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A lot of queer people get asked uncomfortable questions when they mention they’re from Utah. Since it was a sensitive subject for Joseph, he told people he was from Wyoming instead.
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Even in Utah, you can find strong queer communities. Joseph was able to find those with similar stories in Salt Lake City.
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It can be difficult to trust people as a queer person raised in an LDS household. Robert had to learn that there are people that are worth trusting, and who want you to be your best self.
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Robert came out as gay later in his life. He faced severe depression, but a personal epiphany helped him realize it was okay for him to be gay.
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The environment of the University of Utah was much more freeing than BYU had been to a queer student like Joseph, even with the other challenges he faced.
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After Joseph was expelled, he applied to several of different schools. The only place that was able to convert his religious class credits was the University of Utah.
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Adam had some major issues when he was working for BYU during his tenure there. He was emotionally abused, and had his own faith weaponized against him.
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Adam’s most cherished moments at BYU come from his time as a member of the sketch comedy groups he and his friends performed in.
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Robert was on guard for most of his life, as he felt that his being gay was not acceptable by either the military or the church.
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Robert and his younger brother both got a doll for Christmas as kids. His father saw dolls as "girls" toys. His mother argued that these toys would allow them to practice being good fathers someday.
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Joseph lost touch with a lot of his college friends after being expelled. However, he’s been able to reconnect with many of them over the course of his life.
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Did you go on an LDS mission?
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Adam enjoyed serving his LDS mission, even with all the struggles involved.
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Adam figured out he was gay almost immediately in his early teens. Coming out, however, took a lot longer.
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We here at the OUT Foundation know the difficulties of being a queer student at BYU. We do our best to provide scholarships and opportunities for those like Cal.
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Cal is the only one of his extended family to be publicly out as queer. His coming out to his family was driven by his desire to help those he loves know it’s okay to be who they truly are.
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"I knew I was gay, it wasn't really a question. The problem with growing up mormon...is that you really didn't have language, you had no way to define what you were. You knew you were different, and you knew that difference wasn't good, it wasn't approved."
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The stress and anxiety of hiding as a gay student led Robert to seek counseling. That choice likely ended up saving Roberts life, and helped improve his mental health while at BYU.
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Joseph's older brother confronted him about his sexuality when he was a teen. Feeling pressured to answer, he had to deal with his brother telling their parents that he thought Joseph was gay.
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Life changed significantly for Joseph after he was expelled. Some of it was a struggle, but a lot of good that came from that, too.
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Many queer people find that once they come out, their life becomes so much better and happier.
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After living for three years together, fellow Studio C alumni Stacy came out to Adam. Immediately after, Adam told him that he was also gay. That simple exchange helped Adam come out to his friends and family.
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The stress of being a closeted gay BYU student led to a lot of those students, like Robert, becoming depressed and burdened with anxiety.
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Robert was able to cope at BYU by distracting himself and keeping busy. This practice would come to hinder him in the future.
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"We call it the queer community...because it is a community. There's so much acceptance and so much love, and it's not very hard to find it."
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now recruiting GRANT WRITER The Grant Writer's primary responsibility is to write grant applications for The OUT Foundation. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Writing grant applications for The OUT Foundation • Working with the finance team to meet yearly fundraising goals. • Coordinating with the finance team to ensure grant applications are completed on time REQUIREMENTS: • Bachelor's degree in relevant field • Excellent written & verbal communication skills • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 10 hours / month Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

now recruiting EMAIL MARKETING COORDINATOR The Email Marketing Coordinator's primary responsibility is working with the marketing team to send out regular newsletter emails to subscribers as well as other targeted emails as necessary. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Email copy writing • Tracking and reporting on email campaigns in order to guide improvements • Ensuring all email campaigns comply with current email best practice in the industry REQUIREMENTS: • Excellent written communication and copywriting skills • Previous experience as an email marketing manager • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 6 hours / week Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

now recruiting ALUMNI EVENTS COORDINATOR (UT) The alumni event coordinator's primary responsibility is to organize and execute events for alumni in UT. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Planning & executing semi-regular alumni meetups • Coordinating with marketing team to create advertisements for any events • Coordinating with treasurer to work within specified budget for any events • Creating & maintaining relationships with local venues & vendors REQUIREMENTS: • Bachelor's degree, preferably in event planning or event management • Proven track record in successful event planning • Excellent written & verbal communication skills • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 10 hours / month • Must be located in Utah Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

now recruiting OPERATIONS OFFICER The Operations Officer's primary responsibility is to conduct the day-to-day operations for one of our programmatic initiatives. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Conducting day-to-day operations for one of our programmatic initiatives: mentorship, gender-affirming voice therapy • When applying, please specify the initiative(s) you would prefer • Collecting data, setting goals, and making plans for maximizing positive impact • Coordinating within and across teams to accomplish tasks on schedule • Regularly reporting progress to the executive team REQUIREMENTS: • Bachelor's degree in relevant field • Demonstrated experience managing projects • Superior interpersonal skills • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 2 hours / week Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

now recruiting TREASURER The Treasurer's primary responsibility is the coordination and oversight of monthly bookkeeping for The OUT Foundation. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Ensure timely delivery of financial statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement) to Board on a quarterly basis • Coordinating w/ our third-party service and executive team to reconcile monthly budget reports • Building relationships w/ our third-party vendor • Assisting the executive director in preparing financial reports for the board of directors • Renew all applicable federal/state licenses. REQUIREMENTS: • Experience and/or interest in bookkeeping and nonprofit accounting, as evidenced through studies or prior work roles • Excellent written & verbal communication skills • Excellent bookkeeping skills • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 6 hours / month Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

now recruiting FINANCE DIRECTOR The Finance Director's primary responsibility is reporting to the Executive Director and Board of Directors relating to accounting operations DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Direct day-to-day accounting operations • Prepare and present financial reports (income statements and balance sheets) • Lead the budgeting and planning process • Manage organizational cash flow and forecasting • Develop appropriate investment strategies and oversee their implementation REQUIREMENTS: • Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related field • Work experience in accounting; experience in nonprofit accounting preferred • Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

now recruiting MARKETING DIRECTOR The Marketing Director's primary responsibilities will be creating, organizing & executing a fully integrated marketing strategy for the OUT Foundation. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: • Overseeing implementation of the marketing strategy - including but not limited to campaigns, events, digital marketing • Developing the marketing strategy for new & existing initiatives • Working closely with the executive director to define marketing materials • Improve online visibility & reputation REQUIREMENTS: • Bachelor's or Master's degree, preferably in business or marketing • Excellent written & verbal communication skills • Proven track record in successful online marketing campaigns • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 10 hours / month Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

• THE OUT FOUNDATION WANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM? Now recruiting for the following unpaid positions: • Email Marketing Coordinator • Marketing Director • Grant Writer • Finance Director • Alumni Outreach Officer (UT) • Operations Manager (Scholarship) • Treasurer Send your resume to volunteer@theout.foundation

Want to join our team? Our volunteer positions require only a few hours per week and are a great way to give back to the community, support LGBTQ+ students and alumni, and build your resume! Positions are open to all community members — you do not need to have attended a CES school to volunteer.

Slice & Social: LGBTQ+ BYU Alumni Night Come reconnect, meet new friends, and enjoy free pizza with fellow LGBTQ+ BYU alumni! This is a casual social gathering — come as you are. July 25th, 2025 6:30-8:00 PM Encircle Provo.

Coming up in 2 weeks! RSVP here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Joseph was expelled from BYU simply for dating another man. He didn't do anything that would have gotten a straight student expelled.
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