If you want more podcast like this, I can't do it full time with my non-profit without donor support! Thanks! 🤝 CHRISTMAS EVE EQUIPMENT FUNDRAISER: donorbox.org/christmas-eve-equipment-fundraiser-2 👩💻 Join the Hoetown community on Patreon: www.patreon.com/nuancehoe 🍯 Tip Jar (Venmo: CarahB): account.venmo.com/u/CarahB
Matt was not being selfish to come out during his graduation speech. To the contrary, he was being extremely generous, courageous and loving. He could have just accepted his diploma and took the easy way out. Instead, he did a public service for all LGBTQ students in his university and nationwide, to help them feel accepted and less alone. Props also to the univ. staff who okayed his speech. He could have made Matt take that sentence out. Well done, Matt! You may have even single handedly saved some lives. ❤️
I am no longer religious but I was raised in a mild form of Lutheranism and feel so bad for the people who grow up with guilt and fear form their religious upbringing.
I knew Matt Easton from the MTC. He was my district leader for a time during our 9-week stay there. I looked up to him for his kindness, generosity, and empathy towards everyone. When I saw Jeffrey R Holland throw him under the bus a couple of years ago, I had a faith crisis. It was so mentally taxing for me to do mental gymnastics as I grew up being told to obey the leaders of the church. At the same time, however, I saw an old friend being attacked and even led nearly to suicide. I realized that if there is a god, a god would'nt create such a circumastance where its one true religion would make us follow such dogmatic and hateful doctrine over love and acceptance. Although it's been a while since I have seen Matt, he will always have my support and respect. He is a loving, genuine person and a good friend. Always choose love, everyone.
An article online about the musket fire talk is what led me to find Mormon stories and the whole ex-no online community. I had already left the church a long time ago, but it helped me find some closure with my feelings about it all.
This has been my year of processing leaving the church....which I actually did right after the birth of my first child 22 years ago but never processed.
Matt's interview with John was the first episode of Mormon Stories I had ever heard. Cannot wait to catch this later this evening and hear what he's been up to!
I graduated from BYU in '84. I left the church during my time there. Primarily because I had a sister and good friend who were gay. I couldn't reconcile the church's position with the love and respect I had for them. So this is not a new issue, but is definitely getting harder to justify.
Musket fire??? Jesus Christ. Literally. JC would never. Matt’s amazing and I’m so honored to have heard his story. These old white guys are not going to stop the world changing for the better.
I had essentially left the church already, but I felt it was essential that I remove my name from the records of the church after this talk by Holland. There is no explanation for that talk outside of making ultra conservative Mormon investors happy.
I am pan sexual and in a relationship with a transwoman. I am an inactive member and nobody knows because my partner is long distance. I have been actively suicidal for 25 years. My son is gay and it’s his birthday today he’s 26 and he has a wonderful partner. I don’t know why I am so hard on myself. Thank you for this beautiful video. It makes me so proud to be queer that I am in the same category as you. You are so lovely.
Kicked out of ricks college in 1988. Parents didn’t speak to me for ten years after I left the church. Missionaries came to my door tonight and not sure they’ll be back due to what I told them. I’ve never heard him but all his stories are similar to mine from 1967-1990 At 56 I’ve never been happier and NOT in the church as I was told I’d NEVER be happy if I wasn’t in the church and married in temple! 🤷🏻♀️😊🤗
A class casing LGBTQ spaces? Writing down license plate numbers?? My jaw hit the floor. Holy. Shit. Matt, thanks for sharing more of your story. Your openness and bravery is saving lives ❤️
I was close to joining the Mormon church when I was in high school. I visited with a friend for a few months and did the missionary meetings. I’m so so glad I chose not to become a member
Matt’s smile is the frickin best! Nevermo but ex-evangelist and being queer was painful even married to a man I was still told I needed to be “healed” so always cheering on my fellow rainbow mafia members to remember religion doesn’t define how perfectly and wonderfully made we are🌈🌈🌈🌈
When i first heard what Matt had said during his valedictorian speech my heart lept for joy. And when Holland gave his Musket speech it felt as if my heart had sunk into my stomach. So happy to hear Matt has come so far despite he and so many others in the LGBTQ Community have had to go through. Tbh i used to be a homophobe a long time ago. Fortunately it didn't take long for me to grow and change my ways. Now i am an Ex Mormon and a straight but PROUD LGBTQ ALLY🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Awareness and empathy can change our lives in the proverbial twinkling of an eye. If every male student at BYU would sack up and when exiting any class or event where this speech is presented, walk out holding hands with another male or males as if nothing strange had just happened, a generation could move generations. That’s what I would do even if I didn’t have gay friends on campus. They won’t expel the entire priesthood for holding hands. I just don’t know how many knuckles are still dragging on campus though.
