Jul 26 2020 61 mins 30
428 Charlie Bird 0:00 - About Charlie Bird- early life, being the cougar mascot 6:01 - Serving a mission; feeling different and his experience in the Church 18:34 - Returning home from his mission; realizing he was still attracted to men 24:01 - Mental health struggles and seeking help 30:30 - Pride parade in Washington, D.C.; spiritual experiences 36:30 - Being an openly gay senior at BYU; advocating for change and being fully himself 43:37 - Life after BYU; the importance of personal revelation 50:15 - Charlie Bird’s Book and Podcast (listed below) 57:08 - Ending Questions Without the Mask: Coming Out and Coming Into God’s Light by Charlie Bird Charlie’s Podcast: “Questions for the Closet” Epic Cosmo performance: Charlie Bird—the viral face of BYU during his years as Cosmo the Cougar—made waves across the nation when he came out and revealed to BYU fans that he is gay. Now, in Without the Mask, Bird reflects on how his identity has strengthened his testimony and how he views his sexual orientation in conjunction with his faith in Jesus Christ. Alternating between memoir and teaching chapters, Bird’s touching and authentic prose chronicles his decision to openly share that he is gay and to remain active in the faith. Highlighting the challenges Bird has faced along the way, the book also shares the blessings he’s learned to recognize through his sexual orientation. Charlie feels deeply the importance of maintaining a relationship with God and hopes this message will “spark healing, bridge gaps of understanding and inspire hope” for other LGBTQ readers and those who love them.
