Connell O'Donovan

Last updated

Connell O'Donovan
Born1961 (age 62–63)
Syracuse, Utah, US
Occupations
  • Historian
  • Biographer
  • Genealogist
Website www.connellodonovan.com

Connell O'Donovan (born in 1961) is an American historian, biographer, and professional genealogist. [1] He was born in Utah, but spent much of his life in California. He has written on LGBT Utah history, [2] [3] and Black Mormon history. [4] [5]

Contents

Early life and education

He was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and as a young man was subjected to hypnotherapy sexual orientation change efforts as recommended by his LDS church leaders in attempts to change his gay attractions. [6] [7] [8] He was a Mormon missionary in Brazil, [9] [10] was married in the Salt Lake Temple but later divorced, [10] [11] and was excommunicated from the LDS Church in 1991. [12] He studied history at the University of Utah.

Advocacy

In 1990 he organized the first LGBT pride march in Salt Lake City, Utah. [13] He has also advocated for Ugandan LGBT refugees in Utah. [14] [15] He has been an outspoken against sexual orientation change efforts and conversion therapy. [11] [13] He has published information on LGBT Mormon history. [16] [17] [18] In the 1980s he was involved with the Gay and Lesbian Community Council of Utah (GLCCU), [19] and was later the founding director of the Lesbian and Gay Historical Society of Utah. [12]

Related Research Articles

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This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1960s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.

This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1970s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.

This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1980s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.

This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1990s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.

This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 2010s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Below is a timeline of major events, media, and people at the intersection of LGBT topics and Brigham Young University (BYU). BYU is the largest university of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before 1959 there was little explicit mention of homosexuality by BYU administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of teachings on homosexuality in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</span> Mormon teachings on homosexuality

Homosexuality has been publicly discussed by top leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints —Mormonism's largest denomination—since the late 1800s. The frequency of teachings on same-sex sexual activity increased starting in the late 1950s. Most discussion focuses on male homosexuality and rarely mentions lesbianism or bisexuality. Below is a timeline of notable speeches, publications, and policies in the LDS church on the topic of homosexuality.

References

  1. ↑ "The University of Utah's Queer History, 1920-1992". University of Utah . Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ Griffin, Alexandria. "Queer Mormon Histories and the Politics of a Usable Past". Dialogue . 54 (1): 6.
  3. ↑ O’Donovan, Connell (January 1, 2020). "Public History: Gathering a Community's History: The Utah Queer Historical Society" . Utah Historical Quarterly . 88 (1): 77. doi:10.5406/utahhistquar.88.1.0077. ISSN   0042-143X. S2CID   219470382 – via Duke University Press.
  4. ↑ "Biography of early black Mormon honored". UC Santa Cruz Currents. 11 (6). University of California, Santa Cruz. September 11, 2006.
  5. ↑ O'Donovan, Connell (2006). "The Mormon Priesthood Ban and Elder Q. Walker Lewis: "An example for his more whiter brethren to follow'". John Whitmer Historical Association Journal . 26: 48–100. ISSN   0739-7852. JSTOR   43200236 – via JSTOR.
  6. ↑ James, Susan (March 28, 2011). "Mormon 'Gay Cure' Study Used Electric Shocks Against Homosexual Feelings". ABC News . Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  7. ↑ Weakland, Sean. "Legacies". Yale University. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Legacies". IMDb . June 29, 1996. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Connell Hill O'Donovan". LGBTQ Religious Archives Network. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  10. 1 2 Dobner, Jennifer (June 2, 2007). "Support group for gay and lesbian Mormons marks 30 years". Seattle Times . Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  11. 1 2 Johnston, Kim (October 25, 2019). "Letter: Parents do not have the right to harm their children". Salt Lake Tribune . Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "About the Authors of this Volume". John Whitmer Historical Association Journal . 26: 340–343. 2006. ISSN   0739-7852. JSTOR   43200255 – via JSTOR.
  13. 1 2 Lyons, Kelan (May 29, 2019). "A Proud History: Tracing the Utah Pride Festival back to its origins". Salt Lake City Weekly . Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  14. ↑ Hobday, Tony (December 1, 2017). "Help Connell O'Donovan make it better for Kenya refugees". QSaltLake . Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  15. ↑ Danae, Kaya (December 2017). ""Connell O'Donovan: making life better for local LGBT refugees and those still waiting in African camps". QSaltLake . p. 24. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  16. ↑ O'Donovan, Connell (1994). "'The Abominable and Detestable Crime against Nature': A Brief History of Homosexuality and Mormonism, 1840-1980". In Corcoran, Brent (ed.). Multiply and Replenish: Mormon Essays on Sex and Family. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN   978-1560850502. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  17. ↑ O'Donovan, Connell (April 28, 1997). Private pain, public purges: a history of homosexuality at Brigham Young University (Speech). University of California Santa Cruz . Retrieved May 9, 2023– via Church History Library.
  18. ↑ O'Donovan, Connell. "Private Pain, Public Purges: A History of Homosexuality at Brigham Young University" . Retrieved May 9, 2023– via Exmormon Foundation.
  19. ↑ "A generational layer cake: queering Utah legacies". University of Utah . October 16, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
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