Allison Dayton & Ben Schilaty
Fri, Nov 7 , 2025 | 7:30-9:00 pm MDT
WHERE:
Kristin and Chad Christensen
2857 E. Sleepy Hollow Drive
Holladay, Utah 84117
Thanks to Kristin and Chad for hosting this gathering in their home.
Or join us via the large Zoom link below in blue. But the experience is better in person so come join us!
THE CONVERSATION:
Over the last several decades LGBTQ people have enjoyed greater understanding and acceptance across the world and even in many faith traditions that don’t condone sexual intimacy and marriage among them. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of those faiths. And yet is often a struggle for families and friends in such faith traditions to reconcile their faith’s doctrine with their positive and even spiritual experiences with LGBTQ people. Especially those who are dating or married to the same sex. Allison and Ben have been actively creating spaces of appreciation and belonging that honor both the faith and the identities of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them. Join us for a conversation exploring the many gifts such people bring into our lives and our our faith traditions and how we can genuinely feel gratitude, love, and belonging for them.
ABOUT BEN:
Dr. Ben Schilaty is a social work professor at Utah Valley University. He also works part-time as a therapist specializing in working with LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and their families. He holds three degrees from Brigham Young University: a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies, a master’s in Hispanic linguistics and a master’s in Social Work; he also earned a PhD in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching from the University of Arizona. Ben learned Spanish and Portuguese during his mission in Chihuahua, Mexico, and when he lived in Bolivia, Peru and, Portugal. He taught Spanish for a decade at the middle school, high school and college level. Ben is the award-winning author of A Walk In My Shoes: Questions I am Often Asked as a Gay Latter Day Saint and cohosts the podcast “All Out in the Open.”
ABOUT ALLISON:
Allison Dayton started the Lift and Love Foundation to support LGBTQ individuals and their families in the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Allison lost her brother, who was gay, to suicide at the same time her 17-year-old son was coming out. Looking for resources to help her family, she couldn’t find anything that embraced her religious beliefs and her son’s divine identity. Lift and Love has grown to fill that much-needed space supporting thousands of individuals and families as they navigate their unique journeys of protecting their identity or that of their precious children and integrating their new reality into their devotion to Jesus Christ. Allison is a writer, a speaker, and a natural-born gather. She and her husband, Kenn, live in Salt Lake City, have three grown children and a granddaughter who rules their world.
I’m delighted those who can’t attend in person can join virtually. I’m sorry I can’t give you the same care and attention given to those in person. Please contact me if you have suggestions for improvement.
- Click on the Zoom link above for either last month’s recorded conversation (if the event date has passed) or the live conversation now. If you are participating in the live conversation keep reading.
- When you are connected you will either be waiting in a lobby and will let be in shortly or you will immediately be able to see other participants. Please make sure that you are muted and that your video is on if you choose to have it on. (Love to see and hear you live, but we’ll take curious lurkers also.)
- If you can’t hear the host, me, or others, find your settings and make sure you have a working microphone and speaker selected. OR maybe the problem is on my end so please let me know if it is.
ZOOM ETIQUETTE:
- Please mute your microphone before entering and when you are not speaking so noises are not heard by everyone else.
- If you are going to multitask—not recommended—or wander around a lot, please turn off your video and make sure you are muted. No one wants to be distracted by you eating or using the loo.
