Book Review - Peculiar People

Peculiar People: Mormons and Same-Sex Orientation, Edited by Ron Schow, Wayne Schow, and Marybeth Raynes

I just finished this excellent book that deals with the difficult subject of homosexuality and Latter Day Saints. It provides a massive amount of information from the perspectives of religion, science, gay and lesbian people, and their families. It also contains anecdotes from LDS Bishops and therapists on their experiences with homosexuality.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who has grappled with this subject in any way.

Lowell L. Bennion wrote the foreword to the book, which I will provide because it gives a great synopsis of the content and purpose of the book. Bennion is also somewhat of a legend in the Church for his devotion to charitable action. I googled him and found him to be an inspiring L.D. Saint.

Lowell Bennion holds a Ph.D from the University of Strasbourg, France. He served as director of the LDS Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah for twenty-six years and as a professor of sociology at the university. He is a founder and past director of Salt Lake City’s charitable Community Services Council.

“Among many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints homosexuality is regarded as disgraceful, and those engaging in homosexual acts who do not repent have often been excommunicated.
   It can be a jarring experience for LDS persons to have a son or daughter, a spouse, a sibling, or a friend, one who has been active in their church and who seems to be living a normal life, confess to them that he or she is homosexual and has been throughout life. The confessing person may further tell them of trying in every way to overcome his or her homosexuality through prayers, counseling, and sometimes even more drastic treatments, such as electric shock therapy, to no avail. Such revelations may be all the more surprising if as so often happens his or her life has been characterized by exemplary religious faith and service.
   This book came into being because Ron Schow, Wayne Schow, and Marybeth Raynes had witnessed either in friends or offspring or clients the dilemma of the Mormon homosexual in our midst. They recognized their own lack of understanding and need for more information. They sought not merely a theoretical, scientific view, but especially a human perspective-how Mormon homosexuals feel about themselves, how they get along with their families and associates both in the church and in society. Above all they were interested in the challenge of creating a better climate of understanding and tolerance for homosexual people.
   Peculiar People: Mormons and Same-Sex Orientation begins with personal accounts of homosexuality, how individuals have reacted to this condition, how they have tried unsuccessfully to change, how they have sought desperately to make troubled marriages work, how they have struggled to maintain their religious faith. These personal accounts are followed by the experiences of family members and friends in their relationships with homosexuals. The book concludes with the findings of professionals interested in the scientific study of human sexuality. They are convinced that homosexuality is complex in origin. Some of them believe that there is evidence to support the conclusion that a genetic or biological basis contributes to the sexual orientation of an individual. If this is true, it explains why homosexuals find change so difficult, and it obliges us to evaluate anew our attitudes towards gays and lesbians.
   The editors are to be commended for their labors and their willingness to share their feelings and information.”

I particularly enjoyed the personal essays written by homosexuals and their families. It was inspiring to witness their love for the Church and for each other and to see how people’s views are capable of transforming when they’re dealing with an issue on a personal level. This book is written for LDS people by predominately active LDS writers and that makes it even more compelling to me. These aren’t wacko left wing inactive heretics; I can actually relate to their stories.

This book can be found on Amazon.com and most other book sellers sites. If you’re interested, give it a read and let me know your thoughts.