LGBT Terminology 101

By Believe Out Loud | March 1, 2021
Colorful LGBT terminology periodic table

At Believe Out Loud, we uplift and honor all identities and preferences within the LGBT community. Using the correct terminology is an important way of dignifying LGBT people and respecting self-identification. Here is a brief list of definitions of gender identities and sexual orientations to help better understand and celebrate the diversity within our community:…

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Being alone with God: Reflections on The Soul of the Stranger

By Believe Out Loud | March 31, 2020

[Above: Joy Ladin reads at the Intersections office on March 10, 2020] On March 10, 2020, Believe Out Loud and Intersections hosted author and academic Joy Ladin in our New York office for a reading and discussion celebrating her book The Soul of the Stranger: Reading God and Torah from a Transgender Perspective. It was…

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John Paulk Renounces Ex-Gay Therapy; Evangelicals Respond

By Believe Out Loud | March 12, 2019
A man with long blonde hair smiling for the camera.

This week, former ex-gay spokesperson John Paulk issued a public apology for his involvment in ex-gay ministries, stating that reparative therapy does not change sexual orientation and apologizing for the pain caused by his advocacy. Below is a response from the Evangelical Network regarding Paulk’s change of heart. To admit that you have made a…

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Pope’s Damaging Message To Transgender Teens

By Believe Out Loud | March 12, 2019
Religious leader surrounded by raised hands

Pope Francis’ long-awaited apostolic exhortation—“Amoris Laetitia,” or “The Joy of Love”—was released earlier this month. The good news is that Pope Francis urges church leaders to be pastors rather than church bureaucrats. The request wasn’t surprising because Pope Francis immediately taking the reigns of the Catholic Church displayed a pastoral countenance to his papacy. Pope…

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10 Resources For Trans Students

By Believe Out Loud | February 13, 2019
A boy running with a rainbow flag in the street.

NCTE’s School Action Resource Center Link: http://www.transequality.org/schoolaction Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students: Your Rights at School Link: http://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/kyr/KYR-Schools-May-2016.pdf Transgender Students and School Bathrooms: Frequently Asked Questions Link: https://www.genderspectrum.org/BathroomFAQ/ Schools In Transition A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools Link: https://www.genderspectrum.org/staging/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Schools-in-Transition-2015.pdf Trans-Inclusive Classroom Tips From using correct pronouns to challenging transphobia, this trans-specific resource…

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Begin To Receive

By Believe Out Loud | January 7, 2019
God is faithful framed print.

I have begun to give…begin to possess. (Deut 2:31) What could God be possibly giving to me, that I am to possess? And as I think about that, it’s interesting that it is more than just “receive”. It is possess. I think other translations talk about conquering. Funny words “conquer” and “possess”. I have to…

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Trans People Are More Than the Violence Done to Us

By Believe Out Loud | November 20, 2017
A group of people in black t - shirts singing in front of a screen.

I’m not a big fan of Trans Day of Remembrance. It’s a hard day for me and many other trans people. Marking a day to “remember those we’ve lost” feels like a misnomer. Most of us never forget the violence and abuse that our community members have experienced—largely because it is happening, right now. How…

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Painting Frida Kahlo

By Believe Out Loud | October 18, 2017
A painting of a woman with a heart in her hands.

As we begin the month of October and ghosts decorate our homes, I am reminded of the holy days that await us. Poignant to my own background, Dia de los Muertos beckons us to remember who has gone before us. Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday that is officially celebrated on October 31…

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