Rest in peace to all of the souls that never felt loved and accepted by their communities. We love you. For anyone who is struggling. I’m glad you’re here. I love you and I hope you know that you are loved. You matter. It does get better. I promise 🫶
Love this interview. I grew up hiding the fact that I was gay. Never felt like I had a place in the church. I had to pretend to be straight my whole life until 57 years old. I went to BYU. Wish so bad I had been able to be myself.
I was a TBM when I went to BYU on a theater scholarship in 1982. I'd never met a gay person that I knew of, but at BYU, I met several! ALL were returned missionaries! Getting to know the real stories of other Mo's and feeling so at home with the real them, I was heartbroken at the jumps people were going to in order to stay in the closet. I also read some church history that rocked my world, and I left that same semester. I could no longer believe this was a religion based on Gods love.
I'm a 64 gay man. I came out at 19yo in 1979. I'm not never have been Mormon or any organized religion. I believe in a higher power. You both are amazing. I'm learning about this church and scientology through people like you. Your an inspiration!!!!! Gives me hope for the world in this truly scary and disturbing time.
Such a fantastic interview! Love Matt. He’s so well-spoken! Thanks for all both of you are doing to empower the queer community to stand up and be heard! ❤🎉
(17:17) this hurts my soul 😭 I am so glad to see how happy you are. or at least how happy your seem Matt! Your smile lights me up! Idk you but im proud of you! here in Utah - especially among ex Mormons - and the LGBTQ Mormons - i feel like we all share something on a deeper level. A special flavor of respect for each others experiences.
It infuriates me that Jeffrey Holland tried to spin Matt’s valedictorian speech as all about Matt & totally selfish. He must not have listened to the speech, as it was anything but selfish. Yes, Matt acknowledged his homosexuality, but that was a jump off point for his larger message which was beautiful & poignant. Any church that had Matt as a member should have felt enormous gratitude for all Matt brought to the table. I listened to Matt’s interview on Mormon Stories, & it was one of the best episodes I’ve ever listened to. Matt came across as such a brilliant, kind, honest, genuine & well spoken human being.🫶🏳️🌈
I left the church before this happened and I felt a huge burden being lifted that I did not have to defend this horrific talk and actions of a leader of the church. I could finally say exactly what I believed. Holland was a fave for so many and this talk along with a couple others was the beginning of his demise. When will the Mormon church be cancelled?!
Matt, i thought i was the only gay kid high school in the 70s 20 miles north of san francisco. No internet, no cell phones no touch tone phones. No vcrs, if you know what they were, lol..... your an obviously smart sweet brave guy. I wanted to die when i was in my early teens. Became alcoholic. Yrued to commit suicide twice. Im 64 im ok. If id had you as a role model , i can hardly imagine. I thought i was only one in my entire town. Thank you for all the gay people struggling with acceptance
I was forced to take a Mathew Holland Course "American heritage". I can't imagine that it was a big flex to have Lord Joffrey's own apostolic talk forced in the student body.
My oldest son is queer, he’s in a death metal band and he wrote a response song to that musket talk. That talk was so damaging in so many ways. Thank you for shining a light on this and shame on BYU for highlighting this talk in a freaking CLASS! 😮
I feel that it's important we have the opportunity to come together. I am a part of the lgbtq and we need to continue fighting for our rights for who we are and what we have the right to do with our lives.
