#329 - Justin Utley - Professional Musician Shares His Experience Of Conversion Therapy As A Gay Man
Guest Bio:
Born and raised in Utah, Justin Utley’s music career took off when he was made a featured performer at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ceremonies in Salt Lake City. After breaking ties with his Mormon roots, Justin became a sought-after talent, spending much of his career touring as a performer at Pride Festivals worldwide. He’s shared the stage with top international acts like Dan Reynolds, Icona Pop, Tegan & Sara, Billy Porter, and Margaret Cho.
In June 2010, Utley released “Stand for Something,” a single written to inspire and motivate action towards securing LGBT marriage equality in the United States. The single was nominated by the LGBT Academy Of Recording Arts for 4 OutMusic Awards, including Best Songwriter and Artist of the Year, winning Best Country/Folk Song of the Year.
Utley is an outspoken advocate against the use of conversion (ex-gay) therapy, a method Utley experienced for two years. Now a powerful speaker at colleges and universities, Utley provides insight on issues of faith and the LGBT community. He has served as a guest contributor on CNN’s ‘Faces of Faith’ Sunday news segment, NPR, SiriusXM’s OutQ and MSNBC. He is a two-time recipient of the FBI’s “Inspiring Citizen of the Year” award, and “Artist of the Year” by SiriusXM Radio.