Dan Reynolds Uses Billboard Music Awards Speech To Call For Ending Conversion Therapy

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons at 2019 Billboard Music Awards

During last night’s Billboard Music Awards telecast from Las Vegas, Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds used the band’s acceptance speech time for winning Top Rock Artists to call for a nationwide ban on so-called conversion therapy.

"I just want to take this moment to say that there are still 34 states that don't have laws banning conversion therapy,” said Reynolds backed by his band mates Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman. “On top of that, 58 percent of our LGBTQ population live in those states. This can change, but it’s going to take all of us talking to our state legislature, pushing forward laws to protect our LGBTQ youth.”

“And lastly, we have seen with conversion therapy that our LGBTQ youth have double the rate of depression, triple the rate of suicide after conversion therapy,” he added. “It’s not working and needs to change.”

Major medical organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all denounced ‘conversion therapy’ which treats being gay as a mental illness.

Also known as ‘ex-gay therapy,’ the practice has been shown to lead to depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, anxiety and, in some cases, suicidal behavior.

Currently, 16 states plus Washington D.C. have banned the harmful practice on minors.

Reynolds, a longtime LGBTQ ally, has spent years standing up for the community. Growing up Mormon in Utah, he saw close friends struggle to resolve being gay with their families and faith.

Reynolds does a lot more than make speeches at award shows, though.

He teamed up with former Mormon rocker Tyler Glenn to create the annual music festival LOVELOUD which aims to raise money for LGBTQ charities and organizations like The Trevor Project and the Tegan and Sara Foundation.

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celebrate our diversity. embrace our LGBTQ youth. to accept does not simply mean to “love”, it means you give true validity and fully embrace and support diverse sexual orientations and do not see ones sexuality as “incorrect” or “sinful”. love is an empty word otherwise.

A post shared by Daniel Coulter Reynolds (@danreynolds) on Mar 27, 2018 at 11:36pm PDT

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I’m in New Jersey TONIGHT for the @montclairfilm premier of “Believer” and will be doing a Q&A after with @stephenathome @tylerinacoma and @dargott Come join us 🌈

A post shared by Daniel Coulter Reynolds (@danreynolds) on May 5, 2018 at 10:24am PDT

He also helped produce the documentary Believer, which explores how the Mormon Church treats its LGBTQ members.

Last month, Reynolds took to Twitter calling for religious leaders to help stop the practice of so-called 'conversion therapy.

I plead with our religious leaders across the world to stand up for equality together. true equality - not empty words of love - but statements and actions thats show our LGBTQ youth that they are “sinless” and perfect just as they are.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) March 20, 2019

until these changes are made within the doctrines of orthodox faith, we will continue to see increased rates of suicidality and depression/anxiety amongst our LGBTQ youth.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) March 20, 2019

News Round-Up: September 4, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• How about some 'Transformation Tuesday?' I've featured InstaHunk and paleontologist Francesc Gascó many times on The Randy Report. But check out his before/after pic above. Francesc notes, "The biggest change is on the inside."

• A new documentary, American Circumcision, looks at the effects of circumcision and a movement to end the practice in the United States.

• Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, says the Trumpster will try to block the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report. Because that's what innocent people do? #AbuseOfPower

• The Vatican has now admitted representatives lied about whether the Pope knew who Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis was when he met with her in private in 2015.

• Scientists now say no amount of alcohol may be safe to drink. #RuhRoh

• Eminem released his new album last Friday and already there's scandal surrounding it as the rapper chooses to use the word "faggot." LGBTQ ally and Imagine Dragons front man Dan Reynolds was not having it:

it’s never ok to say a word that is filled with hate. I don’t care what year you were born in or what meaning it has to you.

if it contributes to hate and bigotry then it is hateful. period.

there is never an ok time to say the word fa**ot

I don’t care who you are.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) August 31, 2018

it’s disgusting to be told this is being “overly sensitive” or “millennial”.

LGBTQ kids are TAKING THEIR LIVES after being bullied with homophobic slurs.

it’s not “sensitive” to take a stand against a word that has been used to spread hate for years.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) September 2, 2018

I’ve lived enough of my life remaining silent on these issues because of fear or lack of education.

I don’t live in fear anymore.