Carah, this was a great show and you are an amazing creator. Funny, smart and tough. Matt is an awesome person and what he went through was awful. I’m becoming really bitter about the leaders of the LDS corporation. I try to contain my anonymity to just them but TBMs really need to pull their heads out of the sand! Thanks for all you do Carah and Matt you’re an amazing person!
The church sent me to the twelve step program for my same sex attraction "addiction". I went to a few meetings and said this is stupid, theres nothing wrong with me and i never went back to church. Now i am engaged to another ex mo lesbian ❤
Yes! Let's have some more of that good ol' fashioned "Don't ask, don't tell." It worked so well before. It almost never led to exploitation or blackmail or folks being left feeling like second class citizens. Seems like "we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again."
Oh so good to see, Matt! Love him! This is going to be good! BTW, The Mormon Church is narcissit in scope because they have no empathy for anyone challenging their belief on how people should be. ❤
Is it becoming more obvious to the rank and file that the GA's don't speak for any God? These old men don't have a clue and young people are seeing through their BS.
The only way that making that musket fire talk required reading would be acceptable is if it was used as an example of how NOT to be inclusive and compassionate. As a fellow BYU grad, the school will not be getting any donor money from me unless they can figure out how to fix their shit.
It's bizarre if he said about the duck thing. Because if i remember correctly Tim Ballard said there was nothing he wouldn't do to help children including beast-i-alaty.
I would have been OK if Elder Holland chose to rip on the administration for their decision to approve Matt's talk (it is a private university) -however, to attack Matt was a HUGE failure.... I have listened to Matt's talk - and the vast majority of the talk was not even related to the LGBTQ topic. From my view, a failure by LDS leadership.
I got to admit though. Australians are hot. Both men and women. Edit: Holy smokes... BYU taught classes on how to catch lgbt people?.. I need to look on that... darned Dallin Hoax..
If you want more podcast like this, I can't do it full time with my non-profit without donor support! Thanks!
🤝 CHRISTMAS EVE EQUIPMENT FUNDRAISER: donorbox.org/christmas-eve-equipment-fundraiser-2
👩💻 Join the Hoetown community on Patreon: www.patreon.com/nuancehoe
🍯 Tip Jar (Venmo: CarahB): account.venmo.com/u/CarahB
Matt was not being selfish to come out during his graduation speech. To the contrary, he was being extremely generous, courageous and loving. He could have just accepted his diploma and took the easy way out. Instead, he did a public service for all LGBTQ students in his university and nationwide, to help them feel accepted and less alone. Props also to the univ. staff who okayed his speech. He could have made Matt take that sentence out. Well done, Matt! You may have even single handedly saved some lives. ❤️
I am no longer religious but I was raised in a mild form of Lutheranism and feel so bad for the people who grow up with guilt and fear form their religious upbringing.
We have a good friend who is a BYU professor who is such a good, supporting soul. This is her last year because of all of this.
I knew Matt Easton from the MTC. He was my district leader for a time during our 9-week stay there. I looked up to him for his kindness, generosity, and empathy towards everyone. When I saw Jeffrey R Holland throw him under the bus a couple of years ago, I had a faith crisis. It was so mentally taxing for me to do mental gymnastics as I grew up being told to obey the leaders of the church. At the same time, however, I saw an old friend being attacked and even led nearly to suicide. I realized that if there is a god, a god would'nt create such a circumastance where its one true religion would make us follow such dogmatic and hateful doctrine over love and acceptance. Although it's been a while since I have seen Matt, he will always have my support and respect. He is a loving, genuine person and a good friend. Always choose love, everyone.
❤️❤️❤️
An article online about the musket fire talk is what led me to find Mormon stories and the whole ex-no online community. I had already left the church a long time ago, but it helped me find some closure with my feelings about it all.
This has been my year of processing leaving the church....which I actually did right after the birth of my first child 22 years ago but never processed.
