All Out in the Open

This week in our OPEN Up episode, Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird talk with Justin Telthorst, a gay Catholic and founder of Empty Chairs, a nonprofit working to build belonging between LGBTQ+ individuals and the Catholic Church.

Justin shares his journey of faith, identity, and advocacy—discussing what it’s like to be queer in a conservative faith tradition, and how he’s found purpose in creating space for others to feel seen. 

It’s a powerful conversation about authenticity, hope, and the kind of love that makes room for everyone.

How can I be a good ally? How do you stay hopeful in a difficult world? Who is Ben’s celebrity crush?

Learn the answers (and more) in this THE Exclusive episode: a live Q&A from the 2025 Gather Conference featuring Ben Schilaty, Charlie Bird and Liz Macdonald.

This week in our IN the Scriptures episode, Clare Dalton sits down with Ben Bernards, an author, blogger, podcaster, and a beloved youth speaker known for his energetic love of the gospel. He is also a husband and father to three daughters—two of whom are trans.

Together, Ben and Clare dive into the Doctrine and Covenants and reflect on what it means to truly embrace light and truth: by trusting God, overcoming fear, and letting go of previously held beliefs.

Our OUT and About episode this week looks a little different. Our guest Adrian (name changed) from Indonesia isn’t able to come out publicly, so he shared his experiences as an LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saint with host Iese Wilson, who retold them to Ben Schilaty. 

We’re grateful for every story bravely shared on All Out in the Open.

This week’s ALL Together episode features Cynthia Winward and Susan Hinckley, hosts of a podcast and authors of a book called At Last She Said It. They started their podcast to amplify the unspoken thoughts and feelings of Latter-day Saint women who feel out of place. 

Cynthia and Susan discuss the power of hearing people’s stories, embracing change as individuals and a living Church, and loving our family members as God does.

On this week’s OPEN Up episode, Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird share heartfelt and powerful insights gathered from a survey of LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints. What do they wish their families, leaders, and fellow Church members understood? From deeply personal reflections to recurring themes of faith, pain, and hope, this episode gives voice to experiences too often overlooked. Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community or seeking to better support someone who is, this episode is a must-listen.

This week, Clare Dalton sits down with Stefanie Reinsch to discuss Doctrine & Covenants 71–83. Stefanie shares her journey of revelation and resilience. From serving a mission to coming out as bisexual to now pursuing PA school, she reminds us that there’s more than one way to walk with God.

On this week’s OUT and About episode, Iese Wilson talks with James Grant, a gay, neurodivergent Latter-day Saint from England currently serving on his stake high council. James shares his journey of coming out after years of denial and the role community and connection played in that process.

A former missionary leader introduced James to the Questions from the Closet podcast and Gather Conference, which he later attended with his mom and had a deeply spiritual experience. He found hope and direction through resources that showed him a life of authenticity and faith was possible.

On this month’s ALL Together episode, hosts Liz Macdonald and Michael Soto sit down with Landon Phillips. Landon shares his journey of coming out, transitioning, and stepping into the world of LGBTQ+ advocacy. From focusing on faith-based spaces to working with Equality Arizona, Landon has used his voice as a trans person to foster change at both local and national levels. He also talk about building queer joy and community—including the queer Dungeons & Dragons group he helped launch. This is a conversation about identity, courage, and the power of using your story to create a more inclusive world.

In this week’s OPEN Up episode, Ben and Charlie discuss the concept of deliverance, drawing parallels between the ancient Israelites and the LGBTQ+ community. 

They explore how the Spirit can push us to act, even when the path is difficult, scary or uncertain. They also acknowledge the trailblazers who helped pave the way for our deliverance and how knowing that others will follow in our footsteps influences our choices.