I still have lots to learn. but no. I will not be a silent voice with this platform I have been given.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) September 2, 2018

2 things to say

1. in trying to be an ally it it’s v easy for a straight white “famous” man to be lauded as a hero for simply saying a few words and organizing an event. I have done v little and am no hero. I’m not seeking to be one. I want change. Period.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) September 3, 2018

2. I don’t speak for the LGBTQ community. If they want 2 reclaim the word for themselves that is their decision & their’s only. I was only speaking to someone of great influence thinking it’s ok for him to say it time after time for years. It’s not

and with that I’m done on this

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) September 3, 2018

AT&T's LoveLoud Festival Raises $1 Million For LGBTQ Youth

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons at LoveLoud Festival

 In an impassioned speech, Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds spoke directly to LGBTQ youth at the LoveLoud Festival Sunday night at the Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Reynolds founded the festival, powered by AT&T, which supports LGBTQ youth-oriented charities.

I've previously written about Reynold's work with the LoveLoud Festival here.

After the band’s first song, “Radioactive,” Reynolds addressed the LGBTQ youth in the audience:

“I wish, I wish, I wish you could understand. I wish you could see how much we care about you; how much we support you; how much we stand with you. I hope that tonight and today you know - you know - that your sexuality is pure, and it’s true and it’s clean. I hope that you know that you needed. I don’t want to hear any more stories of youth taking their lives in Utah. We must change our culture. We must change the way we see each other.”

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons

And before launching into their final song, “Believer,” Reynolds reached out one more time to young people.

“We’ve got one last song for you. We love you. We love you. To our LGBTQ youth, stay with us every day. We need you, we love you, we accept you. Your love is valid, it’s pure, it’s true, it’s beautiful. We stand with you. LoveLoud will be here. We’re just going to stay here. I don’t know where we’re going from here but we just keep going. Thank you for raising over a million dollars tonight. Peace, love, equality. We’ll see you again soon.”

Reynolds, a straight Mormon, is the subject of the new documentary Believer which chronicles Reynolds journey as an LGBTQ ally trying to change the way the LDS church treats its LGBTQ members.

The funds raised by the event go directly to LGBTQ charities like the Trevor Project, the Tegan and Sara Foundation and Encircle.

The music festival also featured appearances from Neon Trees’ Tyler Glenn, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Grace VanderWaal, Zedd, Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda, Cameron Esposito, Vagabon and A.W.

Watch the full Imagine Dragons set below. Reynold’s first speech comes at the 6:05 mark, and the last address comes at the 1:44:35. And you can watch the entire 8 hour music festival on YouTube.

WE RAISED 1 MILLION DOLLARS LAST NIGHT FOR OUR LGBTQ YOUTH THANKS TO THESE LOVELY HUMANS AND YOU pic.twitter.com/BQZ2W98vrI

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) July 29, 2018

celebrate our diversity. embrace our LGBTQ youth. to “accept” does not simply mean to “love” - it means you give true validity and fully embrace and support diverse sexual orientations and do not see ones sexuality as “incorrect” or “sinful”. love is an empty word otherwise. pic.twitter.com/ACaIZyNrX0

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) March 28, 2018

Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds Wants To Change How Mormon Church Sees LGBTQ Youth

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons

How much do we love Grammy Award-winning Imagine Dragons frontman, Dan Reynolds?

Raised Mormon, Reynolds has spent years fighting for greater LGBTQ acceptance within the church.

Growing up, the native Utahn had a middle school friend who was Mormon and gay, and he watched how the struggles of trying to resolve the two worlds wore on his friend. Reynolds also says he's lost high school friends to suicide.

Determined to affect change, he and former Mormon rocker Tyler Glenn teamed up last year to create the annual music festival LoveLoud held in Salt Lake City which aims to raise money for LGBTQ charities and organizations like The Trevor Project and the Tegan and Sara Foundation.

This year the event takes place on July 28.

“I think the LoveLoud stage is the most important stage I will ever stand on,” the 30-year-old recently told Queerty. “The festival has helped facilitate vital conversation about what it means to truly love and accept our LGBTQ youth.”

The new documentary, Believer, follows Reynolds as he launched the music festival last year and also explores how the Mormon Church treats its LGBTQ members.

"I hope people understand the importance of fully accepting and loving our LGBTQ youth," says Reynolds about the film. "I hope people are able to watch and feel the harsh realities that our LGBTQ youth are facing in faith-based communities. I hope it perpetuates change."

Watch the trailer for Believer below and check out info for LoveLoud Music Festival here.