Gender, Relationships, and Negotiation: How Men Frame Their Deconversion Experiences from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

ABSTRACT: Little has been written specifically about how men frame their experiences of leaving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Using a qualitative coding technique, we analyze the deconversion narratives of twenty American men who left the LDS church. Based on an understanding of the ways the LDS church shapes the male life course, we find that milestones and expectations—obligatory priesthood advancement, mission, marriage, a family, and a focus on career—play a role in men's experiences. This is also seen in how men internalize their experiences and, in some instances, form regrets about having followed the church's gendered expectations. We conclude with a call for more research, specifically of men's experiences leaving the church.