At BYU-Hawai’i, while a student, I came out as gay to my bishop. His response was to ask me detailed questions about what I liked to think about and imagine while masturbating. I wasn’t even confessing anything about masturbation, rather I was trying to get advice on what to do about my sexual identity. After making me recall what I thought about while masturbating, he gave me a pamphlet on basically praying the gay away, then every subsequent time I’d see him, he’d avoid me, purposely not make eye contact and treat me like a pariah. I eventually left that ward to go to another out of the shame and awkwardness around that situation. I felt awkward and dirty telling that stuff to him and then how I was treated after made me feel even worse. I was suicidal until an LDS friend intervened and told me to leave the church for my own health and I did. I’m doing much better now.
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