writer * mentor * artist * queer * fluid * happy
The first bit I wrote after the drought where my words were stuck past my teeth down my sore throat weak from loneliness deep into crevices under my ribs and ribboning around my heart in ways that hung the truth was a piece about how love stomped down the barbed wire fence in just enough …
Previously posted at Medium here. This is possibly one of the most complicated things I’ve ever written. That’s not because I shy away from tough subjects. I’ve been writing online since 2002, contributed to books and other publications, and written two of my own books discussing things like religion, politics, and mental illness. This is …
This post went viral on Facebook. As I post this, the counts are: 10.4k+ shares, 3.4k+ comments, and 20k+ reactions. Here is the full text. At the bottom you’ll see a video where I answer some of the most common questions that came my way in response to this post. __________ Hi there, white friends. …
I made a video to explain my answers to the most-asked questions. Why I Left the LDS Church from Leah Peterson on Vimeo.
Update: I’ve moved my campaign to GoFundMe! Welcome. You’ve probably heard of the campaign I’m running over on Kickstarter for my new book, Unconventional Gratitude. It’s a collection of letters to important women in my life and a reminder to look for ways to overcome getting caught in the downward swirl of depression in these …
UPDATE: This Kickstarter did not successfully fund. Please join me at the new location of this project: on GoFundMe. _____ Do you like making the best out of a terrible situation (after you’re done feeling crappy and working through your feelings)? Then, have I got a book for you! Unconventional Gratitude is my way of …
It’s December 22, 2016. I’ve just written my mom an email. The contents of this email include me breaking her heart. I’ve thought of a dozen reasons not to write it and fought with myself about it for over two months but at the end of this day, I will go to sleep knowing she …
So. Donald Trump won. He won the first time with a little help from his friends and he won a second time when the Electoral College cast their votes today. That image is from when Pennsylvania voted. Just a stream of sad and mad emojis for 45 minutes across my screen. This is our reality …
Growing up, my mom sat down with us every few months and taught us a new principle of conversation. It should be noted that I did not like these meetings. I wanted to watch Scooby Doo, but it was a requirement, and so I tried to quiet my interrupting voice and keep my fidgeting limbs …
MARMALADE I come to the beach Heart deflated Breath flat and simple. I sit on the dune Waves smashing Sun bronze and dipping. I watch the pelicans Wings beating Formations ebb and flow. I soak in burnt color God’s palette Marmalade and scarlet red. I brush sand off my feet Soul infused Life fat and …
Buckle up. It’s a long one. Since the day of the election, I have been looking for prominent LDS people who are speaking out against what’s happening as Trump puts highly questionable people in his cabinet and violence has erupted around the country in his name. I feel pretty alone in being an LDS member …
When I wrote my guide for white people about systemic racism, the main feedback I’ve received in emails and direct messages from white people is some variation of, “I’m not racist. Stop calling me that. My life was/is hard. I don’t have white privilege.” There’s a big misconception out there of what it means to …