Troy Williams: It’s better to compromise with the church than clash with it | Episode 431

As a young man, Troy Williams wore a missionary name tag for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Great Britain — all the while fighting against the growing realization he was gay. Afterward, he interned with the Utah Eagle Forum and learned the ways of backroom politicking at the feet of one of the state’s most effective conservative lobbyists, Gayle Ruzicka. Thus, an advocate was born. After embracing his sexual orientation, Williams rose to executive director of Equality Utah, the state’s preeminent LGBTQ+ rights group, and suddenly found himself on the opposite side from his onetime mentor. Though he no longer labored for his former faith, Williams soon was working with it, helping to bring about the landmark Utah Compromise, which safeguarded religious liberty while barring housing and workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. More breakthroughs followed, including the church’s endorsement of the Respect for Marriage Act, codifying civil same-sex marriage. Now, after more than a decade at Equality Utah’s helm, Williams is stepping down. On this week’s show, he discusses his incredible personal and political journey.