When this Mormon man decided to come out to his family and friends, he did the obvious thing: recorded their reactions, and turned it into a YouTube video…. As you do.
But their reactions were not what you would expect. Watch the clip below.
The man behind the video, Jimmy Hale, says that people have reacted to his coming out positively, and “reached out with love, understanding and empathy”.
“The doctrine of the Mormon church isn’t going to change. But members of the church are changing, in that they are becoming more understanding of those of us who are gay and Mormon.”
The most interesting part of the story is that, as a gay Mormon, Jimmy must remain celibate for life. His feelings about that: “Sucks!”
Jimmy doesn’t speak about his celibacy at length in the video – other than to ask that people be kind, as “us gay Mormons are already very lonely” – but he also appeared recently on American television program Say Anything!, to talk about how his sexuality coexists with his faith.
“The whole being celibate and openly gay thing doesn’t sit well with a lot of people,” Hales told Say Anything guest host Nancy Giles. “And frankly, I can’t blame them.”
Giles presses Hales on his gay-but-celibate future, asking if he’s really OK with his fate.
“Yes,” replies Hales tentatively. “I’m willing to endure this life. It’s going to be horrible and it’s going to suck. I’m going to be lonely, and no one wants that. But I believe in the end, it’ll be worth it.”
Hale is so earnest and lovely that you hope he finds his way through this ‘test’ – he says, “this test is a preeeetty big one” – with his optimism intact. His sister also has YouTube channel called ‘What Mormons Believe’, although she hasn’t yet tackled the subject of homosexuality.
What do you think of Jimmy’s ‘coming out’ project? What about the idea of celibacy for life?
Top Comments
Does anyone else think it is a strange term & action to 'come out' and announce you're gay? Just seems the notion of it serves to only exacerbate the (backwards) thought that being gay is an anomaly. I guess I find it strange because I think if someone is gay it's similar to something as normal as having brown hair. But I guess it's a sign of the times that people announce it because others don't automatically assume it's an option? Would be interested in hearing the thoughts of others on this...
I completely agree with you! I am a straight female but I don't care who my friends or family love or sleep with, so long as they're happy!!! I hope for a day when it just doesn't matter, that a child can take a new partner home and no one cares whether they're same or opposite gender! I hope for a day when anyone, anywhere can walk proudly down the street with their partner, get married, have children and that the ONLY thing that matters is that they're happy :)
I'll keep dreaming
This makes me want to cry. A life without romantic love. I grew up a mormon......I didn't leave for this reason specifically but this breaks my heart.