Gay Mormons Book by Brent Kirby

So I've started reading this book over the weekend. I knew it existed because I've met Brent and he told me about it. I hesitated getting it at first because I honestly thought it was more of a book about how to be Gay, Mormon and stay fully committed to the LDS Church which in my mind if it works for someone, more power to them-- but since it isn't the path I've chosen it didn't really have much meaning to me.

However, after thinking about it I opened it and recognized names of people I've met through the Moho (Mormon/Homosexual) community. Some of these people have become dear and close friends and well I couldn't help to start reading their stories--sounds a bit voyeuristic--maybe it is but if they agreed to write them then it is all good, no?. Now a lot of the people that are on the stories I've met while this book was being put together so I've seen their own personal outcomes and "end product" of sorts, but for the vast majority of them I didn't quite know how they got there. Needless to say reading about their initial realizations, angst, coming out, acceptance and moving on stories are not for the faint of heart and they're most definitely heart-wrenching.

So I've only been reading one or two stories at a time, that's probably all I can handle in one sitting, but I'm glad in a way I can read their stories and 'know them' a little better, perhaps understand them a little better and admire them even more for having the guts to be so public. I personally don't anticipate having any change of heart on my end and my situation with the LDS church but if anything reading people's stories make me realize how differently we all look at things, how we process them and the very many conclusions we all arrive as we navigate through life and well, that's a pretty cool thing in my mind!