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‘Mormon Land’: Sex and older singles — Should the law of chastity still apply?

A discussion about intimacy for older single, divorced and widowed Latter-day Saints with therapist Jennifer Finlayson-Fife.

(Illustration by Christopher Cherrington)

(Illustration by Christopher Cherrington)

Sexual standards set by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seem clear — no sex before marriage, total fidelity during marriage.

Guidelines for sexual activity are set out for young Latter-day Saints in publications like “For the Strength of Youth.”

But what about older singles who have never wed or those whose marriages end in divorce or death? How do they then navigate the possibility of intimacy?

Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, a well-known Latter-day Saint sex therapist and author of “That We Might Have Joy: Desire, Divinity & Intimate Love,” addresses older singles as they encounter complex realities that don’t fit neatly into a pamphlet.

(Faith Matters) Latter-day Saint sex therapist Jennifer Finlayson-Fife speaks in 2022.

She talks about these realities and how to understand the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

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