When I turned 16, I had my bishops interview for a temple recommend. I was asked if I had sexual intercourse and when I said yes, my whole world fell apart. My bishop wanted to know who the boy was. I didn’t want to tell. I knew it was not appropriate and it was not my place to share that information. The bishop called in the bishopric and I sat there, a 16 year old girl being drilled by a group of adult men wanting to know who I had sex with. It felt like an interrogation. It was an interrogation. It was a horrifying and intimidating experience for a young girl. I finally gave in and told who the boy was. Word spread very quickly and I was shunned by the church members. My best friends were not allowed to hang out with me. In that interview, I lost my religion, my friends and my family. My family supported the church and saw nothing wrong with how the church handled it. There was no love, compassion or understanding from the church. There was only shame. I left the church before my 17th Birthday. Many years later and I still carry the scars from that day. I struggle with my body image, with depression, with sexual relations, and relationships with my family.
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