Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please CLICK HERE
The following was excerpted from LDS Living. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Tan France, fashion expert for the wildly popular Netflix series Queer Eye, spoke to a sold-out audience in Salt Lake City last Wednesday night. The purpose of the event was to discuss his New York Times best-selling memoir, Naturally Tan, but he also took the opportunity to encourage love and tolerance between the religious and LGBTQ communities.
“I know that there may be many issues between religion and the LGBTQ community. I understand that,” he said. “But my in-laws are LDS. Many of my friends are LDS. They are wonderful . . . incredible, incredible people.”
He continued, “Yes, we may not agree on many Church practices—I get that. I don’t agree with many of the practices of my own religion. . . . But that doesn’t mean it’s okay to hate on our friends and family,” to which the crowd responded with a roar of cheers and applause.
“When you see my Mormon friends on Instagram, don’t come for them,” France urged. “They don’t need your hate. I don’t let people hate on you guys as my LGBTQ family. I’m not going to let people hate on my Mormon family either. Leave them alone. They’ve done nothing wrong.”
France also shared some of his experiences as an immigrant from Pakistan who grew up in England, including being beaten by adults as a 5-year-old on his way to school and frequently being treated with suspicion by airport security when he visited the US. He expressed his appreciation for President Gordon B. Hinckley’s admonition to treat Muslims with respect and kindness.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
