Youth :: Community and Resources

If you experience attraction to others of your same sex - and you wonder whether you're gay or straight or fall somewhere in the middle - the fact that you are reading this suggests you might have some questions. Finding answers to those questions can be confusing in our current society where homosexuality is a topic that often becomes a heated debate, and people tend to push you one way or another without pausing to listen to and consider your concerns or questions. People believe many different things, and most of them seem certain that they know better than anyone else exactly how you should respond to same-sex feelings and attractions.

We at North Star affirm that as a son or daughter of God with a divinely given ability to choose how you live your life, you have positive options available to you that will bring you happiness. We encourage you to seek the Spirit in your life and develop a prayerful relationship with your Heavenly Father so He can give you strength and guidance that will help you meet your potential as His child.

If you can bring yourself to do so, we encourage you to prayerfully consider speaking with trusted family members, especially parents, or Church leaders for input and support. They may seem out of touch in some ways, but they do have wisdom from their years of experience which could help you. We also understand that the choice of when to discuss this topic with family or with Church leaders is very individual.

As you seek additional helpful information and resources, be careful to choose those you can trust, since different sources may disagree on seemingly basic but crucial points that could influence the entire course of your life. There are resources from the Church about spiritual issues, from the government and medical societies about health issues, and from other organizations about various social and political issues.

We hope you find on our site resources which are helpful to you as you strive to sort out your place in the gospel and the world in general. As individuals who believe in and are trying to live according to the principles and standards of the Church, we've tried to assemble a variety of resources that will help you to move forward in the gospel in a way that will be spiritually, emotionally, and socially enriching. Since you're here, you are likely trying to live the gospel too, and we want you to know you're in good company. Welcome!

Resources on this page are organized as follows:

North Star Resources

Upcoming Events

Church Resources

Other Resources

North Star Resources

These are discussion groups, articles, and personal essays created by North Star or published on the North Star website. If you'd like to share some of your feelings, experiences, or your testimony in a personal essay, please contact us.

Community Voices

Live the Questions
By Phillip Brown

"It Is Not Good That the Man Should Be Alone": The Virtues of Community and Friendship
By Ty Mansfield

"That Ye Love One Another"
By Samantha Stevens

Upcoming Events

North Star does not currently sponsor any specific activities or events. We do, however, provide a calendar of events sponsored by other individuals or groups which we have reason to believe are in general harmony with the mission of North Star and the values and standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The following events cater to, or are welcoming of, youth:

Please see North Star's main calendar for a list of events.

Church Resources

These are articles, addresses, or Church-sponsored web-pages that have information either specific to same-gender attraction or to broader issues that many young men and women might be faced with.

God Loveth His Children | PDF
Newly released booklet (July 20, 2007) providing counsel specific to Latter-day Saints who experience same-gender attraction

LDS.org Email Subscriptions: Youth Gems

For the Strength of Youth | PDF (See "Sexual Purity")

True to the Faith | PDF (See "Chastity")

LDS.org: Aaronic Priesthood / Young Men
LDS.org: Young Women
CES Especially For Youth summer program

LDS.org Articles

Let us know of articles by Church leaders or in the Ensign or New Era or other Church publications that have been helpful to you as a youth in the Church striving to remain faithful, by emailing us.

LDS.org Gospel Library Selected Topics

Adversity | Body Piercing | Chastity | Internet | Media | Missionary Work | Modesty | Movies and Television | Music | Peer Pressure | Pornography | Prophets | Tattooing | Word of Wisdom

Other Resources

These are online discussion forums, informational websites, weekend seminars and retreats, or articles and addresses sponsored by other individuals, groups, or organizations. North Star provides the following information only as reference and the approach of particular resources may or may not fully reflect the opinions or approach of individual North Star contributors.

Online Discussion Groups

LDS-SSA.org Main Support Forum

Website Resources

Free to Be Me
Becoming Real
Exodus Youth
My True Freedom
LDS Teen Help
Help for Guys
Find Out

Weekend Seminars and Retreats

Love, Sex, and Intimacy
Sponsored by the International Healing Foundation
For youth, men, women, spouses, parents, family

Adventure in Manhood
Sponsored by Family Strategies LLC

Father-Son Healing Seminar
Sponsored by the International Healing Foundation