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Gay Mormon Dad
All his life, Chad Anderson was told he was broken. He believed with all his heart that being a good Mormon would make him straight, because that is what he was told. Chad followed the prescribed road mission, marriage, and children. But it didn’t make him happy, and it didn’t make him straight. For Chad, coming out meant losing everything and starting again.
Gay Mormon Dad is the story of one man learning to love himself in a complicated world. This inspiring autobiography unfolds in two parts, “Then” and “Now,” woven together in a way that will hit you right in the heart. Vibrantly illustrated by artist Remy Burke, this moving graphic novel sheds light on the dangers of spiritual abuse and illuminates the path to healing.
Gay Mormon Dad is the story of one man learning to love himself in a complicated world. This inspiring autobiography unfolds in two parts, “Then” and “Now,” woven together in a way that will hit you right in the heart. Vibrantly illustrated by artist Remy Burke, this moving graphic novel sheds light on the dangers of spiritual abuse and illuminates the path to healing.
104 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 9, 2026
What better graphic novel to read during 'Pride Month'? Especially here, in Utah, where the governor just declared June 'Fidelity Month', as it both things were mutually exclusive. Because, whoever ever heard of a secular state, right?
Anyway... even though I am none of the things stated in the title (gay, mormon, or a dad... nor even a mom for that matter), fact is I found Chad Anderson's story very relatable and accessible to all kinds of readers. The art is the perfect accompaniment for the events here narrated, with the right balance of colorful and sober, and the way the author jumps between the 'now' and 'then' makes for a smooth sailing.
I actually am a bit surprised at how pleasant I found this read, even though these are not, by any means, easy life experiences. I even enjoyed Anderson's poems, that perfectly convey his feelings without being grandiloquent. And we all know I am usually not a fan of this form of expression.
All in all, a great read.
Anyway... even though I am none of the things stated in the title (gay, mormon, or a dad... nor even a mom for that matter), fact is I found Chad Anderson's story very relatable and accessible to all kinds of readers. The art is the perfect accompaniment for the events here narrated, with the right balance of colorful and sober, and the way the author jumps between the 'now' and 'then' makes for a smooth sailing.
I actually am a bit surprised at how pleasant I found this read, even though these are not, by any means, easy life experiences. I even enjoyed Anderson's poems, that perfectly convey his feelings without being grandiloquent. And we all know I am usually not a fan of this form of expression.
All in all, a great read.
May 22, 2026
This graphic memoir unfolds in sections of then and now. I appreciated the straight (ha!) telling of the author's experience, especially as a former LDS member. The illustration style and poetry pages were OK, and I can see how this would resonate for readers with similar life experiences.
July 5, 2026
Sharing deeply vulnerable experiences, Chad Anderson precisely illustrates the torture of living a closeted life.
July 2, 2026
The title makes this heartfelt memoir with poems interspersed sound more kitschy than it is. Chad grows up gay in a devout Mormon household, where he is abused on multiple levels but it is all brushed off because they are a “good” family with a pass because they are religious. He comes out to his religious leaders who tell him basically to ignore being gay, so he does and gets married and has kids. His wife knows he’s gay, but she’s okay with it as long as he pretends he’s not, and when he finally cracks, she’s devastated because she would rather he live a lie and suffocate than disappoint people by being happy. Once Chad decides to accept who he is, there’s a lot of fallout but it’s all worth it and he can finally begin to heal from his various traumas.
June 25, 2026
I think I would have preferred this memoir in sequential order rather than skipping between then and now and then now-now.
June 21, 2026
Gay Mormon Dad by Chad Anderson & Remy Burke
"Mediocrity makes you mean." (pp. 55)
This quote is barely related to the majority of the content in this book but it felt pretty profound to me.
Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!
Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a small piece of paper with the book.
Started June 19th, 2026.
Finished June 19th, 2026.
June 19th, 2026: read whole book.
