Posts by Believe Out Loud
Art As Resistance In Uncertain Times
“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to…
Read MoreSharing Our Hearts Paves A Way Forward
I arrived at Creating Change, the annual winter gathering of LGBTQ and ally activists organized by The National LGBTQ Taskforce, feeling broken and frightened. I worked hard for Hillary and felt shattered by the election. Every Donald Trump cabinet appointment since then confirmed my fears of coming harm to so many. And now he is…
Read MoreLGBT Advocates Call for Action on Climate, Oppose Nominee for Environmental Protection Agency
Today, leading national LGBT advocates issued an urgent call for action on climate change, and announced their strong opposition to President-elect Trump’s nominee for the Environmental Protection Agency. Scott Pruitt’s confirmation hearing is being held today before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Every day we work to make life better for our lesbian,…
Read MoreA Mormon Father’s Journey To Affirm His Gay Sons
There is, perhaps, no stronger feeling of love than the love a parent feels for his or her newborn child. As the child grows into their own unique self, inevitably pushing against the protective bounds the parent has set, that love is often put to the test. But there is nothing quite like the unconditional…
Read MoreReporting Sexual Assault, As A Queer Woman
Trigger warning: discussion of sexual assault, violence The incoming President of the United States has an awful history in regards to the sacred feminine. As Christians, we cannot always control the broader cultural climate (try as we will, and try as we must), but I encourage us to remember that whenever we move into and…
Read MoreI’m Transgender & I Don’t Need Your Stinking Mercy
I was a Catholic for over fifty years. I was president of the Altar Boys (how many women can say that?). I was involved with religious groups at my high school. I was a Eucharistic Minister. I played piano at Mass for over 25 years. I worked retreats for high school seniors and ran retreats…
Read MoreFor National Migration Week, Bishops Must Learn Realities of LGBT Immigrants & Refugees
This week is National Migration Week, an annual event convened by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to focus attention on the plight of migrants, refugees, and victims of human trafficking in our world. This year’s theme for National Migration week, drawn from Pope Francis, is “Creating a Culture of Encounter.” And in this…
Read MoreBelieve Out Loud To Debut New Training At Creating Change
Next week, the staff of Believe Out Loud will join more than 4,000 attendees in Philadelphia at the 29th annual Creating Change conference, which is hosted each year by the National LGBTQ Task Force. This year, the Believe Out Loud team will debut a new training: Digital Strategies for Faithful Action. This year’s workshop will…
Read MorePainting Lilith, Queering Lilith
Lilith has been a misunderstood, appropriated, and redeemed woman throughout the ages. Many feminists claim her as an empowering figure in Jewish mythology, with contemporary artists such as Sarah McLachlan, who created the all-women music tour, “Lilith Fair,” reclaiming her story. Some queer scholars have surmised that Lilith had a romantic relationship with Eve. Others…
Read MoreTo Be Known: My Journey To Standing Rock
My entire life has been an exercise in chasing after the fulfillment of being known. I was born in Caracas, Venezuela but have lived in the Latin diaspora since I was 3 years old. I have never returned home. I do not know my people, my language, or my birth family. I’m exhausted from chasing…
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