Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and member of Brigham Young University’s Board of Trustees gave an address to BYU’s 2021 University Conference on August 23. A central theme of his message was the rancor that BYU and the Church has faced when it comes to the “same-sex topic [sic]”.
In his remarks, he urges BYU educators to take on the responsibility of both building and defending the Church like “the builders of the temple in Nauvoo, who worked with a trowel in one hand and a musket in the other.” He goes on to say the muskets must be aimed at the right people: not the institutions of BYU, the Church, or their leaders, but those who challenge them from the outside, particularly people involved in “flag-waving” and “parade-holding.” His implication is that LGBTQ+ people and their advocates are the rightful targets for these musketeers, and Holland even laments that there is not more “musket fire” aimed at them and others with dissenting views.
In an American political climate where violence against LGBTQ+ people is commonplace, the choice to use firearms as a metaphor is offensive, inflammatory, and damaging. This violent rhetoric will only serve to exacerbate the already considerable risks to the mental and physical safety of current and prospective queer BYU students. If Holland is unaware of the risks queer students—over 13% of the student body, according to recent surveys— face, it is because he and other church leaders are failing to listen.
Holland also condemns Matt Easton, a former student who, in April 2019, delivered a valedictorian commencement address for BYU’s College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences and in it proudly revealed his queer identity. Holland complains that Easton “commandeered” the podium and, in declaring himself “proud to be a gay son of God,” had failed to represent everyone accepting diplomas that day.
In actual fact, Easton’s commencement address had prior approval from his dean. His personal narrative—which also involved getting hit by a deer and supporting his mother through her illness—was not at all outside the valedictorian norm of drawing upon one’s personal experience to establish rapport and build enthusiasm among one’s graduating peers. And it certainly sparked enthusiasm from the crowd! Listen here:
Holland goes on to mention the tears he and his colleagues have shed over queer issues. Speaking of those who live with the “same-sex challenge [sic],” he says, “too often the world has been unkind, in many instances crushingly cruel, to these our brothers and sisters.” Unfortunately, this half-hearted acknowledgement rings hollow. It is hypocritical and unjust to proclaim crocodile tears of grief for LGBTQ+ students whilst encouraging “musketeers'' to take aim in the same breath. This behavior is, in and of itself, “crushingly cruel.”
Ironically, Holland’s regrettable talk came only minutes after BYU president Kevin Worthen announced the formation of a new “Office of Belonging” which aims to combat “prejudice of any kind, including that based on race, ethnicity, nationality, tribe, gender, age, disability, socioeconomic status, religious belief and sexual orientation.” We cautiously applaud this new focus, but note with apprehension that as long as offices of “belonging” or “inclusion” are matched with apostolic rhetorical weapons against belonging, against being fully oneself, and against proclaiming oneself a queer child of God, BYU will remain an abusive and hostile environment for its LGBTQ+ students.
The OUT Foundation is committed to serve current and former LGBTQ+ students at Church-owned universities. We have set up an emergency fund to help current students transfer to safer schools, connect with mental health professionals, and obtain safe housing. In 2020, thanks to generous donations, we helped dozens of queer students with these kinds of emergency needs. Please consider becoming a regular donor today.