Editor’s note: Rachel Billings (RaYnbow Collective) was silently removed from the speaker list for the BYU annual Women’s Conference a week ago. However, the website was not updated to reflect the change, and the speakers list was taken down by BYU after the publication of this article. BYU has been contacted for comment and has not yet replied. Thank you for your understanding.
Note: The full schedule of speakers has been available here, however, BYU took down the list from public view on April 12 after the publication of this article. An archived version of the page without the schedule can be found here if the schedule is returned to the page. The schedule was downloaded by the Cougar Chronicle before removal and can be seen at the bottom of this article.
BYU’s 2024 Women’s Conference is just around the corner and has the potential to be an inspiring and spiritual event for the thousands of attendees who plan to attend. The conference is planned to begin on May 1st and will continue until May 3rd. This year’s schedule features over 150 presenters covering an expansive assortment of topics and perspectives.
However, some have expressed concern regarding this year’s selection of speakers. A small sample of those invited to speak at this year’s conference have difficult histories with BYU’s administration or have expressed concerning views on official Church doctrine. Here we detail three speakers whose personal histories, statements, or organizational affiliations may not align with BYU’s mission, and whose presence on stage may legitimize teachings that fly in the face of Church doctrine.
Rachel Billings, the Vice President of the RaYnbow Collective was scheduled to host a panel with Jeff Thompson titled “Christ-Centered Parenting of LGBTQ Children” before being removed from the speakers list.
THE RAYNBOW COLLECTIVE
Here is a screenshot of the original speaker list, including the Vice President from the RaYnbow Collective, before the schedule was taken down.
The RaYnbow Collective is a non-profit organization “focused on creating and identifying safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff at Brigham Young University.” Last summer, The Cougar Chronicle reported on the RaYnbow Collective handing out condoms and oral sex tips to participants at a drag show they attended. Additionally, they were caught twice (here and here) attempting to distribute “Allyship and Activism Resource Guides” to students; both instances were shut down by the BYU administration.
Just last month, in reaction to BYU’s decision to implement Elder Holland’s 2021 devotional into the first-year curriculum, the RaYnbow Collective published a public statement urging “a reconsideration and exploration of alternative messaging.” It is, therefore, confusing that BYU would platform the Vice President of an organization that, over the last couple of years, has shown an increased opposition to BYU and its standards.
LIFT AND LOVE
Allison Dayton of the Lift and Love Foundation will speak on Thursday, May 2, and Friday, May 3. Her first panel will discuss “Showing Compassion, Charity, and Love for our LGBTQ Loved Ones” with Julia Bernards as a participant, and her second panel will discuss “Showing Love and Respect for All of God’s Children.”
Allison Dayton is the founder and President of the Lift and Love Foundation, an organization focused on “supporting, teaching, and empowering LGBTQ+ LDS families.” The organization hosts numerous monthly events, such as support groups for parents of LGBTQ+ children and groups for LGBTQ men and women who are in relationships or considering marriage. Lift + Love also connects website visitors with LGBTQ literature, research on LGBTQ experiences, and stories of LDS LGBTQ families and individuals.
The organization has alluded to the belief that doctrines and policies supported by the Family Proclamation can and will change. In response to a question on their Q&A Page, Lift + Love responded, ”The Church’s views have changed about LGBTQ+IA over the years and may continue to evolve as the gospel continues to be restored.” The page also contains a statement implying the church maintains rules that discriminate against LGBTQ children, “…Because the church has rules against them…”
FLOURISH THERAPY
Julia Bernards is a counselor at Flourish Therapy, a “clinical care program” that provides “services with a focus on quality care for LGBTQIA+ clients and their families.” One of their services, for example, entails writing letters for “gender-affirming medical treatment,” which advocates on behalf of a patient to receive cross-sex hormones or gender reassignment surgeries.
While pursuing her doctorate at BYU, Julia delivered presentations wherein she expressed disapproval of church doctrine on the topic of gender transition. She said she had a transgender child herself and spoke positively on having a “more nuanced” position with the gospel when it came to the topic.
OTHER SPEAKERS AND DETAILS
Notable speakers to look forward to include Sister Camille N. Johnson, Sister J. Anette Dennis, and Sister Kristin M. Yee of the Relief Society General Presidency, who will share a presentation titled Come Take Your Place on May 1st at 6:00 pm. Brother Brad Wilcox, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, will also be speaking, as will Elder Nielson of the Presidency of the Seventy.
The scriptural theme for this year’s conference is 2nd Nephi 4:34, focusing on the following statement: “O’ Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.” The scripture acts as a reminder of how the Lord has looked after his children, and the theme has been incorporated into many of the events and keynote speeches. The conference’s organizers encourage participants to write journal entries detailing instances where they have trusted in God and the Lord has blessed them in their lives, during times of both harmony and struggle.
BYU was reached out to for comment but did not initially respond and instead took down the speaker schedule. The full 2024 schedule (although marked 2023 at the top due to download configurations) can be seen below:
Written by: The Cougar Chronicle
The Cougar Chronicle is an independent student-run newspaper and is not affiliated with Brigham Young University or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
