The Rest of the Story

An editorial by Ross Murray, Director of Religion, Faith & Values, at GLAAD, in the Huffington Post wonders how it is that the mass media seems to only find conservative (read: anti-gay) sources when reporting about religion and sexuality.  While entertainment programming now features a wealth of gay and lesbian characters that both affirm and defy stereotypes about who we are, when it comes to religion, the good news that many denominations have a welcoming movement is a well-kept secret during prime time.  The overwhelming message is that the church is no place an LGBT person would want to be, and we witness the effects in our interactions with the unchurched.

While it is hardly surprising that figures like the Pope, Pat Robertson and Cardinal Dolan's words carry weight.  They represent millions of followers, many of whom disagree with their stance on social issues but remain faithful for other reasons.  However, others like Tony Perkins, whose extreme anti-gay reviews have earned his Family Research Council a designation as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, are still called upon by MSNBC and other outlets for a "Christian perspective."

Where is the countering argument? Within our own church, there is no lack of reasoned, educated resources at the media's disposal, some of whose names -- like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bishop Gene Robinson -- are household words.  Our Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts-Schori, who is also a doctor of oceanography, brings both scientific and theological credibility to the table in her stance on issues of biblical interpretation and human justice. We have groups like Claiming the Blessing and the Chicago Consultation which have published opinions on these issues many times.

Other mainline traditions have equally articulate representation, and their existence is not a secret.  The Institute for Welcoming Resources was born of the United Church of Christ in 2002 and is now a program of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.  It provides a wealth of educational materials, many of them free, to help churches understand and equip themselves for welcoming ministry.  The IWR partners with GLAAD and the LGBT-advocacy groups in fourteen Christian denominations in Believe Out Loud, an ecumenical campaign to promote LGBT inclusive churches.

The movement towards inclusion is happening in evangelical circles as well.  The Rev. Jay Bakker, son of Jim and Tammy Faye and pastor of the Revolution Church in Brooklyn, has spoken out in favor of LGBT inclusion.  The Gay Christian Network under the leadership of Justin Lee, has been providing support to thousands of people across a broad theological spectrum.

And impressive credentials are not always required to make a valid point.  Murray also points to a 19 y.o. student named Matthew Vine, whose careful study and unpacking of the traditional "clobber passages"  puts proof-texting to bed:

In short, there is really no excuse for the fact that a balanced argument is not presented when Christian leaders are speaking about human sexuality.  The story which is told to the public is incomplete, and does not reflect the good news being shared from many pulpits: that God loves everyone and there is a place for everyone at the table.  There are many wise voices ready to help the news media present a more realistic picture: all they need to do is ask.

Portraits of NYC's Homeless LGBT Youth

The Huffington Post 's Carl Siciliano profiled a series of young LGBT people who are living on the streets of New York City, vying for a chance at the few available shelter beds.  An estimated 40% of the 3,800 homeless young people (13-18) in NYC identify as LGBT.  Many have been ejected from their home situation due to homophobia or misguided fears about their orientation "spreading" to other children.  Many turn to prostitution as a means of survival.  Some found temporary solace among the Occupy Wall Street protestors.  Despite their dire circumstances, many speak of future goals: education, legitimate work, a normal life.

If you are in a position to do so, please considering support of the Ali Forney Center, which provides services to at-risk LGBT youth in NYC, or The Church, a Saturday evening program at the Episcopal Church of St. Luke-in-the Fields, just off Christopher Street where many LGBT youth from NYC and NJ congregate.

Giving to LGBT-Advocacy Organizations Drops... And They Keep Making Progress

According to the Movement Advancement Project's 2010 National LGBT Movement Report, giving to LGBT advocacy organizations dropped nearly 20% in 2010 due to a combination of the economy and an off-year at the ballot box. The full report is downloadable from within that article.

However, the majority of the major LGBT social justice groups included in the report are still quite vibrant and functional due to reduced spending, effective fund raising and sound management.

The recent major wins in the legal arena speak to their effectiveness. But -- as MAP Executive Director Ineke Mushovic pointed out in a March 2 column -- the LGBT population can and should be doing more to support these groups which are fighting many battles on our behalf, especially if we want the recent winning streak to continue.

LGBT Movement Makes Major Advances, But Are They Sustainable?
Ineke Mushovic in the Huffington Post

Finding Jesus... At A Drag Show

As we mentioned in a recent post, Jay Bakker (son of Jim and Tammy Faye) has started his own LGBT-friendly congregation in New York City. However, as he tells the Huffington Post, he still had some of his own demons to deal with when invited to a performance by Ru Paul. He tells the Huffington Post what happened next.