Matt's interview with John was the first episode of Mormon Stories I had ever heard. Cannot wait to catch this later this evening and hear what he's been up to!
I graduated from BYU in '84. I left the church during my time there. Primarily because I had a sister and good friend who were gay. I couldn't reconcile the church's position with the love and respect I had for them. So this is not a new issue, but is definitely getting harder to justify.
Musket fire??? Jesus Christ. Literally. JC would never. Matt’s amazing and I’m so honored to have heard his story. These old white guys are not going to stop the world changing for the better.
Right? The twisting of Christ’s message by these kinds of groups is horrifying.
@@justkiddin84 it will never fail to shock me
I had essentially left the church already, but I felt it was essential that I remove my name from the records of the church after this talk by Holland. There is no explanation for that talk outside of making ultra conservative Mormon investors happy.
I am pan sexual and in a relationship with a transwoman. I am an inactive member and nobody knows because my partner is long distance. I have been actively suicidal for 25 years. My son is gay and it’s his birthday today he’s 26 and he has a wonderful partner. I don’t know why I am so hard on myself. Thank you for this beautiful video. It makes me so proud to be queer that I am in the same category as you. You are so lovely.
Matt, I'm going to take an extra hit tonight in honor of all the BYU students who can't. Thanks for sharing your story!
Kicked out of ricks college in 1988. Parents didn’t speak to me for ten years after I left the church. Missionaries came to my door tonight and not sure they’ll be back due to what I told them. I’ve never heard him but all his stories are similar to mine from 1967-1990
At 56 I’ve never been happier and NOT in the church as I was told I’d NEVER be happy if I wasn’t in the church and married in temple! 🤷🏻♀️😊🤗
Matt, you're a hero. Holland is a discriminatory leader in the church.
The musket fire talk was very disturbing to me, and I’m straight.
A class casing LGBTQ spaces? Writing down license plate numbers?? My jaw hit the floor. Holy. Shit.
Matt, thanks for sharing more of your story. Your openness and bravery is saving lives ❤️
So fun and comforting to hear Matt tell his story! Thanks for putting this show together!
I was close to joining the Mormon church when I was in high school. I visited with a friend for a few months and did the missionary meetings. I’m so so glad I chose not to become a member
I am very much a senior and I say God Bless Matt, I am so sorry for any hurt that you felt, but I do believe it will serve you well. Keep strong.
Matt’s smile is the frickin best! Nevermo but ex-evangelist and being queer was painful even married to a man I was still told I needed to be “healed” so always cheering on my fellow rainbow mafia members to remember religion doesn’t define how perfectly and wonderfully made we are🌈🌈🌈🌈
When i first heard what Matt had said during his valedictorian speech my heart lept for joy. And when Holland gave his Musket speech it felt as if my heart had sunk into my stomach. So happy to hear Matt has come so far despite he and so many others in the LGBTQ Community have had to go through. Tbh i used to be a homophobe a long time ago. Fortunately it didn't take long for me to grow and change my ways. Now i am an Ex Mormon and a straight but PROUD LGBTQ ALLY🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Awareness and empathy can change our lives in the proverbial twinkling of an eye.
If every male student at BYU would sack up and when exiting any class or event where this speech is presented, walk out holding hands with another male or males as if nothing strange had just happened, a generation could move generations. That’s what I would do even if I didn’t have gay friends on campus. They won’t expel the entire priesthood for holding hands. I just don’t know how many knuckles are still dragging on campus though.
Rest in peace to all of the souls that never felt loved and accepted by their communities. We love you. For anyone who is struggling. I’m glad you’re here. I love you and I hope you know that you are loved. You matter. It does get better. I promise 🫶
Thank you. Watching from Alaska.
"Intentions aside, here are the receipts..." dayum! That's profound ❤
Love this interview. I grew up hiding the fact that I was gay. Never felt like I had a place in the church. I had to pretend to be straight my whole life until 57 years old. I went to BYU. Wish so bad I had been able to be myself.
This church and its leaders are complete cons.
