As Episode 1 of "Mormon No More" (2022 release; 4 episodes of about 45 min each) opens, we are introduced to Sally, who after marriage and 3 kids has left the Mormon church after falling in love with another woman. "Who am I without Mormonism?" she ponders. The other woman is Lena, with 4 children, who also has left the Mormon church. We then go back in time and understand better what the background of each of them is. At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.
Couple of comments: this 4 part docu-series is both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Heartbreaking because it provides a damning picture of the Mormon church, and in particular its non-support and non-inclusiveness of the LDTBQ+ community. All the strict rules of what is and isn't proper and allowed in the church are promulgated by, wait, wait, wait for it... OLD WHITE MEN. Every single one of the Mormon church's senior leadership (and much in the same way it is with conservative Christian churches), showing no understanding or empathy for "otherness", and in fact oppressing it at very turn. Watch the "conversion therapy" segment. Yet the documentary is also uplifting as we get to know Sally and Lena, and others like them. The most interesting aspect of it all is watching how Sally's and Lena's immediate families and ex-es deal with it. In the end, though, this docu-series exposes the hypocritical nature of religious organizations like the Mormon church and conservative Christian churches, who claim to profess one thing in words but then do the exact opposite in their actions. Shame on them all.
"Mormon No More" recently premiered in Hulu and all 4 episodes are now available to stream. I watched it just the other night and was surprised how quickly these episodes flew by. If you have any interest in the treatment of the LGTBQ+ community in and by the Mormon church, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
