07/30/2026
Today, we mourn the loss of Carol Lynn Pearson—a poet, playwright, truth-teller, and one of the most courageous voices our community has ever known.
Long before it was safe or popular, Carol Lynn used her words to expand hearts, challenge institutions, and remind LGBTQ people that they were worthy of love exactly as they are. She helped countless families choose compassion over fear and gave hope to generations searching for belonging.
In 2019, Equality Utah was honored to recognize Carol Lynn with our Impact Award. The tribute we shared then remains as true today as it was that night. We invite you to watch it again and celebrate the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.
At the end of her memoir, Carol thanked her readers for traveling:
"the long road with me, observing one woman navigating her life as a Latter-day Saint, as a feminist, as an activist for LGBT causes, as a mother, a friend, a seeker of God, a discoverer of godliness, a woman of laughter, a woman of grief, a celebrator of light."
What a beautiful life. What an extraordinary legacy.
Thank you, Carol Lynn. We will carry your light forward.