"Mediocrity makes you mean." (pp. 55)
This quote is barely related to the majority of the content in this book but it felt pretty profound to me.
Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!
Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a small piece of paper with the book.
Started June 19th, 2026.
Finished June 19th, 2026.
June 19th, 2026: read whole book.
June 29, 2026
A beautiful and emotional memoir. I think the order was the most challenging part of the reading experience.
June 20, 2026
Painful, hopeful, definitely work the read.
June 27, 2026
Am I gay? No. Did I enjoy and relate to Chad’s story? Absolutely. Written and illustrated well. Relatable to anyone that has experienced religious and childhood trauma.
June 17, 2026
Awesome, gorgeous graphic novel!
This is a must read for everyone; Anderson's story resonates on so many levels. Plus, the artwork and coloring (blue for 'then,' orange for 'now') is so meaningful and so wonderfully done!
This is a must read for everyone; Anderson's story resonates on so many levels. Plus, the artwork and coloring (blue for 'then,' orange for 'now') is so meaningful and so wonderfully done!
June 11, 2026
Mormonism is a terrorist organization
May 15, 2026
Chad Anderson’s Gay Mormon Dad is honest, compassionate, and deeply human. His story resonated with me on a very personal level because my journey through life closely resembles his.
Chad writes with remarkable vulnerability and courage, sharing his journey in past and present graphics that feels both intensely personal and universally relatable.
What impressed me most was the grace and empathy woven throughout the book. Rather than bitterness or blame, Chad offers thoughtful reflection, humanity, and hope. His storytelling is engaging, heartfelt, and often profoundly moving. Whether or not you share his background or beliefs, it’s impossible not to connect with the authenticity of his voice.
The book provides meaningful insight into identity, faith, family, love, and belonging. I came away not only inspired by Chad’s resilience, but also grateful for the honesty and openness with which he tells his story.
Gay Mormon Dad is an important, beautifully written memoir that deserves a wide audience. Highly recommended.
Chad writes with remarkable vulnerability and courage, sharing his journey in past and present graphics that feels both intensely personal and universally relatable.
What impressed me most was the grace and empathy woven throughout the book. Rather than bitterness or blame, Chad offers thoughtful reflection, humanity, and hope. His storytelling is engaging, heartfelt, and often profoundly moving. Whether or not you share his background or beliefs, it’s impossible not to connect with the authenticity of his voice.
The book provides meaningful insight into identity, faith, family, love, and belonging. I came away not only inspired by Chad’s resilience, but also grateful for the honesty and openness with which he tells his story.
Gay Mormon Dad is an important, beautifully written memoir that deserves a wide audience. Highly recommended.
May 12, 2026
A simple book about an emotionally complex journey of reflection and growth. Chad Anderson's memoir finds its strength in sharing the ugly —and beautiful — lessons of a real life lived: fears, flaws, hopes, dreams, and the things we sacrifice to belong.
Remy Burke brilliantly uses color cues to help the audience understand the "before" and "after" times with thoughtful punctuations of a broader palette at key scenes, reflecting the richness and depth of the author's viewpoint at these watershed moments. Poems interspersed throughout could have been self-indulgent but support and move the narrative forward, smartly illustrated to move beyond just words on a page.
The authenticity here comes from owning every moment of a life, leading to a future of joy not only for the author but his children. There's a real self awareness that resonates with the reader, sharing that every one of us can re-route our path, even when it's the scariest thing imaginable.
Remy Burke brilliantly uses color cues to help the audience understand the "before" and "after" times with thoughtful punctuations of a broader palette at key scenes, reflecting the richness and depth of the author's viewpoint at these watershed moments. Poems interspersed throughout could have been self-indulgent but support and move the narrative forward, smartly illustrated to move beyond just words on a page.
The authenticity here comes from owning every moment of a life, leading to a future of joy not only for the author but his children. There's a real self awareness that resonates with the reader, sharing that every one of us can re-route our path, even when it's the scariest thing imaginable.
