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KamaAina

(78,249 posts) Mon Jul 11, 2016, 08:24 PM Jul 2016

Mama Dragons Try To Prevent Suicides Among Mormon-LGBT Children

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/07/485058737/mama-dragons-try-to-prevent-suicides-among-mormon-lgbt-children

Among Mormons, there is a group of women called Mama Dragons. They are fierce protectors of their LGBT children. And as youth suicide rates rise in their community, they are fighting to save lives. Andrea Smardon from member station KUER reports.

ANDREA SMARDON, BYLINE: One of the original Mama Dragons is Wendy Montgomery. She's personally attended six funerals for LGBT young people in her Mormon community.

WENDY MONTGOMERY: It's absolutely epidemic the level of suicide....

MONTGOMERY: We are working pretty much 24/7, around the clock, trying to reach the kids we hear about that are the most desperate and the most suicidal. And we can't get to all of them.

14 replies

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Mama Dragons Try To Prevent Suicides Among Mormon-LGBT Children (Original Post) KamaAina Jul 2016 OP

I am 59 years old, Gay, and mormon born and raised... Raster Jul 2016 #1

I am so sorry. This breaks my heart. AllyCat Jul 2016 #8

When religion is used for justification, all manner of vile things are possible. Raster Jul 2016 #11

Awful. TexasMommaWithAHat Jul 2016 #2

Rec & Kick & Share. MerryBlooms Jul 2016 #3

K&R Solly Mack Jul 2016 #4

Mormons, like many other communities like to talk about how loyal they are Bluenorthwest Jul 2016 #5

in the movie "latter days", it shows the young gay mormon being subjected to their niyad Jul 2016 #6

Actually, it's similar to a "witch" trial... Raster Jul 2016 #10

I am so very sorry for what you experienced there. the rcc is almost no better in that regard. niyad Jul 2016 #13

and after suicides are successfully prevented help them ditch the mormon "church" for good nt msongs Jul 2016 #7

Leaving the Church Calculating Jul 2016 #9

And quite frankly, the sooner the better. Raster Jul 2016 #12

welcome to du. yes, leaving is the only solution. niyad Jul 2016 #14

Raster

(20,998 posts)

1. I am 59 years old, Gay, and mormon born and raised...

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 08:30 PM

Jul 2016

The church's treatment of gay youth is vile. Period.

AllyCat

(16,193 posts)

8. I am so sorry. This breaks my heart.

Reply to Raster (Reply #1)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 11:23 PM

Jul 2016

How can anyone treat people this way?

Raster

(20,998 posts)

11. When religion is used for justification, all manner of vile things are possible.

Reply to AllyCat (Reply #8)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 11:38 PM

Jul 2016

TexasMommaWithAHat

(3,212 posts)

2. Awful.

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 08:32 PM

Jul 2016

MerryBlooms

(11,770 posts)

3. Rec & Kick & Share.

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 09:45 PM

Jul 2016

Thanks for posting.

Solly Mack

(90,775 posts)

4. K&R

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 09:48 PM

Jul 2016

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)

5. Mormons, like many other communities like to talk about how loyal they are

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 09:59 PM

Jul 2016

to family but they treat their own LGBT children like dirt. That makes them liars of the worst sort if you think about it.

niyad

(113,413 posts)

6. in the movie "latter days", it shows the young gay mormon being subjected to their

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 10:48 PM

Jul 2016

conversion/reversion (not sure of the correct name) therapy. horrendous.

Raster

(20,998 posts)

10. Actually, it's similar to a "witch" trial...

Reply to niyad (Reply #6)

Mon Jul 11, 2016, 11:37 PM

Jul 2016

...I left the church a LONG TIME AGO, but still have acquaintances in the church. One was EXCOMMUNICATED because he was Gay. The action you are speaking of is a trial, where the gay kid is badgered, harassed, accused, demeaned and then finally - if they won't renounce being gay- Complete separation from family and friends still within the thralls of the church. The process is brutal.
The mormon church is very quick to "hate the sin, love the sinner," but from my experience, it's ALL HATE.