‘I could not continue to live a lie’: Utah County Commissioner Nathan Ivie comes out as gay

By Benjamin Wood
Published: 20 hours ago
Updated: 16 minutes ago

Saying he needs to be honest with his friends, family and neighbors, Utah County Commissioner Nathan Ivie announced Wednesday that he is gay.

In a four-minute video posted to his Facebook page, the first-term commissioner describes fighting against his sexual orientation from age 9, surviving a suicide attempt at 22 and ultimately accepting himself as “a loving person worthy of love who values others and hopes to be valued.” ... “There’s no easy way to say this, I might as well just jump up and say it — I’m gay," Ivie says. “That’s my reality and that’s what I need to talk to you about today.”

Ivie, who was elected in 2016 to the three-member Utah County Commission, says in the video that he and his wife have decided to end their marriage, but that she is his best friend and supporter and they plan to “move forward as a different kind of family.” ... He also says he will continue to serve Utah County with all his heart and understands that his announcement will not be well-received by all.
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Utah County is among the most conservative areas in the state, with its relatively large population — second only to liberal-leaning Salt Lake County — providing a reliable and proactive voter base for Republican politics. ... Last year, several support organizations for LGBTQ Utahns were again excluded from the Provo-based America’s Freedom Festival July 4th parade. Ivie objected to the exclusion, holding a news conference where he called the festival’s decision “bulls---” — he later apologized for his “cowboy English” — and threatened to rescind the event’s county funding. ... The festival ultimately reversed its decision and allowed the LGBTQ organizations to participate.
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