders. don't stop talking about what's going on, don't stop boycotting, don't stop pressuring your governors, this isn't over yet, please please don't treat this as a trend.

[wombatwisdom]

Today I attended the first day of the Gather Conference in Provo, Utah. Roughly 1300 lgbtq+ individuals, family members and allies attended the event making it one of the largest conferences (if not the largest) bridging the gulf between the mormon church and the LGBTQ+ community.

My feelings are still forming, but I think the first day was a success! The opening session consisted of musical numbers, speeches (including Steve Young), and even a new song by Janice Kapp-Perry (which in Mormon circles is quite the get). The second session had break out rooms for LGBTQ+ individuals, parents and family, and allies and leaders. These breakout rooms had speakers and panelists.

While each speaker and panelist spoke on different subjects, a few key ideas jumped out for me:

1. Dissonance isn't bad but usually allows us to move forward.

2. Decisions in life should be made in earnest based on careful consideration in collaboration with the Savior, not because someone else told you how to live or due to societal pressures.

3. Love is not a transaction. We should act in love without expectation of anything in response.

4. The LGBTQ+ community is diverse and there is no singular "correct" way to be LGBTQ+ and Mormon. Respect for everyone's journey is a necessity.

5. Inclusion of other marginalized people should be something we are advocating for in positions of privilege we have.

6. Sharing your story is important.

‐---------------------‐-----------------------------------------

For me this conference was important. It was the first time wearing a dress in public as a trans-femme person. I was probably overdressed but the joy and comfort of wearing a dress in public for the first time was amazing (gender euphoria is a lovely thing).

A kind Transwoman noticed me not really talking to anyone during a break during one of the sessions and she came over and talked to me. I didn't really know what to say or how to keep the conversation afloat but while halting, we had a lovely conversation and it was really nice to have some reach out.

I was impressed with the sheer number of people at the conference. It made me feel so much less alone. There were many of us, all gathered together trying to make our spirituality and our identities work. And it was beautiful.

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I left today more emotional than I expected. I reflected on my thoughts on connection and community. I reflected on my personal views of who I want to be and how I will continue to engage with the Church.

I was struck with how wonderful it is to talk of love, kindness, and personal healing, but it still feels like not enough in the face of an institution that is not willing to make space for us. There is a lot of pain, trauma and hurt in our community and the tears from Leaders seems to be more due to us simply existing than the hardships they impose or endorse.

But this conference isn't going to be able to do anything about church politics, so it is doing what it can--showing love and support and reminding us of just how many of us there are.

We aren't alone. We are part of a community. And maybe, hopefully, I can believe that change will come to the church eventually.

[spiltcandycoatedpunkblood]

just so you know how normal the UK is, left wing climate change activists and anti-monarchy protesters are getting jail time and beaten for simply holding up banners and being considered disruptive whilst right wing bullshitters against shit like ULEZ (literally about having areas that are specifically for ultra low emissions so we, y'know, don't constantly have to breathe in fucking car fumes and other pollutants because some fucking people actually bizarrely want to???) and road safety limits EVEN FUCKING RIGHT NEAR SCHOOLS are driving basically massive vehicles through the streets and are not considered a disruptive protest

[chantalstacys]

.

[seithr]

Randomly remembered the half-reason i call my oc-verse by the name it has while laying in bed. One-half of the reason i still knew, but I had forgotten what had truly, really cemented it jointly until now

(it was a song from my favourite band I haven't listened to in a while.)

(the song fit so well at the time, still does, that i needed to hold onto it for the main protagonists forever, by partially naming their story in reference.)

Does this explanation make any sense? Does anyone know why I'm tearing up remembering this. Aahh

[gxlden-angels]

One of these days I will write about the nuances of The Black Church and how it acted both as a force for good; providing food, shelter, and community to those in need from slavery onward, and as a force for destruction, actively treating drug addicts and LGBT people as diseases and cutting them off from that sanctuary. I should do it at my most powerful (Now during BHM) but alas.....