May 18, 2026
Gay Mormon Dad is an honest account of the difficulties of becoming one’s authentic self in an intolerant environment and all the happiness and joy that comes after overcoming all of that trauma. I can’t recommend this book enough!
May 17, 2026
Heartfelt, moving, challenging.
But ultimately uplifting true story, supported by beautiful art and prose and poetry pieces
An emotional story told with heart, truth and love
But ultimately uplifting true story, supported by beautiful art and prose and poetry pieces
An emotional story told with heart, truth and love
May 11, 2026
What a tremendous work. This is a heartwrenching and beautiful book. Thank you to Chad Anderson for sharing it with all of us. This book deals with Anderson's experience growing up gay in the Mormon church and eventually coming out and leaving the church and making a happy life for himself. This book is unflinchingly honest and sensitively told, with the story complemented by beautiful art and coloring. I would heartily recommend it to everyone.
(Full disclosure: I know Chad and have appeared on his podcast.)
(Full disclosure: I know Chad and have appeared on his podcast.)
May 10, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Critical Score: A-
Personal Score: B
I love how outright and convicted and tender the narrative is, and the art is good. I did feel pretty depressed reading this, even though it’s an inspirational memoir, so that brought my personal score down, and the poems kind of felt like speed bumps, because I’m not a poetry fan and I don’t like graphic lit interrupted by chunks of text.
Obviously, the politics behind this are really important, we always need more books like this, and I applaud the writer’s courage to speak out.
Critical Score: A-
Personal Score: B
I love how outright and convicted and tender the narrative is, and the art is good. I did feel pretty depressed reading this, even though it’s an inspirational memoir, so that brought my personal score down, and the poems kind of felt like speed bumps, because I’m not a poetry fan and I don’t like graphic lit interrupted by chunks of text.
Obviously, the politics behind this are really important, we always need more books like this, and I applaud the writer’s courage to speak out.
May 8, 2026
A gut-wrenching and personal memoir that sheds light on the experiences of queer youth growing up in the LDS church. Remy Burke's artwork is incredible too.
June 15, 2026
I have been super bad at properly commemorating celebration months this year so far, but better late than never I suppose, so Happy Pride! I tend to read a lot of books with queer characters and themes yet, oddly, feel like Chad Anderson and Remy Burke's Gay Mormon Dad is the only one I've read for June so far.
But what a way to start! This is a deeply personal, achingly vulnerable memoir of what it was like to grow up gay and Mormon at the end of the 20th century, and how Mr Anderson eventually came out and began to live life on his own terms. It was not an easy journey, but his honesty and courage give readers hope that they too can overcome the obstacles in their path on the way to existing as free and honest people.
Beginning from a childhood marked by abuse, Chad sought comfort in the church his mother devoutly believed in. Since church elders told him he could pray the gay away, he tried his best to do exactly that, even getting married and having two kids before deciding that he couldn't live like he was suffocating any more. Unsurprisingly, it was a hard road forward, but he persevered until he achieved a life he could be, well, proud of.
As someone who spent a large part of my youth in a conservative religious society, I felt immediately familiar with so much of his struggle. What was new to me were the details of the Mormon church and practices, which I found fascinating. I didn't expect learn so much about the faith in this book but definitely appreciate the greater sociological understanding I came away with.
I also appreciated his blunt honesty. The parts with his frankly heroic younger sister Sheri were hard to read, but also an excellent reminder that everyone deserves a chance to grow and become a better person. And just in case anyone thinks that that's an endorsement of allowing people to treat you badly, it's not: boundaries are still super important. You can't fix people, but you can give them the space to learn how to improve themselves to the point that they're ready to be a healthy part of your life again.
