Transgender Rights Could Be Divisive in Florida

Haven't we learned anything from the failure of the ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) in Congress last year? Didn't we see how the delection of protections for gender identity didn't move the bill forward and still caused great and ongoing division between GLBT advocates?

Well, there's some folks down in Florida that apparently were not paying attention. This from the Express Gay News:

Gay political organizations are clashing over the best way to pass GLBT-friendly anti-discrimination bills through the Florida Legislature. The head butting is taking on strategic tones similar to those that emerged last year in the fight over the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. Congress.

Gay rights organizations are taking different stances on whether to support a two-pronged effort that sends separate anti-discrimination bills through the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. If passed, House Bill 47 sponsored by Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) would ban employment and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation as well as gender identity and gender expression. Senate Bill 572, introduced by Ted Deutch (D-Delray Beach), bans discrimination based on sexual orientation only. Both bills are expected to go before the Florida Legislature during the spring session, which begins March 4.

There is little expectation that either bill will be successful in the conservative-dominated legislature. Last year, a similar bill that only included sexual orientation protections was not even read. Groups such as Equality Florida and the Palm Beach Human Rights Council have been active in seeking political support for the Skidmore bill. Equality Florida, however, a statewide GLBT political organization, has been lobbying legislators not to support the non-inclusive Senate bill.

“Our position is that we will not support a bill that leaves a portion of our community behind,” said Stratton Pollitzer, deputy director of Equality Florida. “We believe in a fully inclusive bill.”

I learned my lesson after supporting the deletion of gender identity protection from ENDA. GLBT advocacy needs to protect ALL people under that umbrella.

GSA, Once Strongly Opposed, Blends Into Daily Life

Parents of students at Hononegah High School raised a ruckus last summer when a Gay-Straight Alliance club was proposed for the school. Despite their protests, the Board of Education approved it starting last September, and the club has been, well, just another club that happens to have both straight and gay kids.

From the Beloit (IL) Daily News:

Citizens fiercely opposed Hononegah High School forming a Gay-Straight Alliance last summer, but since the Board of Education approved it in September the club has fallen under the community's radar as members meet weekly, sometimes just to play games or organize school-wide movie nights.“

It was such a big deal when it started that now I suppose when we're not causing some controversy people forget we exist,” said Brian Carrell, GSA president.

Public hearings on the GSA attracted dozens of citizens - most lived within the district boundaries, but a few traveled from out of town - who argued the organization would promote sexual activity among teens and worried the club's presence would change the school's climate because homosexuality would be constantly reinforced.

But, after talking with Carrell, it seems as though what the club's opponents feared have yet to come to fruition.

“It's not discussing sex,” the 18-year-old senior said. “It's not anything that would be inappropriate in a school environment.”

Although the alliance reached out to non-members by hosting a Friday movie night - “Pirates of the Caribbean” was shown - the group tends to keep to itself, meeting Wednesdays in a classroom.

Depending on how busy the members are, meetings may last for 90 minutes while others may break up after 30. Some days the teens just play games and eat snacks, but they've also discussed stereotypes and how sexuality is portrayed in popular culture. For example, the group discussed the positives and negatives of J.K. Rowling revealing that her “Harry Potter” character, Albus Dumbledore, is gay.

Attendance varies each week, but about 15 teens anchor the group, Carrell said, noting that aside from advertising the meeting times on posters throughout the school, the members haven't actively recruited.

“We want them to be there because they want to be there,” he said.

Once again, it's kids that show adults how to get along with one another.

Super Bowl Party, Focus on Outreach, and an Engagement at BCF

Super Bowl Party:
BCF is having our first Super Bowl party on February 3. We will be holding a special "seeker-friendly" service beginning at 3:00 PM followed by food and fellowship time leading up to the game's kickoff at approximately 6:30. You can enjoy the world's single biggest sporting event on our big-screen projection system, and there will be board games and other fun activities for those of you who aren't football fans and just like parties.

