Growing up as a gay teen in Northern Ireland, Lyra McKee had her share of disagreements with the Church and, as a journalist in her 20s, found herself estranged from religious institutions. It wasn't until 2017 and an unexpected conversation about LGBTQ rights in an Orlando mosque that she found herself reckoning with the influence of religion on marginalized lives. "I realized that I couldn't run away from religion anymore because religion shapes how LGBT people are treated in the world," she says. In this hopeful talk, she points out plentiful evidence that religious institutions are capable of embracing LGBTQ rights and that the process begins with having that first difficult conversation.

Lyra McKee: How uncomfortable conversations can save lives

How uncomfortable conversations can save lives

Realizing the symbiotic relationship between religion and LGBT rights shapes societal attitudes and personal self-worth.

Conversations, even difficult ones, hold transformative power, capable of altering deeply entrenched views and saving lives.

A poignant reminder: For many LGBT youth, hope is a lifeline. Changing religious narratives on homosexuality could save lives.