Thank you for your voices and sharing your experiences! ❤
I was a TBM when I went to BYU on a theater scholarship in 1982. I'd never met a gay person that I knew of, but at BYU, I met several! ALL were returned missionaries! Getting to know the real stories of other Mo's and feeling so at home with the real them, I was heartbroken at the jumps people were going to in order to stay in the closet. I also read some church history that rocked my world, and I left that same semester. I could no longer believe this was a religion based on Gods love.
Happy New Year to you both. 🥂
Thanks for all you guys do to support the queer/ex-mormon communities. You are saving lives. ❤
I'm a 64 gay man. I came out at 19yo in 1979. I'm not never have been Mormon or any organized religion. I believe in a higher power. You both are amazing. I'm learning about this church and scientology through people like you. Your an inspiration!!!!! Gives me hope for the world in this truly scary and disturbing time.
Such a fantastic interview! Love Matt. He’s so well-spoken! Thanks for all both of you are doing to empower the queer community to stand up and be heard! ❤🎉
I want to be Matt's friend! Pretty please!
queer utah exmo here, we love you Matt
(17:17) this hurts my soul 😭
I am so glad to see how happy you are. or at least how happy your seem Matt! Your smile lights me up! Idk you but im proud of you! here in Utah - especially among ex Mormons - and the LGBTQ Mormons - i feel like we all share something on a deeper level. A special flavor of respect for each others experiences.
Love to you, Matt, from this old exmo granny and her rainbow family! ❤️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
BYU. The Honor Code is why I'd NEVER attend the school. I don't need a Mosaic style set of rules to govern my adult life.
It infuriates me that Jeffrey Holland tried to spin Matt’s valedictorian speech as all about Matt & totally selfish. He must not have listened to the speech, as it was anything but selfish. Yes, Matt acknowledged his homosexuality, but that was a jump off point for his larger message which was beautiful & poignant. Any church that had Matt as a member should have felt enormous gratitude for all Matt brought to the table.
I listened to Matt’s interview on Mormon Stories, & it was one of the best episodes I’ve ever listened to. Matt came across as such a brilliant, kind, honest, genuine & well spoken human being.🫶🏳️🌈
Don't forget there was an anti LGBTQIA+ shooting right after that. Most didn't know the guy was LDS. I will look up the exact details
Oh my God I hope Jody Hildebrandt wasn’t the therapist he had to see lol
Matt!! That smile!!❤ You are a beautiful and amazing person! So happy to see you smiling!! You are an inspiration!!❤😊
I left the church before this happened and I felt a huge burden being lifted that I did not have to defend this horrific talk and actions of a leader of the church. I could finally say exactly what I believed. Holland was a fave for so many and this talk along with a couple others was the beginning of his demise. When will the Mormon church be cancelled?!
34.7K students means around 5K LGBTQ+ STUDENTS THERE!!!! not just the odd person that this affects. It's terrible.
Best podcast of truth.. love this story, full of truth!
EVERYONE hit LIKE!
He's a hero in LGBT+ Mormon history!!!!!
Loved hearing more from Matt!
Yasssssssssssssss
Every single year??!! 😮😢
how many people in that BYU crowd felt a little less alone, hearing him come out? so powerful
Thank you. Let’s concentrate on God’s love for all His children❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️just as you are❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great interview!
Matt, i thought i was the only gay kid high school in the 70s 20 miles north of san francisco. No internet, no cell phones no touch tone phones. No vcrs, if you know what they were, lol..... your an obviously smart sweet brave guy. I wanted to die when i was in my early teens. Became alcoholic. Yrued to commit suicide twice.
Im 64 im ok. If id had you as a role model , i can hardly imagine. I thought i was only one in my entire town.
Thank you for all the gay people struggling with acceptance
I was forced to take a Mathew Holland Course "American heritage". I can't imagine that it was a big flex to have Lord Joffrey's own apostolic talk forced in the student body.
