I used to feel like Peter Pan, who watched Wendy Darling play with her family. "There could not have been a lovelier sight; but there was none to see it except a little boy who was staring in at the window. He had ecstasies innumerable that other children can never know; but he was looking through the window at the one joy from which he must be forever barred" (J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan).

I felt barred from the happiness that comes from family simply because I was gay because that's what I learned growing up as a Mormon. I have since come to know that I am not barred from this happiness, and that I can have all the joys associated with family.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Make a New Beginning

I am many things--husband, son, brother, barista, writer, artist, humanist, former Mormon, homosexual--It's funny how something like a blog can pinpoint two of those many labels and make it seem to define my existence. For so long to the people who read this blog I am the gay man who grew up Mormon. The problem is as I get further and further away from Mormonism I have less and less to say about what it means to be a gay Mormon. So this blog gets updated more sporadically and gets fewer readers. It may be soon time to cut the cord!

I do have other blogs. AlwaysHoldingHands.blogspot.com is my blog as a husband, friend, and relative. I use it for occasional personal updates and pictures, and you are welcome to follow me there. I also have been using blog.dembree.com more and more. Blog.dembree.com is my blog as an artist, and I use it post images and announce events and make goals. I will be updating it more frequently with thoughts about the things that influence my art (many of which are relevant to you fellow gay Mormons/former Mormons), other artists, work in progress, and new artwork. I invite you follow me over there as well!
Posted by at 9:20 PM

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