Jennifer Curtis is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a mother, and wife. Curtis has been married to her husband for over 30 years, although things were not always easy.
“About 18 years into our marriage, I came out and told him that I experienced same-sex attraction,” Curtis said. “It was a ride as I figured out what that meant for myself being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Curtis now works as the president of the executive committee for the North Star organization. North Star is a non-profit organization that seeks to help members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who experience same-sex attraction.
“We really are trying to help the LDS LGBT community,” Curtis said. “We help the individuals, family, friends, and we help them as they go about their journey of reconciliation between their sexuality or gender dysphoria and their Latter-day Saint faith.”
While there are other groups like North Star, it is unique in its purpose and goals for those it helps.
“The difference is that North Star International is actually the only one out there that talks about the covenant path and encourages the community to continue to keep their covenants or even work at making their covenants as they are figuring out their sexuality,” Curtis said.
North Star International offers meetings, conferences and temple trips for those involved in the organization.
“So, we really are trying to have the temple be a backstop for people that want to have that experience and are really striving to stay in that space,” Curtis said.
Curtis hopes the North Star organization will continue to grow and support members of the Church who face trials and seek to stay on the covenant path, and that through the organization support can be found for those who feel alone in their burdens.
“There's an organization here that can help support and help build community for them as they work through their sexual orientation and gender dysphoric issues,” Curtis said.
You can learn more about North Star organization by going to the North Star website.