"I was never Broken as a Gay Mormon man"

I Was Never Broken as a Gay Mormon Man: Reexamining Self-Worth and Religious Identity

For decades, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who experienced same-sex attraction were often taught, implicitly or explicitly, that they carried a fundamental flaw requiring correction. The phrase "I was never broken" represents a profound theological and psychological shift in how some gay Mormon men are reclaiming their identity and self-worth. This article examines what happens when personal testimony contradicts institutional narratives about wholeness, healing, and the very definition of spiritual health.

The question at the heart of this conversation is both personal and institutional: If the Church taught that same-sex attraction required repair, but individuals now report they were never broken to begin with, what does that say about the frameworks members were given to understand themselves?

Historical Context: The "Repair Narrative" in Mormon Teaching

For much of the 20th century and into the 21st, the LDS Church's official position on same-sex attraction centered on a medicalized, therapeutic model. Members experiencing homosexual desires were encouraged to seek counseling, marry heterosexually, or maintain celibacy, all premised on the assumption that something within them required fixing.

This approach was not unique to Mormonism. It reflected broader American therapeutic culture and religious conservatism. However, the LDS Church's particular emphasis on family formation, temple worthiness, and eternal progression made the stakes especially high for LGBTQ+ members.