[flourescencia]

anytime I find out people aren't boycotting I'm truly perplexed l was hanging out with my girlfriend's friends yesterday and one of them mentioned eating a McDonalds burger when they were hangover and I genuinely just stood there quiet for a few seconds before I could retake the conversation

[nerdygaymormon]

Thoughts from Gather Conference

The first speaker at the Gather Conference was Dr. Greg Peterson, president of Salt Lake Community College. He described the model of a community college, which has a 100% acceptance rate, low tuition costs, and recognizes that not all students will get a degree but may be there just for a few classes or taking one class at a time as that's all their life can handle. A university, especially an elite one, has a low acceptance rate and a prescribed ways for how students should progress through school and earn a degree. It is designed for elite students who are likely to succeed in this model.

Gathering Zion should be more like a community college. It feels like Jesus runs a community college while our church runs an elite university as it caters to those who are likely to complete the covenant path without much to offer those whose life doesn't fit its model. As a queer person, I absolutely know what it feels like to not feel like I'm wanted or welcome at church because I'm don't fit the model and not likely (according to the leaders) to reach the highest heaven.

Jenn Blosil, who was a contestant on American Idol, is quite humorous and she performed a beautiful arrangement of the song "All Are Alike unto God." I hope her version gets released, otherwise I'm gonna have to rip an mp3 when the video is released.

In her presentation, Liv Mendoza Haynes commented "You can't parent a child who is gone" as part of talking about how parents need to be loving and affirming of their LGBTQ children because the consequences of rejecting this part of them has serious consequences. She also said when Jesus was suffering in the Garden, He didn't suffer for people simply because they're LGBT because that's not something to repent of, it isn't wrong.

I believe it was David Butler who said that being an LGBTQ Latter-day Saint is making communion out of contradiction. Many people think the two are incompatible yet we exist.

When we feel safe with others, we let down our guard and enter healing.

These next few quotes are something an individual (I can't remember her name) said to me.

"What do we know of God? One who creates and mentors. When we engage in acts of creativity and creation, when we engage in encouraging and including and loving others, that's when we're likely to feel the Divine."

"When we hide in the closet, when we hide who we are, we are hiding our light. Once there's a crack and we let someone know our secret that we're queer, the bright light comes flooding out of that crack. In a way, it is a birth. As we learn not to hid ourselves, we learn to see and be ourselves, to introduce ourselves to the world."

Someone asked, "Who is the protagonist of the Restoration? Is it Joseph Smith? Moroni? Neither, WE are!"

Dr. Lisa Diamond from the University of Utah shared some information from her research. Being a minority can feel like being threatened, we spend our time being on guard and feeling stressed. This causes our bodies to produce inflammation because that's useful if we might be wounded. But if there's not a physical wound, inflammation causes damage. As a result, minorities often suffer chronic health problems at high rates, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and many other problems.

A panelist said that there's not a faith stronger than people who come despite knowing they aren't wanted. If there is a parable to exemplify this type of faith exhibited by queer people, it is the woman touching the fringe of Jesus' clothes.

[bubmyg]

my boss and i should not be allowed to attend public meetings together

[ladymazzy]

Watch "Jacob Rees-Mogg accidentally tells the truth about voter ID gerrymandering | The News Agents" on YouTube

Oh nothing, just Rees-Mogg casually admitting that the tory voter ID legislation was an attempt to gerrymander

(that also backfired because as well as being chronically evil, parliamentary tories are fundamentally disconnected from their core voter base. Somehow it didn't occur to them that in attempting to disenfranchise the poor, the young & ethnic minorities, they would also disenfranchise jingoistic parochial nimbys who never leave their shire because cities are too full of 'foreigners')

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[frettchanstudios]

My illustration, (recently titled "Gaaḵ (Raven)") which was commissioned by the @endangeredlanguagesproject based on the theme of language revitalization will be on display at the International Conference on Linguistics Communication 2023, starting tomorrow. The event is held on @gather_town, a very cool digital space that gives total video game vibes and you can interact with me, view the artwork, and/or read about it. I'll be popping in and out over the course of the multi-day event.