148: Tommy Francesco | The Kiss That Kicked Me Out of BYU

Latter Gay Stories

As a convert to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tommy Francesco wanted to do what was right. He studied with the missionaries, joined the church, obeyed the word of wisdom, served a mission and generously gave of his time and talents—but Tommy was gay and that reality met him at every intersection in Mormonism. One weekend at BYU, a kiss with another man changed Tommy’s life forever.

That kiss was a violation of BYU’s Honor Code. Within days, Tommy had been stripped of his academic credits and expelled as a student at BYU. Then came church discipline. This is a story of the trials and experiences of a person who tried to do good and to follow what felt natural and whole. #LatterGayStories #BYU #ComingOut