Posts Tagged ‘Rule of Law’
Silent No More: Denouncing “Christian” Voices Of Hate
When I read that President Museveni had signed the hateful anti-LGBTQ law in Uganda, the first words that came to mind were from the opening song in “Les Misérables.” It’s called “Work Song.” Prisoners in a work camp are expressing their hope and their despair. One sings, “I’ve done no wrong, sweet Jesus hear my…
Read MoreAttempt To Repeal The School Success And Opportunity Act Fails
Today, the effort to repeal the School Success and Opportunity Act—California’s new law ensuring that all children have opportunities to do well in school—failed to qualify for the ballot. The law—also known as Assembly Bill 1266—went into effect on January 1st, ensuring that schools have the guidance they need to make sure all students, including…
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…
Read MoreWhy I Love My Job As A Therapist
One of the most frequently asked questions people ask me about my job is whether I get depressed at work. As a web-based therapist, I specialize in primarily seeing three different types of people—those who need a safe place to figure out if they are gay and how to reconcile that with their faith, people…
Read MoreJordan Davis Verdict: United Methodist Coalition Speaks Out
Florida has witnessed yet another innocent, unarmed, young black man killed, and once again no one was held accountable. The very need to use descriptors like innocent and unarmed for a black man, when that is implicit if we were to say a young white man, outlines the racism that infects our communities. Jordan Russell Davis was the victim of…
Read MoreSochi Olympics: Spiritual Art Supports Russia’s LGBT Rights Struggle
Image Detail: “De Profundis” by Tony O’Connell Artists are using spiritual imagery to draw attention to LGBT rights in Russia as the Olympics begins in Sochi today. The holiness of the Russian struggle for LGBT equality is emphasized in two new artworks. These pieces are “De Profundis” by queer British artist Tony O’Connell and “Postcard to Putin”…
Read MoreStarkville: Mississippi’s First City To Recognize LGBT Equality
On January 21, 2014, the Starkville Board of Aldermen took a historic step making our city the first municipality in Mississippi to pass a resolution showing support for its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents. The passage of this resolution brings hope to the LGBT community of Starkville, as we struggle daily with claiming our…
Read MoreBuilding Safer Spaces For Our Transgender Youth
When I was in high school in rural North Carolina, I wasn’t very out. It was the early days of what you might call online social connection. I set up dummy email addresses to create secret identities on usenet forums where I tried to figure out what it meant to be transgender. I had friends…
Read MoreGlobal Church Protests Arrests in Nigeria, Advocates for LGBT People
The global leader of the world’s largest church that affirms lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people condemned the mass arrests and torture of LGBTQ people in Nigeria. The Rev. Dr. Nancy Wilson, the global moderator of Metropolitan Community churches, announced a call for all faith leaders and persons of good will to speak out…
Read MoreMy Christian College Censored My Alumni Update
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8) When I was asked at the start of last spring semester whether I would be interested in assisting on research for an amicus brief…
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