May 27, 2015
In 2008 Mormon mother of five, Wendy Montgomery, was asked by her Bishop to work to support California’s Proposition 8 (prohibiting same-sex marriage). She never imagined that her oldest son was gay. He came out to her and her husband four years later, at 13 years old. There was never any question in Wendy’s mind that she would continue to love, support, and celebrate her son. Looking back, she deeply regretted working on Prop 8.
“My involvement in actively working to take away the rights of others in 2008 still leaves me filled with shame. I will forever regret my part in Prop 8, and I know I still have much to atone for. Because of our actions, my son (and many others) believed that his parents and his church hated gay people.
Though her son felt he had to leave the church, she stayed on, in order to speak up and actively work to support LGBT people in the LDS church, and help parents of LGBT kids understand their role is to love their kids. Period.
“Above all, I have learned one simple truth: STAYING SILENT SERVES NO ONE. Staying silent doesn’t serve my son, my family, the LGBT community, my conscience, or my Savior. It only perpetuates the problem, and does nothing to lessen the pain and injustices experienced by so many that I love.”
Read more in this Huffington Post article.
posted by Marg Herder
