Posts Tagged ‘LGBT equality and inclusion’
Trans Day Of Remembrance Is Over: Is Your Church Still Trans Inclusive?
Being visibly trans or gender non-conforming in the world means you have the privilege of dealing with a lot of people’s feelings about your presence more than you care to. Folks often want to tell you how they feel about your clothing choices, the way you are “successfully” or “unsuccessfully” portraying your gender and more…
Read MoreStories Of Resilience From Queer Christian Women
After coming out in her evangelical church, Rachel Murr searched for others who have held onto faith after coming out in non-affirming Christian environments. Using memoir, research, and interviews, she wrote Unnatural: Spiritual Resiliency in Queer Christian Women. Here’s our interview with her: 1. What prompted you to research the experiences of queer Christian women?…
Read MoreA Thanksgiving Grounded In History
As I prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, I am reminded of the autumnal harvest time’s spiritual significance. As a time of connectedness, I pause to acknowledge what I have to be thankful for. But I also reflect on the holiday as a time of remembrance—historical and familial. Historically, I am reminded that for many Native…
Read MoreCatholic Bishops In United Kingdom Open Dialogue Before Synod On The Family
The news of a slate of mostly conservative bishops being elected to represent the U.S. Catholic Church at the Synod on the Family in Rome next October was disappointing. Across the Atlantic, news about the synod preparatory plans of the bishops of England and Wales are much more optimistic. According to The Tablet, these British bishops are going…
Read MoreWhat LGBTQ People Need To Hear From Christian Leaders
“Sexual orientation is not a sin. Gender identity is not a sin. We are all created in the image of God.” For me, more than anything else—this statement is what I want to hear from our religious leaders. I want to hear the unambiguous pronouncement that people who are same gender loving, bisexual, transgender, non-gender…
Read MoreWhen Some Lives Matter More Than Others
In the wake of criticisms aimed at President Obama’s handling of Ebola, a black and white photograph of Ronald Reagan started appearing all over my Facebook feed. Written across the photograph, in standard meme format, were these words: “President Reagan ignored AIDS until 20,849 Americans had already died. But tell me again how Obama’s immediate…
Read MoreResponding To Non-Affirming Faith Leaders With Compassion
One of the most common questions that I have been asked by people in my years of ministry in the LGBT Catholic community is “Why are some bishops so stubborn against changing policy and practices in the church concerning LGBT people?” It’s a good question, and it is one that I wish I could answer. Many…
Read MoreGroundbreaking LGBT Christian Journal Now Available Online
The year was 1985. I had graduated college the year before and had just started to come out as a gay man. The son of a Lutheran pastor, the church had made up a big part of my world. However, because of the growing awareness of my own sexual orientation, those years growing up were…
Read MoreMichigan Pastor Opposes Discrimination Against LGBT People
I know a fair amount about religion and discrimination. And I know they shouldn’t mix. I’m supporting updating Michigan’s landmark Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals—because discrimination is wrong, and religious beliefs shouldn’t foster discrimination. It’s shocking that in Michigan today, it’s legal to fire someone or…
Read MoreAriana Grande Is (Another) Wake Up Call For Faith Leaders
Dear religious leaders: When you tell people that God doesn’t love them as they are, they believe you. And then they act accordingly. Namely, leaving your faith community. In an interview with The Telegraph, pop superstar Ariana Grande shared that she left the Roman Catholic Church after her gay brother shared with her that God didn’t love…
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