Growing up gay in Utah County under the shadow of the Mormon church was definitely a unique experience. I was always pretty vocal about the fact that I was attracted to men. When I was 16, all of my friends knew and none of them cared. I generally had a feeling of acceptance and love from my immediate circle of friends. When I was 25, I finally came out to my parents. … [Read more...]
Inclusion of LBGTQ Community in Utah’s Public Schools
“Lowering Utah’s staggering student suicide rate through an inclusive educational environment is not, and should not be considered inherently political.” That was part of a statement from Utah high school student Em Jenkins speaking at a Utah State Board of Education (USBE) meeting in January of this year. Jenkins was advocating for the use of students’ preferred pronouns … [Read more...]