By Anthony Oporta
Standing up against your own beliefs, people, religion, and family is no easy feat, especially if you were raised as a Mormon. This is the life of Dan Reynolds, lead singer of Imagine Dragons, and Tyler Glenn, lead singer of Neon Trees. Two musicians, the former a still practicing Mormon, the latter, no longer self-identifies as Mormon, who set out to change the way the church views the LGBTQ community through the power of Love and Music.
Growing up as a Mormons, both Dan and Tyler were taught that being gay, lesbian or participating in any homosexual acts or behaviors, were a grievous sin against their God and religion. As Mormons, they are required by their church to go on missions, professing their beliefs around the world by knocking from door to door. In his course of missions, Dan recalls knocking on thousands of doors of many LGBTQ people. Having to tell them that they are sinning and have no chance of being saved tore him up inside. When he met his future wife, Aja Volkman, he struggled with accepting her personal beliefs that everyone has the right to marry and love whom they choose. After years of being together, Dan’s view on LGBTQ rights changed, to the point of creating strains within his family and friends. Heartbroken over this complication between family, religion, and love for humanity, Reynolds no longer wanted to stay quiet about how truly feels about accepting love as love.
Tyler Glenn, also grew up as a Mormon, he too went on missions for his church. As he was starting, Dan Reynolds was just finishing. Seeing as they both loved music, a friendship was born, not just out of music, but also from being from the same church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS. After completing his missions, Tyler came back and began questioning his own sexual identity. Although he says he has always found men attractive and has crushed on some, he never truly acted upon that until coming back from his mission’s trip. When he formed Neon Trees, many of his songs were secretly about his battles with coming out as a gay man. Until 2014, he had kept it a secret. At that time, he was still attending the LDS church with his partner at the time, until in 2015 when the church excommunicated him. This took a toll on him, to the point of losing contact with many friends and family members.
With both men no longer in agreeance with the church and their leaders, and seeing how the death toll of Utah rises due to suicide, Dan and Tyler seek to bring the people together under love for one another and music. LOVELOUD was created to bring not just Mormon’s and the LGBTQ community together, but to show the world that Love is Love.
This documentary encapsulates the true meaning of love. Being able to stand up for what is right, defending those who are afraid to come out, those who are under the control of the higher powers of a community and for the family and friends who have lost loved ones because they simply want to love and be accepted, is what LOVELOUD seeks to accomplish. Believer opened my eyes to those who still love their religion, but love more the power of love
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