The Effects of Discrimination
Many effects have happened on many different kinds of people ever since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changed their policy concerning the LGBTQ community in 2015. In this article you will see different different influences, opinions, and perspectives on the change and the results there of.
In the video, it's seems there is a correlation between discrimination in the church and the rise in Youth suicides.
Ask the Community
From a the public's perspective, responses to the following question have been recorded:
“With the suicides of lds, lgbt youth continually increasing since the change in church policy in Nov 2015, is it safe to say the children of lgbt individuals are being protected like the policy change intended? do you think there is any correlation between the suicides and the policy change? Do you personally believe the policy change is fair to the lgbt children? If you read to the end without disgust of me asking such questions and are open minded, please comment your opinion to the questions above. I'm doing a school project that calls for your feedback on this issue. Thanks!”
1) “I think it's incredibly insensitive for anyone to believe the policy change and the recent rise in lgbtq suicides are not connected. LGBTQ people who live within the church's rules have an incredibly difficult life fighting their attractions and their faith at every major and minor life decision. To brand perfectly normal people apostates for simply living their most natural selves is nowhere near the idea of Christ-like love.”
2) “I would need to read an article or something relating to this but if I am understanding this right...does this policy have something to do with the LGBT community? I mean in the situation it sounds more like the correlation thing between a summer day where ice cream sales go up as well as road rages increases.
I personally am not religious so as far as religion go I do not really have a personal statement but as a LGBT supporter (and if I am reading this correctly), with LGBT it has always been a struggle especially through religion. Is it fair to the children that are LGBT? No...because no matter what, LGBT is still looked down upon by those who do not understand that these are still human beings.”
3) “Even before this policy, the church certainly played a role in LGBT suicides and policy change certainly exacerbated the problem. The church is filled with systematic homophobia. It's built right into doctrine and policy in addition to the culture surrounding the church. A conversion therapist was invited to BYU-Idaho, only 27% of Mormons support marriage equality, etc. Trans individuals in particular are denied entry into the temple and are barred from any ceremonies that match their gender identity, that is if they're not just excommunicated.
Besides that, what future does the church offer gay and lesbian individuals? Stay celibate and miserable, unable to express any romantic attraction they feel? Enter into a miserable, unloving heterosexual marriage to go through the temple? Embrace their sexuality to, at best, face passive-aggressive disapproval from their family and community or, at worst, be completely disowned?
The policy released in November 2015 was not willingly released by the church; it was released because Handbook 1 was leaked to the public. I think the justification of protecting children was a cover to justify the policy after the leak. In March 2015, Christofferson stated in a KUTV interview that church members are free to support same-sex marriage without fear of any religious punishment. However, Handbook 1 states that upon turning 18, the children of same-sex couples are required to "specifically disavow" same-sex marriage in order to be baptized. Why is it that the group that has one of the biggest reasons to support same-sex marriage is also the group forbidden from supporting it?”
4) “I wouldn't say the suicides are directly related to the policy changes but rather the culture and general attitudes towards the lgbtq community and individuals that has always existed. Though those changes certainly add to that.”
5) “Correlation or causality? Is LDS teen suicide on the rise or do people notice it more and associate it with the policy?
We live in a completely non-lds area, over 1700 students in the high school with less than 15 lds students (active and not active). In our area teen suicide is alarmingly high, but has absolutely nothing to do with the lds religion. Being objective I have to wonder if the Nov 2015 policy regarding children of same-sex couples is really the cause of suicide. I'm not in Utah so I don't know what is going on there, I just know suicide is on the rise in my neck of the woods too and isn't attributed to any religious policy.”
6) “I would say yes if it were the parents of a LGBT were told to disavow their child or be excommunicated but it's not. So I say No! I'm saying that also because why would you want to raise a child in a same sex marriage, in a religion that would do that to you as a parent. You wouldn't. I also don't think some LGBT teen is looking into the future saying; I can't raise a child with my spousal unit because he/she will never talk to me again when they're baptized so I'm just going to end it now! Nope!”
7) “Yes. The suicides are an individual problem with that person and should not affect the children except in the loss of a loved one. The person committing the sucide has chemical imbalance or a mental disease undetected. We had a young man who lived across the street from us and was active LDS'S who had problems from the time he was born who committed sucide because he could not logicaly think through sitituations. My oldest son also had a active LDS friend who committed suicide but his was due to family problems. I do not feel that there is any correlation between the suicide victim and the church policy. The policy did not say that the children could not attend the church of there choice but I feel the problem arises because the lLBGT choose not to live the culture of the nation which states that one man and one women married constitues a family . All the church said was that children of LGBT'S should wait until they are of legal age to choose what life style they want. Children follow the example of caregivers and parents .
They learn by modeling their behavior. Yes the policy is fair and very loving in giving the children a chance to compare the life style they have grown up with and the LDS Church. The LDS Church is an organization and those who want to belong must abide by the Churchs laws. The LBGT'S want to pick and choose what laws they want to live instead of abiding by all the laws of the church. It is not a constitutional right that the LGBT'S try to make the church conform to their way of thinking as hard as they try to push their agenda. Also every socialst will tell you that these type of people will always blame someone else for their problems to satisfy what they are doing and are unable to take responsibilty for their own actions.”
As you can see, I received a variety of comments to my post. There were supportive, opposed, and there was even a neutral comment. Though a small portion of the population that could be sampled, these responses can give us a general idea of the different ways people can feel about the policy change. I particularly requested that if someone were to post, they be open-minded about the subject. The question was straight forward and caused for a good discussion.
But the fact of the matter is that discrimination from within the church is taking place and it needs to stop. Many claim that multiple of these LGBTQ teen suicides are a direct result of the policy change. The policy itself won't kill anyone, but the way people treat others can have it's impact, even to the point of someone desiring to take their own live.
LGBTQ people are still people. If they were a friend before, they should still be your friend even after a policy was changed. Don't follow the ignorant mindset, by doing so, you may just save a live.