Interspersed with the narrative are poems that illuminate Mr Anderson's state of mind at certain key points of his life. I found these to be less successful than the rest of the book, tho they are certainly very raw in their emotional honesty. My favorite of them was likely He Said; I did very much appreciate how his sardonic commentary on the gay dating scene was a humorous counterpoint to the heavier parts of the memoir.
Remy Burke's art is perfect throughout. His gentle realism and superior use of flow make this book feel even more accessible to a wider audience who may not necessarily "get" graphic stories. This is very much a memoir that deserves to be widely read, in hopes it will help people free themselves from mindsets that destroy both the self and society, and perhaps allow them to embrace love and kindness instead.
Gay Mormon Dad by Chad Anderson & Remy Burke was published May 5 2026 by Graphic Mundi and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
But what a way to start! This is a deeply personal, achingly vulnerable memoir of what it was like to grow up gay and Mormon at the end of the 20th century, and how Mr Anderson eventually came out and began to live life on his own terms. It was not an easy journey, but his honesty and courage give readers hope that they too can overcome the obstacles in their path on the way to existing as free and honest people.
Beginning from a childhood marked by abuse, Chad sought comfort in the church his mother devoutly believed in. Since church elders told him he could pray the gay away, he tried his best to do exactly that, even getting married and having two kids before deciding that he couldn't live like he was suffocating any more. Unsurprisingly, it was a hard road forward, but he persevered until he achieved a life he could be, well, proud of.
As someone who spent a large part of my youth in a conservative religious society, I felt immediately familiar with so much of his struggle. What was new to me were the details of the Mormon church and practices, which I found fascinating. I didn't expect learn so much about the faith in this book but definitely appreciate the greater sociological understanding I came away with.
I also appreciated his blunt honesty. The parts with his frankly heroic younger sister Sheri were hard to read, but also an excellent reminder that everyone deserves a chance to grow and become a better person. And just in case anyone thinks that that's an endorsement of allowing people to treat you badly, it's not: boundaries are still super important. You can't fix people, but you can give them the space to learn how to improve themselves to the point that they're ready to be a healthy part of your life again.
Interspersed with the narrative are poems that illuminate Mr Anderson's state of mind at certain key points of his life. I found these to be less successful than the rest of the book, tho they are certainly very raw in their emotional honesty. My favorite of them was likely He Said; I did very much appreciate how his sardonic commentary on the gay dating scene was a humorous counterpoint to the heavier parts of the memoir.
Remy Burke's art is perfect throughout. His gentle realism and superior use of flow make this book feel even more accessible to a wider audience who may not necessarily "get" graphic stories. This is very much a memoir that deserves to be widely read, in hopes it will help people free themselves from mindsets that destroy both the self and society, and perhaps allow them to embrace love and kindness instead.
Gay Mormon Dad by Chad Anderson & Remy Burke was published May 5 2026 by Graphic Mundi and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
Review of advance copy
I backed this on the kickstarter, and read it today. An honestly moving, open, clear and cleverly delivered telling of a life thus far, without blinking in the face of the damage done. I backed it hoping the story would reach those who’d need to see it the most—others trapped in the same environment—but I think any queer person who had even the smallest stumble in their coming out will find it worthwhile.
And, hey, maybe it’ll also change a few non-queer minds. We can always hope.
Anderson is unlike me in the sense that I’ve never been directly under the stranglehold of a toxic, hateful religion like Anderson was, but it was very easy to walk alongside him in the telling—some things are universal when you grow up being told you’re "wrong"—and I think what I appreciated the most was the lack of any reconciliation vibes. He is close with those who treat him well and respect him. Ties of blood from those who hate us, or refuse to accept us isn't enough of a reason for contact or forgiveness, and that doesn’t leave a toxic void. Quite the opposite: we see Anderson breathe when he finally walks away.
The hopefulness, the sense of "we’re never done, always breathing…" of it felt frankly inspiring.
And, hey, maybe it’ll also change a few non-queer minds. We can always hope.
