The concept of kinship within the Mormon cosmos has long been framed by traditional, heteronormative understandings of family, lineage, and spiritual belonging. However, recent scholarship and lived experiences have begun to challenge these boundaries, exploring how queer identities intersect with religious doctrine, community expectations, and familial structures. Queering kinship in the Mormon cosmos is not just an academic exercise it reflects a broader effort to recognize and affirm diverse forms of relationality, intimacy, and belonging within a faith tradition that historically prioritizes heteronormative marriage and procreation. By examining how queer individuals navigate, reinterpret, and transform Mormon kinship, we gain insights into both the resilience of marginalized communities and the evolving nature of religious culture.
Understanding Kinship in Mormonism
Kinship in Mormon theology is deeply intertwined with ideas of eternal family, temple ordinances, and intergenerational relationships. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints emphasizes eternal marriage, sealing ceremonies, and the notion that families can endure beyond mortal life. These doctrines shape social expectations, creating a framework in which familial roles, gender, and sexuality are strictly defined. Within this structure, conventional kinship is closely linked to heteronormative partnerships, biological reproduction, and spiritual hierarchy, which can create challenges for queer members seeking inclusion and validation within their religious and familial communities.
The Traditional Mormon Kinship Model
- Sealing and Eternal FamiliesMarriage ceremonies in Mormon temples bind couples and their children for eternity.
- Gendered RolesExpectations of male priesthood authority and female domesticity shape family dynamics.
- Lineage and GenealogyMaintaining family lines and recording ancestry is a spiritual and cultural priority.
- Community IntegrationSocial belonging is often mediated through adherence to church-defined family norms.
Queer Experiences and Challenges
Queer members of the LDS Church often confront tensions between personal identity and religious expectations. Navigating same-sex attraction, non-binary identities, or unconventional relationship structures within a religious context that emphasizes heterosexual marriage can result in feelings of exclusion or marginalization. These challenges are not solely individual; they extend into social and familial networks where deviation from normative kinship models may be met with resistance or misunderstanding. Queering kinship, then, becomes both a survival strategy and a transformative practice, creating space for authentic expression within rigid doctrinal frameworks.
Negotiating Identity and Faith
- Reconciling sexual orientation with teachings on marriage and family can require complex negotiation and self-reflection.
- Queer Mormons often seek alternative forms of belonging within the church, including support groups and online communities.
- Some individuals reinterpret doctrinal teachings to affirm same-sex relationships, chosen families, and fluid identities.
- Maintaining spiritual and familial bonds may involve delicate balance between authenticity and social acceptance.
Queering Kinship Expanding Definitions
Queering kinship in the Mormon cosmos involves expanding the definition of family beyond biological or legally sanctioned relationships. Chosen families, supportive networks, and platonic partnerships can serve as alternative kin structures that fulfill emotional, social, and spiritual needs. By emphasizing relational bonds over traditional markers of legitimacy, queer Mormons challenge normative assumptions about family while simultaneously creating meaningful connections within their communities. These practices also highlight the ways that queer people innovate culturally and spiritually, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of restrictive religious norms.
Forms of Queered Kinship
- Chosen FamiliesNetworks of friends and allies who provide emotional, social, and material support.
- Non-Biological ParentingCaregiving roles and nurturing responsibilities outside traditional family units.
- Fluid Relationship StructuresPolyamory, co-parenting, and non-monogamous partnerships as viable family models.
- Community RitualsCelebrations, memorials, and spiritual practices that reinforce relational bonds beyond official church rites.
Implications for the LDS Community
Queering kinship has broader implications for the LDS Church and its members. It challenges rigid interpretations of scripture and doctrine while encouraging more inclusive approaches to belonging and spiritual participation. By recognizing and validating diverse family forms, the church could foster greater mental health, resilience, and retention among queer members. Even within existing constraints, the practice of queering kinship highlights opportunities for dialogue, empathy, and mutual understanding, prompting communities to reconsider what constitutes family, love, and loyalty in a spiritual context.
Potential Benefits
- Promotes emotional and social well-being for queer individuals by acknowledging their relational realities.
- Encourages adaptive and inclusive community structures that honor diversity.
- Fosters intergenerational understanding and bridges gaps between tradition and contemporary lived experiences.
- Challenges stereotypes and fosters broader acceptance of non-normative identities within religious contexts.
Case Studies and Lived Experiences
Ethnographic studies and personal narratives provide valuable insights into how queer Mormons navigate kinship. Some individuals describe forming supportive communities within metropolitan areas or online spaces, effectively creating parallel kinship networks that fulfill emotional and spiritual needs. Others recount negotiation strategies with biological family members, blending traditional practices with queer affirming adaptations. These examples illustrate both the challenges and creative strategies that define queering kinship in the Mormon cosmos, highlighting resilience, ingenuity, and the desire for belonging despite institutional limitations.
Examples of Queering Practices
- Ritualizing chosen family gatherings during traditional Mormon holidays.
- Creating spiritual practices that reflect queer identities, such as inclusive prayer circles or celebrations of commitment outside temple ordinances.
- Supporting younger queer members through mentorship, peer support, and advocacy.
- Documenting genealogies that include queer chosen family members as a form of acknowledgment and legitimacy.
Queering kinship in the Mormon cosmos represents a profound reimagining of family, community, and relational belonging within a traditionally rigid religious framework. It challenges conventional notions of legitimacy, lineage, and authority while fostering inclusive and adaptive networks of care and support. For queer Mormons, queering kinship is both a personal and communal act that affirms identity, nurtures relationships, and transforms spiritual practice. Beyond individual experiences, this process holds the potential to influence broader conversations within the LDS Church about inclusion, representation, and the nature of family in a changing world. By exploring these practices, we gain a richer understanding of how identity, faith, and kinship intersect, offering pathways for more equitable and affirming religious communities.