Posts Tagged ‘politics’
Researching The Status of Transgender People With The Williams Institute
For those faith-based leaders looking to create spaces that are welcoming to transgender individuals and their families, the Williams Institute can provide a wealth of resources. Jody Herman, Ph.D., and Peter J. Cooper, public policy fellow, and manager of transgender research at the Williams Institute provided research on gendered bathrooms that point to the problems…
Read MoreThe Golden Rule
The Golden Rule: a law that teaches when one is harmed we’re all harmed; when one is helped, we’re all healed. It is the base for several religions with versions of it existing in several sacred texts (see below). Recently, I have reflected on how the Golden Rule can help unite us, despite having differences.…
Read MoreProtecting LGBTQ Equality In Chattanooga: Your Vote Matters
Imagine with me, if you will, being on a romantic date. Everything is perfect—the food, the conversation, even the ambiance. It’s an amazing evening. While you are enjoying dinner, your boss who happens to be eating in the same restaurant, passes by and stops to say hello, so you introduce your date to your boss.…
Read MoreWhere We Go Next
Two weeks ago, I was invited to the White House. I received an email asking me to be present for President Obama signing his executive order banning LGBT employment discrimination by federal contractors. It was an incredible honor to be present for a historical event like that. The whole event went by fast, but I…
Read MoreThe Catholic Case Against Religious Exemptions
In post-Hobby Lobby America, the question of whether religious exemptions should be included in laws prohibiting employment discrimination against LGBT people has increased in complexity. It used to be that religious leaders and lawmakers could strike a comfortable balance of protecting faith groups’ rights to self-determination and LGBT people’s rights to equal opportunity. But the Supreme…
Read More“ADD 4 WORDS”: LGBT Civil Rights Vigil at MLK Jr. Memorial in DC
A new LGBT equality campaign backed by over 245 organizations will officially launch with an LGBT Civil Rights Vigil at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in D.C. on Monday, June 30th, at 8:30pm. The event will have renowned African American faith leaders and LGBT activists, featuring song, prayer, speeches, and the resounding call to the…
Read MorePresident Obama Proclaims LGBT Pride Month
President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation declaring June 2014 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. In this proclamation, President Obama traces the origins of the LGBT movement and names the injustices we still face today, urging Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to protect LGBT workers from discrimination based on their…
Read MoreAdvancing Equality In Love And Marriage
Love is one of the things that makes us, as a people, thrive. We love our families. We love our friends. We grow to love those in our communities. We love those in our church. And we even love those who are in our schools. Love is a matter of the heart. Most persons who…
Read More“If My Son Was A Murderer…”
Someone once told me, “If my son was a murderer, I’d still love him, but I wouldn’t love what he did. The same would go if he was gay—I would still love him, but I wouldn’t love what he does.” This statement is what started my journey as an outspoken ally, or as I like…
Read MoreRethinking “Religious Freedom” Laws
I have been horrified to see the new wave anti-LGBT laws across the country that have been put forward under the guise of “religious freedom,” the idea that freedom of religion requires us to allow people to be mistreated. These laws give a wide range of businesses and services providers the right to deny service…
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