I have a message

I have a message. My message is to Love. Jesus said love everyone. When I say that, I mean everyone.

When I add to that to love those who are different, specifically because of who they are attracted to or because of their gender identity, it doesn’t mean that I am saying that it is more important to love them than it is to love everyone that is NOT in the LGBTQIA community too. But I am specifically experienced with this group of people. I don’t completely understand them, because I am straight and cisgender. I will never completely understand. But what I do understand is that in our culture, especially here in Utah, it doesn’t hurt to emphasize that loving everyone INCLUDES THEM. Especially them.

And if my message doesn’t get through to you because I say LGBTQ or GAY every time I share that message, then I believe it is you that needs to make an effort to understand exactly why a straight cisgender individual would do that, and maybe adjust your own attitude about the message.

 Because trust me, I’m not changing how I say LOVE EVERYONE any time soon. I’m going to keep saying it at church and on Facebook and at work until you either kick me out or until things change and all people are loved and allowed to be who they are and love who they want to love the same way us cisgender straight people get to be and to love. Until it is part of their gospel plan, part of their eternity just as it is ours. Until it is not seen as a disability or a trial but as a beautiful gift to add variety to this world. Until it is verified as revelation and exclusions are eliminated from policy manuals and lessons manuals for missionaries and seminary students and anyone else. Until the word “gay” or “transgender” no longer makes people sitting in the pews at the “Church of Jesus Christ” squirm. Then, and only then, it will no longer need to be included and emphasized in my message.

 If you’ve read all of this, thank you for listening and letting me vent.