Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 433 August 28, 2019

Have you left the Mormon church?
Yes, but my sexuality had little to do with me leaving my
Mormon faith, to be honest. It was a catalyst to me digging
deeper into its problematic history that had been purposely
hidden from me; challenging the statements of those who
claimed they had authority to speak directly for God; and
even just simply asking “why,” and never getting a clear,
honest answer or explanation instead of
excuses or convoluted justifications. Love
is of God, and God is love. If religious
teachings or policies don’t fall within that,
then it’s not of God. Scriptures included.
Besides your
music, what
fulfills you
today?
I’m working
closely with
a number of
organizations and
mental health
professionals
to provide
a significant
resource for
survivors of
conversion
therapy, in the
many different
places they may
be in life. It’s
something that I
know would have
helped me in my
journey, so I hope
it will be a source
of hope and
healing to many
others out there.
Do you remain a person of faith?
I am a humanist. I believe that the power
of God is in each of us. We have the power
to create, change, build and destroy. It
isn’t up to someone in the sky to help
people in need. It’s up to us. We have that
capability. It’s just a matter of discovering it,
ignoring the noise of people who want to
control where our attention and money go,
and to start using our lives for something
good, instead of standing by, watching in
complicity.
JUSTIN UTLEY PERFORMS TRIAD THEATRE IN NYC (158 W 72ND STREET) ON
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, AT 9 P.M. TICKETS AT TRIADNYC.COM. HIS NEW
ALBUM, “SCARS,” RELEASES SEPTEMBER 10. VISIT JUSTIN UTLEY’S WEBSITE
AT JUSTINUTLEY.COM. FOLLOW HIM ON INSTAGRAM @JUSTINUTLEY AND
FACEBOOK @JUSTINUTLEYMUSIC.