Group rallies in Salt Lake City in support of ousted Latter-day Saint sex therapist Natasha Helfer

About 30 people are singing and carrying signs outside Faith Headquarters to protest the decision to revoke their membership.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Natasha Helfer, center left, a sex therapist who lost her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is joined by supporters calling for the First Presidency to lift her fall on Friday apply for. May 7, 2021.

“We’re standing with Natasha,” a group of about 30 people sang outside the offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday afternoon.

People in the group held signs with messages such as “Sexuality is not a sin” and “Excommunicate shame, no heroes”. They gathered to protest the decision by local lay leaders last month to revoke the membership of sex therapist Natasha Helfer, who has publicly opposed the church’s stance on masturbation, same-sex marriage and pornography.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Natasha Helfer, left, a sex therapist who lost her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is joined by supporters who petition the First Presidency to have her excommunication lifted on Friday . May 7, 2021.

Aides who did not organize the rally but attended it told The Salt Lake Tribune that they did not expect their appeal against this decision to be approved by the ruling First Presidency of Faith. Helper said she believed church leaders above the Kansas Stake Presidency (regional) presidency who revoked their membership knew about her case.

However, she believes that the appeal should be upheld. Helfer said she still isn’t sure why she was exactly ousted from the Utah-based belief, but she suspects the Church is upset for reasons related to her clinical expertise, which she believes is not Reason for their removal should be.

Local leaders have denied that they acted on it.

“Your professional activities played a role in the decision of the [membership] Council, ”stake president Stephen Daley wrote in a letter to her. “Rather, as stated in my previous letter to you, the sole purpose of this council was to examine your repeated, clear and public rejection and condemnation of the Church, its teachings, policies and leaders.”

He added that the council had decided to “withdraw your church membership” in order to “violate the law and order of the church”. (Leaders called this excommunication.)

Helfer said Friday the support she received has been humble as it has come from a wide range of Latter-day Saints. She described losing her membership as difficult and “emotionally stressful”.

“I have served my denomination for much of my professional career and have been active in my denomination for most of my life,” she said. “I have many spiritual, social and professional experiences that are very valuable to me and continue to be. Obviously, being kicked out of your home, in essence, whether you agree with your guides or all of the people who belong to the home, is still traumatic. “

Aide said she felt motivated and excited to use the support she received to rally around for causes that matter to her, such as sound clinical mental and sexual health practices in the Latter-day Saint community . Believing that Mormonism is not the only place where science and religion can collide, she points to debates over reproductive rights and transgender rights in various states.

“It’s a small chapter in a big story,” she said of her own experience. Helfer wants to continue working to provide medical care to people, especially young people who may not be able to leave their religious or cultural communities to seek help on their own.

The rally on Friday was organized by Lauren Rogers, who launched a petition asking the church to reverse its decision.

Rogers said her brother was removed from the faith while she was completing her mission.

“It was really traumatic for me,” she said, “feeling like my eternal family has been taken from me, as if my brother would no longer be accepted into my family.”

Rogers said she and aides are fighting for the same causes – the LGBTQ community and sexual health.

Rogers asked those in the congregation to take a moment of silence in honor of those who died from suicide. Participants also chanted “People Die,” “Act as You Care” as a call and response regarding LGBTQ people and other youth who die by suicide in whole or in part due to “shame-based rhetoric in the church”. ”

The rallyers also sang the Latter-day Saint children’s hymn, “Trying to be like Jesus.” Rogers said Christ did not turn away people who wanted to stay with him.

Eva Bell, who carried a sign saying she is the proud parent of a “rainbow child,” said she officially left church last year. A big part of her decision was that she would have a 23 year old transgender child who she believed was being treated badly.

“I could see how my child was treated,” she said, “and I don’t agree with that.”

Church member Aubree Stevens worries that other Latter-day Saints are not seeking evidence-based treatment and therapy because Carer has revoked their membership.

“Personally, I’ve been harmed by the culture of purity,” she said, “and I don’t want this to happen to any more members and future members.”

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