Ed Smart, father of kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, came out as gay in a letter to family and friends that quickly went public Thursday.
In that letter, which he initially intended for only family and friends, he discussed his separation from his wife, Lois, and said he didn’t feel like he had a place in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anymore. On Friday, this nationally recognized child safety advocate spoke with The Salt Lake Tribune about his decision to now live openly as a gay man, how his coming out was portrayed in the media and how it spread and the reaction he has received.