A Challenge From LGBTQ Fly Over Country

Three-striped pink, purple, blue flag outdoors

Today is the beginning of Bisexual Awareness Week. There are courageous people, like Faith Cheltenham, Robyn Ochs, and Eliel Cruz, who are called to serve God as activists for the wellbeing of bisexual people. I am also a bisexual person. I am the B in LGBTQ. There have been seasons when I speak up about this and seasons when I don’t. I speak up…

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Coming Out As A Lesbian Mom

A woman and two children are holding american flags.

Facebook often sends me photos of past events I’ve posted. Kind of like a nostalgic, hey remember all the fun you had 5 years ago?! The last “reminder” really got me. The reminder came just days after what I affectionately call “The Breakdown.”  The day of The Breakdown ended with me sitting on the kitchen floor, holding both my babies (we have twins) as they…

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In Quick Victory, Catholic School Reverses Position in Firing of Lesbian Teacher

A woman with curly hair and purple scarf posing for a photo.

In a landmark decision for LGBT employees at Catholic institutions, St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, Oregon, has altered its employment policies to be more inclusive, in response to what was a growing backlash against administrators’ decision to withdraw an employment contract with a lesbian counselor, Lauren Brown. Bondings 2.0 reported on this incident earlier today and you can…

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Jesus’ Mother Isn’t Gonna Like That

A priest in a white robe holding a bowl.

One of the things I love most about being Catholic is our unapologetic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I’ve always envisioned her to be the ultimate mother—she’d have to be wouldn’t she? God chose her to be the mother of our Savior. And by all accounts in the Bible, Mary was pretty awesome. “Hail…

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An LGBT Ally’s Message To Would-Be Allies

Rainbow flag and confetti on cobblestones

Over the past six years my life and beliefs have changed dramatically. Most importantly, I am a former conservative, anti-gay Christian that is now an ally/activist for the LGBT community. But what does it mean to be an ally/activist and what is the reason for the transformation of my beliefs? It all boils down to…

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From Hate To Love: My Journey To LGBTQ Acceptance

Rachel jesus and jezebel poster.

When I was growing up, homosexuality was a horrible monster that no one wanted to deal with. “Abomination” was a word that I heard on a regular basis in my Baptist church. I grew up in the 80’s when AIDS, or as it was called then, the “Gay Disease” was on the rise. I even…

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Pride Beyond Possibility

A group of people holding signs that say god made me gay.

Living today in New York City, my hometown of Calhoun, Georgia, often feels far away. But when I go home for the holidays and spend time with my friends and family, I’m easily transported back to my childhood, revisiting the house and the town where I spent my most awkward teenaged years willfully ignoring my…

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Conversion Therapy’s Deadly Outcomes

A black and white photo of a person walking on a sidewalk.

Trigger warning: discussions of suicide I wish Leelah Alcorn was alive today. She would know how a petition on the White House website with 120,000 plus signatures calling for the enactment of “Leelah’s Law to Ban All LGBTQ+ Conversion Therapy” not only went viral across mainstream and social media internationally, but how the petition was also…

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My Faith Is Bigger Than the Church

The sun is setting over a field with trees in the background.

Throughout my first year of seminary, I often had conversations with a good friend living overseas. While our conversation topics ranged from politics to cultural differences to vacation locations, one of our most popular subjects to discuss was religion. We came from two completely different backgrounds-he is a white straight British male who is no…

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Openly Transgender Ministers To Preach & Speak At Candler School Of Theology At Emory University

A group of people walking in front of a building.

For the first time, an openly transgender priest is scheduled to preach at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. The Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge, the Episcopal chaplain at Boston University, will be the guest preacher in the school’s chapel service on Tuesday, March 26. The service will be livestreamed on Candler’s website. The service…

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