In this part 1 of a conversation with John Dehlin, Natasha and John discuss his research and findings when it comes to LGBBTQIA and Mix Orientation Relationships. John shares how he came into this field, how he got his data and what findings his data represents.
John Dehlin is a researcher, podcster and social activist. He has a Ph.D. in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Utah State University. You can find out more about his private coaching practice here: http://www.johndehlin.com/privatepractice/
John is also the founder of Mormon Stories Podcast: https://www.mormonstories.org
To help keep Mormon Mental Health going past 2019, please consider donating at mormonmentalhealth.org.
Shannon Hickman joins Natasha on this episode of Sex in the Mormon News for June 2018. They begin the discussion with comments from an article that recently came out in the "Journal of Sex Research" called, "God, I Can't Stop Thinking About Sex! The Rebound Effect in Unsuccessful Suppression of Sexual Thoughts Among Religious Adolescents" where they discuss the research supporting the view that suppressing sexual thought only causes more damage. Natasha and Shannon then revisit the Josh and Lolly Weed blog post, "Turning a Unicorn into a Bat: The Post in Which we Announce the End of Our Marriage" and how this has affected members as well as the LGBTQIA+ community.
To find out more about Shannon's practice, Core Healing Counseling, please go here: http://corehealingcounseling.com/about/
For the article discussed from the "Journal of Sex Research", please go here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2018.1461796
Natasha mentions an episode in which she interviewed BYU professor, Dr. Brian Willoughby. To listen and find out more about the episode, please go here:
https://www.mormonmentalhealth.org/104-byu-study-on-pornanxiety-correlation/
To read the blog posts by Josh and Lolly Weed that Natasha and Shannon reference, you can find them here:
http://joshweed.com/2012/06/club-unicorn-come-closet-ten-year-anniversary/
http://joshweed.com/2018/01/turning-unicorn-bat-post-announce-end-marriage/
As always, in order to keep Mormon Mental Health going past 2018, we ask that you become a donor by going to mormonmentalhealth.org.
For ecclesiastical leaders wondering how to help, please visit Symmetry Solutions and book a free hour consultation: symmetrysols.com
Jim Summers joins Natasha as he discusses his sexual orientation and how it didn’t fit the traditional LDS mold and specifically the impact that it had on him, the choices he made and where he’s at today.
Thank you to all that have donated to Mormon Mental Health. To donate, please go here and consider becoming a monthly supporter: www.mormonmentalhealth.org
Natasha Helfer Parker interviews Duane E. Jennings on the topic of his extensively researched volumes, Stumbling Blocks & Stepping Stones, where he examines the history in Mormonism in regards to the theological and social messages focused on LGBTI+ members. His work and attention to detail is impressive. And his goal is to embolden dialogue so that we can reach a point where this population is not excluded as it is presently from the faith community, rituals, traditions, lifestyle trajectories and even the very plan of salvation.
DUANE E. JENNINGS was born in Mount Pleasant, Utah, and raised in Salt Lake City in a devout LDS family. His parents stressed scripture study, prayer, and meditation as the source of revelation and personal growth. This active mind-and-spirit approach to religion may be attributed to living in an LDS community situated between the University of Utah and Westminster College. He graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor of arts (BA) degree in English and history, and a secondary education teaching certificate (junior high and high school), as well as graduating from the LDS Institute of Religion at the University of Utah. He served his mission in South Africa.
​Duane has been aware of his sexual orientation since about age fourteen and, after confronting what seemed to be the contradictions between being a devoted Latter-day Saint and his sexuality, embraced these contradictions and has transferred his energies into harmonizing the two. He has held leadership positions in the Salt Lake Chapter of Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons and in 1996 received the Mortensen Award, Affirmation’s highest award for excellence in continual service.
​Duane has also represented Affirmation at the National Religious Leadership Roundtable, which supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals in religion. In addition, he edited and published the Salt Lake Affirmation chapter’s newsletter for over 10 years, and was religion/spirituality editor and writer (1994-1996) for The Pillar magazine (Utah’s LGBT Magazine (published from 1993-2007)). In 2000 Duane worked with an Episcopal minister and Metropolitan Community Church ministers and together started what has become the annual Pride Interfaith Service that kicks off the annual Utah Pride events each June.
​A sixth-generation Mormon, Duane proudly claims his spiritual place in creation and his relationship with God, in spite of limitations in religious traditions, including Mormonism.