Anderson is unlike me in the sense that I’ve never been directly under the stranglehold of a toxic, hateful religion like Anderson was, but it was very easy to walk alongside him in the telling—some things are universal when you grow up being told you’re "wrong"—and I think what I appreciated the most was the lack of any reconciliation vibes. He is close with those who treat him well and respect him. Ties of blood from those who hate us, or refuse to accept us isn't enough of a reason for contact or forgiveness, and that doesn’t leave a toxic void. Quite the opposite: we see Anderson breathe when he finally walks away.
The hopefulness, the sense of "we’re never done, always breathing…" of it felt frankly inspiring.
June 30, 2026
As a part of the ex-mormon community, I can't even begin to tell you how common this is. People who are gay but marry someone of the opposite sex because the teachings of the church are so messed up. You literally can't get into the highest level of heaven (yes, god has a ranking system in mormonism) without being married to someone of the opposite sex.
Men can do this more than once and have lots of wives in the afterlife, but women can only do it once. Also, you for sure can't make it to heaven if you're gay. The mormon god says so.
So people live these lives that hide major pieces of themselves, and they often deny those pieces even to themselves. Until one day when they just can't do it anymore.
Hey, religions. Stop. Just stop. Stop telling people that they are sinners for (depending on the timeline of the world) being black, being left-handed, being gay, whatever. Just stop. When you become a decent person, you don't need god to tell you to consider other people humans deserving of rights and respect.
Men can do this more than once and have lots of wives in the afterlife, but women can only do it once. Also, you for sure can't make it to heaven if you're gay. The mormon god says so.
So people live these lives that hide major pieces of themselves, and they often deny those pieces even to themselves. Until one day when they just can't do it anymore.
Hey, religions. Stop. Just stop. Stop telling people that they are sinners for (depending on the timeline of the world) being black, being left-handed, being gay, whatever. Just stop. When you become a decent person, you don't need god to tell you to consider other people humans deserving of rights and respect.
Review of advance copy
All journeys come with their share of pain. Chad Anderson generously invites us to join him on his painful, but ultimately hopeful journey. Anyone who knows the sting of rejection, the crushing weight of religious trauma will recognize themselves throughout the pages of Gay Mormon Dad. Remy Burke brings Chad’s past and present to vibrant life with saturated colours - two palettes for two different phases of existence. The past is rendered in cool blues and greys, the shades and tones of dusk. The future comes to you in rich, warm oranges and reds, the colours of sunrise. The sequential storytelling is interspersed with handwritten and simply illustrated poems offering an occasional reprieve while bridging the tale from one moment to the next. Do yourself a favour and read this. (I backed this book on Kickstarter, and am I glad I did! Proud to have a hand, however small, in this story making its way into the world.)
Review of advance copy received from Author
As an ex-mormon and someone who defines herself as queer, this book had moments that I didn't know I needed to read until I did. This book helped me heal more than I ever thought possible, and I appreciate Chad sharing his story. The artwork beautifully emphasizes this journey and the moments that both broke and helped heal. I hope this book finds its way to others who may need to read those words and know that it's okay to be you and heal. Whoever may be reading this, you are loved, you are wanted, you are important. Don't ever give up trying to be the best and real you.
Review of advance copy
Gay Morman Dad started out as a regular book. Now it is in a superior format as a graphic novel that tells a no holds bar true tale of one persons journey of painful self awareness within and outside of the Mormon Church. Unflinchingly told, this tale will break your heart and put you back together again. Highly recommended for anyone curious, anyone struggling with identity or really anyone who has a decent heart.
May 16, 2026
Chad’s graphic adaptation of his story is beautiful. It’s open, honest, raw, relatable, and eye opening in the best ways. He captures and conveys the traumas of his past struggles, without over graphic detail. It also offers the promise of hope and healing in the poetry, art, and color choices. This is a must read for those who wish understand one type of struggle for queer folks, but also for those who need to feel seen.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews