Homosexuality has been publicly discussed by top leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church)—Mormonism's largest denomination—since the late 19th century. The frequency of teachings on same-sex sexual activity increased starting in the late 1950s. Most discussion focuses on male homosexuality and rarely mentions lesbianism or bisexuality. Below is a timeline of notable speeches, publications, and policies in the LDS church on the topic of homosexuality.
1890s to the 1950s
1897 – First Presidency member George Q. Cannon used the media attention on the 1895 conviction and two-year imprisonment of famed Irish poet Oscar Wilde as an opportunity to publicly condemn homosexual behavior as an abominable, filthy, nameless crime. He continued stating that the only way to stop homosexuals was for God to wipe them out. 1952 – An increase in US public discourse around homosexuality in the McCarthyist Lavender scare era contributed to the first explicit mention of the topic in general conference. The apostle Clark lamented homosexuality was found among men and women, and that homosexual people exercised great influence in shaping culture. 1958 – General authority Bruce R. McConkie published Mormon Doctrine, in which he stated that homosexuality is among Lucifer's chief means of leading souls to hell, and that it is better to be dead clean, than alive unclean. The book was viewed by many both then and now as representing official church doctrine despite never being endorsed by the church.
1960s
1964 – The apostle Spencer W. Kimball called homosexuality a malady, disease, and an abominable and detestable crime against nature that was curable by self mastery. He cited one lay bishop (a businessman by trade) assigned by the church to administer a program of sexual orientation change efforts through which he claimed there had been numerous "cures." He said the police, the courts, and the judges had referred many individuals directly to the church.
1965 – Kimball again addressed homosexuality calling it a gross, heinous, obnoxious, abominable, vicious sin. He stated that those with homosexual desires were like alcoholics and could correct and overcome their desires. In the BYU speech he stated the university will not knowingly enroll nor tolerate anyone with homosexual tendencies who failed to repent, and that it was a damnable heresy for a homosexual person to say God made them that way. He also stated that sometimes masturbation was an introduction to homosexuality.. Transcript reprint with permission by the Mental Health Resource Foundation at mentalhealthlibrary.info. Note: References to homosexuality were removed in the reprinted version of the speech in the 1972 book compilation of Kimball's speeches "Faith Precedes the Miracle." 1965 – Ernest L. Wilkinson, addressed the BYU student body implementing a ban on students with homosexual feelings since he believed they "contaminated" the campus.
1968 – An update to the church handbook contained its first explicit mention of homosexuality, specifying that homo- acts require a church court. 1969 – Kimball released his book The Miracle of Forgiveness, in which he again taught that masturbation can lead to acts of homosexuality. It became a best-seller in the church and was routinely given to missionaries. His book was quoted in a 1979 church manual where it stated that homosexuality is curable and certainly overcome as long as the person continues knocking at the door to a cure until their knuckles are bloody. Kimball viewed homosexual people as basically good people trapped in sin, and posited that some of them totally conquer their homosexuality in a few months, but sometimes it led to sex with animals.
1970s
1970 – Victor L. Brown of the Presiding Bishopric stated that a normal and healthy 12- or 13-year-old boy or girl could develop into a homosexual if exposed to pornographic literature and other "abnormalities".
1970 – The church produced Hope for Transgressors, in which apostles Spencer W. Kimball and Mark E. Petersen offer ideas to leaders about how to effect a total "cure" and bring the lives of men with homosexual feelings into total normalcy. Suggestions included prayer, cutting off contact with homosexual friends, dating women, marriage, and scripture reading. It called homosexuality a despicable, degraded, dread practice, and a perversion that would doom the world, but stated it was not totally the fault of family conditions and concluded it "CAN be cured" (emphasis in the original).
1971 – Kimball revised and retitled Hope for Transgressors as New Horizons for Homosexuals in which he called homosexuality a ruinous practice of perversion that the church will never condone. It states that the idea that "perverts" are "born that way" was a base lie since Kimball believed homosexuality was curable, and could be overcome until recovery. It also called homosexuality ugly, degenerate, unnatural, vicious, base, a waste of power, a deep sin, and an end to the family and civilization. The publication advised that for a homosexual man to recover he must shun anyone associated with the transgression and pray and read the scriptures. The pamphlet would be reissued in 1978 as a 30-page pamphlet titled A Letter to a Friend.
1973 – The church published a guide for bishops and stake presidents which posited that homosexual behavior begins by being molested (though stating that not all who are molested become homosexual). It also suggested that homosexuality was caused by a domineering mother and a passive father. As far as changing the sexual orientation, the packet says that a lesbian needs to learn feminine behavior, and a gay man must learn the manly, heterosexual, straight way of life. 1974 – Kimball as a recently appointed church president again stated that masturbation and pornography lead to homosexuality. 1975 – The presiding bishop Victor L. Brown stated that a "lack of proper affection in the home" can result in homosexual children.
1975 – Robert L. Blattner of LDS Social Services addressed LDS psychologists and said the causes of homosexuality in men was a lack of relationship with peers, and a disturbed family background of an absent father and controlling mother. For the causes of female homosexuality he only acknowledged a lack of information. Blattner said homosexual behavior and alcoholism are similar and stated that most people can be helped by electric shock behavior modification (in reference to BYU's ongoing aversion therapy program). 1976 – A version of the church handbook changed the grounds for a church court from "homo- acts" to "homosexuality." This change seemed to make members vulnerable to church punishment for having a homosexual orientation alone even without sexual activity.
1976 – Apostle Boyd K. Packer gave the sermon "To Young Men Only" in the October general conference in which he commended a missionary who was upset after he floored (i.e. punched so hard he fell to the ground) his assigned male companion in response to unwanted sexual advances, saying "somebody had to do it." He further asserted that it is a lie that some are born with homosexual attractions. The sermon circulated though the church as a pamphlet from 1980 until 2016.
1978 – Apostle Packer delivered the sermon "To the One" at BYU in response to the recent controversy generated from a widely circulated pro-gay pamphlet by a gay BYU student and gay BYU instructor. Text reprinted at affirmation.org He characterized homosexual interaction as a perversion and presented the possibility that it had its roots in selfishness and could be cured with unselfish thoughts and acts. He stated that homosexuality was not discussed much publicly by the church since talking about it can very foolishly cause things leaders are trying to prevent. 1978 – The First Presidency released a statement outlining reasons for their opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment including unnatural consequences like an increase in the practice of homosexual and lesbian activities.
1980s
1980 – The Ensign published an article stating that a passing of the Equal Rights Amendment would lead to legalizing same-sex marriage and children being raised in a homosexual home. 1981 – In an April General Conference, church Seventy Hartman Rector Jr. stated "If children have a happy family experience they will not want to be homosexual", and that homosexuality is an acquired addiction like drugs and pornography. 1981 – The church issued a guide for LDS Social Services employees instructing them that a homosexual orientation is not inborn and there is hope of change, as well as stating that a homosexual man is afraid of the other sex and does not fully understand how to act and think like a masculine man.
1981 – Another church guide was released for local church leaders which stated that homosexual inclinations are changeable and not inborn. The booklet gave guidelines for the treatment and prevention of homosexuality such as dating, praying, and reading church literature. It stated that homosexual behavior is learned and influenced by an unhealthy childhood, masturbation, and experimentation. 1983 – The Church Handbook wording was updated to state that a church court may be convened to consider serious transgressions like homosexuality and lesbianism, but that it was not required. Some leaders punished even celibate people who confessed to experiencing homosexual feelings. 1986 – Dallin H. Oaks commented on a CBS-TV interview that marriage is not doctrinal therapy for homosexual relations, and stated he did not know if any leaders had advised homosexual individuals to enter mixed-orientation marriages. 1987 – Gordon B. Hinckley of the First Presidency stated that marriage should not be viewed as a therapeutic step to solve problems such as homosexual inclinations or practices. 1989 – The Church Handbook wording was updated to refer to homosexual relations rather than just homosexuality itself. Additionally the update required a church court for any homosexual activity by members with a prominent church position.
1990s
1990 – An update to the "For the Strength of Youth" guidelines pamphlet mentioned homosexuality for the first time, characterizing it as an unnatural affection, sex perversion, and abomination. 1991 – The First Presidency sent a letter read before all congregations which stated homosexual thoughts and feelings can and should be overcome by sincere repentance, persistent effort, the help of others, and counsel from a bishop. The letter made a distinction between thoughts and behavior, and called for love and understanding for those struggling to overcome homosexual thoughts.
1992 – The church published a guide for local leaders which stated that homosexual feelings can be overcome, and sometimes heterosexual feelings emerge leading to happy, eternal marriage relationships. The pamphlet did not frame homosexuality as a disease corresponding to the recent change by the World Health Organization removing homosexuality as a mental disorder. 1994 – The First Presidency issued a statement encouraging members to contact their legislators in an effort to reject same-sex marriage. 1995 – First presidency member James Faust wrote an article denying any biological components in the causes of homosexuality, and stated that gay relationships would help unravel society.
1995 – Church president Gordon B. Hinckley released "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" which stated that marriage between a man and a woman is essential and ordained of God, and that gender is an essential part of one's eternal identity and purpose. The document was submitted by the church in several amicus briefs as evidence against legalizing same-sex marriages. 1995 – Hinckley condemned same-sex marriage, but invited members of the church reach out and sympathize with homosexual individuals.