The first interview I remember was my pre-baptism interview when I was 8. The bishop took me into his office, having my parents wait outside. He asked me a lot of different questions, including whether I had ever touched myself. Due to the tone in which he asked, I recognized that “touching myself” was a…
I turned twelve in 1973, while living in Cache Valley, Utah. I spent the two years I was a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood in Utah. I do not recall any intrusive or poignant, sexually-themed questions at all during that time. But we moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee around my fourteenth birthday. The sexualization of my…
When I was about 12 years old I went to my first combined region wide fireside which was something I was very excited to be a part of. At this event which took place on a Sunday night in the chapel I heard words that I had never heard before like masturbation and petting and…
Just like many other young women in the church, I was specifically taught from a young age that my worth was dependent on my purity. Young women are taught that we are responsible for young men’s thoughts and actions. I was taught that if I dressed immodestly that I was “walking pornography” to the men…
I’m gay. I thought if I was the perfect Mormon boy, God would cure me of my gayness because obviously this is sinful. When I found out as a teenager that masturbation was a sin I wanted to die. I felt worthless and terrible. I knew I had to tell the bishop if I wanted…
Trigger Warning * Sexual assault involving a bishop* **If you are a survivor of molest, be very cautious about being triggered reading my story!!!** * Sam Young, THANK YOU for Holding THIS TORCH. I cannot begin to tell you how much your work in shedding light on these interviews means to me!!! This post contains…
Bishop’s interviews are so damaging to young people. And adults. The damage I suffered because of these interviews and the teaching that masturbation is a sin, has been severe and has carried into my adult life and into my marriage. I’ve been married for 8 years and because of the church’s teachings and bishops interviews…
I am a girl and I remember as early as 4 or 5 years old casually feeling slight sexual feelings that were immediately followed by shame and guilt. I was on my bed in my room and had already had doctrine ingrained into me that I was bad for feeling those feelings. Feeling like you’re…
I was not asked inappropriate questions by bishops/counselors, but I still suffered incredible guilt and self-loathing because of the general process of worthiness interviews. I was terrified by the prospect of these interviews. As a young child, I thought I’d be excommunicated for fighting with my sister. As a teen, I thought I’d be excommunicated…
I first experienced orgasm as an 8 year old girl, at the hands of a teacher. I didn’t understand the sensation I had felt nor had I wanted it. It was in discussing it with a friend (who was also being abused) and her “older” sister (who was 10) that we were told that what…