Justin Utley

Born and raised in Utah, Justin Utley began his career as a Mormon-Contemporary singer/songwriter, and was a featured performer at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. After publicly breaking ties with the Mormon Church and sending his own “self-excommunication letter”, Justin became a noted activist and advocate for civil rights and LGBT equality in the United States, and an outspoken personality against the Mormon church’s use of conversion ex-gay therapy, a method Utley endured for two years after serving a two-year full-time mission for the church. In June 2010, Utley released Stand for Something a single written to inspire and motivate to take action towards securing LGBT equality in the United States. The single was nominated by the LGBT Academy Of Recording Arts for 4 OutMusic Awards, including Best Songwriter and Artist of the Year, winning Best Country/Folk Song of the Year. Justin has also gained many accolades in a short time including being a headlining performer at Pride and Equality Festivals worldwide, including Stockholm, London, Bristol, Dublin, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, San Diego and Las Vegas. He has been a contributor for CNN’s Faces Of Faith Sunday News segment, and testified in the first-ever hearing on LGBTQ Job and Housing Discrimination in front of the Utah State Senate. He is a keynote speaker at colleges and universities across the nation about his experience with conversion/reparative therapy, in addition to providing insight on issues of faith in the LGBT community. He is a two time recipient of the FBI of New Jersey's "Inspirational Person of the Year" award.