Imagine Dragons frontman explores the Mormon Church’s treatment of LGBT members

Rocker and Mormon, Dan Reynolds, is releasing a film with HBO which looks at the Mormon Church’s reaction to LGBT members. He has seen members of the Church spurned for their sexual orientation, and skyrocketing rates of teen suicide in Utah – as a result of what he believes are the Church’s policies.

via Deadline

Watch the trailer below:

The Believer project has produced an interesting response from the Mormon Church. Instead of denouncing the film, the Church has acknowledged it, going so far as to endorse LoveLoud, a music and spoken-word festival Reynolds created with Neon Trees’ Tyler Glenn. The mission of that festival is to spark dialogue between the church and members of the LGBTQ community — but while the Church’s endorsement is a “step” toward progress, to Reynolds, it doesn’t mean much.

“The policies remain intact,” Reynolds said. “They say being gay is a sin, and until that’s taken away, speaking in platitudes and even endorsing this festival, it’s a step, but there’s a long way to go as far as moving forward.”

Perhaps the most fascinating detail about Reynolds is that despite denouncing the Mormon Church’s stance on sexuality, he remains within the Church. Instead of rejecting and departing the Church, fostering headlines that would evaporate in days, the musical artist intends to work within the system — within his community — to produce change.