My oldest son is queer, he’s in a death metal band and he wrote a response song to that musket talk. That talk was so damaging in so many ways. Thank you for shining a light on this and shame on BYU for highlighting this talk in a freaking CLASS! 😮
I feel that it's important we have the opportunity to come together. I am a part of the lgbtq and we need to continue fighting for our rights for who we are and what we have the right to do with our lives.
Carah, this was a great show and you are an amazing creator. Funny, smart and tough. Matt is an awesome person and what he went through was awful. I’m becoming really bitter about the leaders of the LDS corporation. I try to contain my anonymity to just them but TBMs really need to pull their heads out of the sand! Thanks for all you do Carah and Matt you’re an amazing person!
So excited to watch this. I love Matt!
The church sent me to the twelve step program for my same sex attraction "addiction". I went to a few meetings and said this is stupid, theres nothing wrong with me and i never went back to church. Now i am engaged to another ex mo lesbian ❤
hell yeah!
Holland is one of the worst. Even when I was in, I did not like him. He always came off as a mean, old man. 🤷🏼♂️
Not surprised that he did this.
Yes! Let's have some more of that good ol' fashioned "Don't ask, don't tell." It worked so well before. It almost never led to exploitation or blackmail or folks being left feeling like second class citizens.
Seems like "we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again."
I'm very upset.... The in his talk he would refer to muskets... To me it says if he's saying use violence and I'm very much against this
Thanks!
Aw thanks ❤️👏🏻
Oh so good to see, Matt! Love him! This is going to be good! BTW, The Mormon Church is narcissit in scope because they have no empathy for anyone challenging their belief on how people should be. ❤
Is it becoming more obvious to the rank and file that the GA's don't speak for any God? These old men don't have a clue and young people are seeing through their BS.
Watching Carah fusing with the computer gave me such anxiety for some weird reason 🫠🫣
Love you Matty! 🫶🏻
I know it's not the point. But imagine being the valedictorian of byu. BYU is freaking hard. I dropped out and went to UVU haha.
Loved this!
The only way that making that musket fire talk required reading would be acceptable is if it was used as an example of how NOT to be inclusive and compassionate. As a fellow BYU grad, the school will not be getting any donor money from me unless they can figure out how to fix their shit.
Matt, you don't need to hear this from an old fart like me.. but you're awesome!
What the heck kind of idea is reading the musket fire talk?! And why are they doubling down?
Try Patron and Pinapple, it's the bomb! Don't forget to salt the rim.✌️
Didn't byu ban two people with rainbow pins meeting up cause it might be a peaceful protest?
It's bizarre if he said about the duck thing. Because if i remember correctly Tim Ballard said there was nothing he wouldn't do to help children including beast-i-alaty.
He is totally adorable
Amazing!
Matt you are an inspiration! I wish I had been strong enough to come out as a trans lesbian at 22 instead of 37. lol
3 hour church growing up wasn’t fun
"She's been gay at my house!" 🏳🌈🏳⚧
I'm am concerned more for girls than dudes in churches
I would have been OK if Elder Holland chose to rip on the administration for their decision to approve Matt's talk (it is a private university) -however, to attack Matt was a HUGE failure.... I have listened to Matt's talk - and the vast majority of the talk was not even related to the LGBTQ topic. From my view, a failure by LDS leadership.
Pumping the algo 🙌
Say hi to Cory from me from Tacoma Boys in Wash.
What about the Lost Boys. Alot of these men are now gay. Why are these men okay and not the Homosexuals of Utah.
I got to admit though. Australians are hot. Both men and women.
Edit: Holy smokes... BYU taught classes on how to catch lgbt people?.. I need to look on that... darned Dallin Hoax..
Excellent…
More sister-wives For ME!!!!!
That IS a good thing, right?
focus
Nothing like picking a passive/aggressive talk to spread “inclusion”. Tone deafness.
Why are you leaning so far away from him Kara?
I’m sorry for this
Blame me
He is very gay though. Not that there is anything wrong with that...
I wasn't there in 2019, but who did he have to "come out" to? Stevie Wonder?
No, your mom. She was extremely disappointed. 😔 I would be too. Matt’s a catch!