For the final episode in our first season, I spoke to the amazing Elena Joy Thurston. As a Mormon, Elena Joy was living the life she thought she was supposed to: perfect wife and mother of four. Then she started having feelings for a female friend. This is the incredible story of how she survived conversion therapy and went on to launch a nonprofit for LGBTQ+ families.
For the final episode in our first season, I’m excited to share the incredible story of Elena Joy Thurston. Elena grew up in a really turbulent home, and joined the Mormon church in her teens. She did what good Mormon women do: got married and had kids. But deep down, she knew something wasn't right. She began to develop feelings for a female friend, which in the Mormon church of course, is not allowed. She decided to confess to her husband, and then agreed to go to conversion therapy. What it took to get her from that really dark place was trust: she learned to trust her own instincts, and trust her own body.
Elena eventually found the courage to leave her husband and come out. These days, Elena is a motivational speaker and she also launched the Pride and Joy foundation, which offers support for other LGBTQ+ families. Elena calls this her life 2.0. Elena is offering a free Core Values class for listeners of The Reinventors, helping you to figure out what your values are: https://bit.ly/3exUYoy Elena has given many public talks on her journey, including a viral Tedx talk. She previously worked as a theatre production manager, wedding floral designer, real estate agent and professional portrait photographer. She now uses skills from all of them to run her non-profit foundation and public speaking career. The Pride and Joy Foundation is dedicated to building self-awareness and safety in LGBTQ+ families and their allies.