On Thursday, April 4, 2019, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints reversed rules that did not allow same-sex couples’ children to be baptized and said that same sex couples were sinners that are qualified for expulsion. In 2015, church leaders prohibited children of gay couples to be baptized until they were 18 years old and renounced same sex-couples. Now children of same-sex couples are allowed to be baptized if their parents support the baptism and are aware that the children will be taught the church’s doctrine. The doctrine will remain the same but church leaders hope that these changes will have positive effects on families.

LDS church leaders released a statement online that included “We want to reduce the hate and contention so common today,” (Fox News). Church members that are LGBTQ and allies were relieved and excited to hear the news but were still displeased about the harm that the policies from 2015 brought and the absence of apologies from leaders of the church.

Kitchen, the president of the organization Affirmation which supports church members that are LGBTQ, said that the old policies provoked custody battles that tried to make sure children could be full members of the religion.

An Arizona mother of a gay son named Wendy Montgomery was pleased with the changes but she says the damage from the 2015 policies cannot be undone. She left the church after the policies were put into place. She said “It deeply wounded and traumatized every single LGBTQ Mormon that I know.”

Leaders of the faith in the past explained that “the 2015 rules were designed to protect children by not putting them in a potential tug-of-war between the beliefs of same-sex couples raising them and teachings and activities at church,” (Fox News). The recent changes were a result of an outcry members of the church and church leaders responded relatively quickly.