A group of Mormon parents are defending their gay children in a new “It Gets Better” video which challenges the Mormon church’s disapproval of homosexuality and same-sex relationships.
In the video, released Saturday during a national conference for gay Mormons in Washington, D.C., parents recall their experiences of struggling with their faith when their children told them they were gay, and how they came to love them for who they are.
“My job is to love. My job is to accept,” said Charles Carver, a father from Utah, said about his gay son.
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The video, produced by Kendall Wilcox, a gay former Brigham Young University employee, follows a similar project released by gay students at BYU.
In that video, also produced by Wilcox, Mormon students discussed the conflict they felt about being gay and Mormon, and how they considered suicide because they couldn’t reconcile their sexual orientation with their faith.
Wilcox said his videos highlight the growing disparity between the church’s ban on homosexual activity and its members’ support for friends and relatives who are gay.
“It’s sort of an invitation to Mormons everywhere to come out and say, we can’t be quiet about this anymore. We have to show support,” Wilcox said.