Family Fellowship

The first were Fred and Wanda Karford of Idaho Falls (1993-1994), followed by Gary and Millie Watts of Provo (1995-2007), and finally Bill and Marge Bradshaw of Orem (2008-2012).

[4] In the months following its organization Family Fellowship sponsored the first of six conferences (in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001)[3] focused on various aspects of homosexuality, its etiology, its history, its relation to morality and law, and not least, its particular impact on the lives of individuals.

They included June Reinisch, head of the Kinsey Institute, Andrew Sullivan,[5] editor of the New Republic, Dean Hamer from the National Institute of Health, Evan Wolfson, of Lamba Legal Defense, Simon LeVay, a leading neuroscientist investigator of brain development, Kate Kendall, Director of the National Center on Lesbian rights, Amity Buxton, author of a book on mixed orientation marriage,  Robert Rees, former Editor of Dialogue, Lisa Diamond, Professor at the University of Utah and Christine Johnson.

[7] These newsletters regularly featured personal stories of LDS families trying to understand homosexuality as they confronted the disconnect between Church teachings and the reality of their lives.

[8] For nearly a quarter century Family Fellowship was at the forefront of efforts to advance LDS LGBT interests and to support those marginalized by Church doctrines and policies.

One concrete measure of the impact of Family Fellowship is seen in a recent survey of “known empirical literature” based on this (LDS LGBTQ) population.