There will be plenty of food and fun for everyone featuring a chili cookoff (we have some great cooks there!), and the admission is free! We only ask that you bring some non-perishable food to donate to our Helping Hands ministry, which supports Food and Friends that serves the metro DC area, helping people with AIDS and other life threatening illness receive nutritional meals at no cost to them.

Regardless of whether you’re rooting for the Patriots or Giants, you'll have fun sharing the Super Bowl experience with our church family. We hope to see you for the big game.

Remember, there will NOT be an 11:00 AM service that Sunday, only the one beginning at 3:00 PM.

Focus on Outreach:
BCF is getting serious about reaching out beyond the walls of the church to make an impact in our community. In my role as Pastor-In-Training, I brought a message last Sunday focused on the Great Commission (Matthew 26:28-30). I emphasized the urgency of sharing Christ with others, whether they be family, friends, or strangers, and discussed how to overcome the biggest obstacle toward doing so—ourselves and our fears of doing so poorly or being rejected.

BCF has also started a Loose Change collection for World Vision, and has also established a blog to keep members and guests alike updated about events, sermons, and prayer requests. Our goal is to develop a sense of community online that rivals the one in our Sunday services.

Someone is Getting Married:
Pastor Anita returned from her cruise with her boyfriend Dennis and closed the service with an exciting announcement; they are engaged to be married. Dennis popped the question on the cruise, and Anita happily accepted his proposal. They have been together a little over two years, and Dennis has been a regular attender of our services. The congregation was ecstatic about this wonderful news and wish them nothing but the best.

These updates will become a weekly feature here. For more information:

Church website: http://www.believerscovenant.org/

Church blog: http://www.believerscovenantblog.blogspot.com/

Al Gore Supports Same-Sex Marriage

It's not every day a former Vice President, Academy Award winner, and Nobel Laureate (now there's a narrow niche) sticks his neck out to take a stand that he doesn't need to, but that's the story I'm happy to share with you now.

Al Gore has come out clearly, unequivocally, in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Even Wolfson. the Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, contributed this entry to The Huffington Post today. Wolfson linked to the video of Gore's statement and shared this quote:

I think it's wrong for the government to discriminate against people because of that person's sexual orientation.

I think that gay men and women ought to have the same rights as heterosexual men and women, to make contracts, to have hospital visiting rights, to join together in marriage, and I don't understand why it is considered by some people to be a threat to heterosexual marriage to allow it by gays and lesbians.

Shouldn't we be promoting that kind of faithfulness and loyalty to one's partner regardless of sexual orientation?

...[T]he loyalty and love that two people feel for one another when they fall in love ought to be celebrated and encouraged, and shouldn't be prevented by any form of discrimination in the law.

Wolfson added:

Gore is right -- ending same-sex couples' exclusion from marriage will help families and hurt no one. Same-sex couples across the country are doing the work of marriage in their everyday lives by taking care of each other and their families. For the same reason as non-gay couples, these couples and their kids need and deserve the freedom to marry, with the security, dignity, and safety net it brings through the ups and downs of life.

All I do is agree and congratulate Al Gore for adding his voice to the growing support for GLBT equality.

Click here to read the rest of Wolfson's post.

Support for Projection From Job Discrimination in Utah

The state of Utah would seem to be a tough nut to crack when trying to push through legal protections for GLBT people, but that effort is current being made in the state legislature. It has found support from the Salt Lake Tribune in this editorial.

Rep. Christine Johnson knows it could take years to win passage by the Utah Legislature for her bill aimed at protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers from job discrimination. Many years.

Still, she's in it for the long haul, and we congratulate her for standing up for equal rights for these Utahns. It's a battle that has to start somewhere.

Johnson, one of three openly gay Utah legislators, is carrying the banner for her constituents and other gay and transgender Utahns, many of whom have described to her their fear of being ostrasized or even fired if they are open about their sexual orientation or their gender identity.

Utah law should not tolerate these people living in fear of losing their livelihood if they are honest about who they are. Anti-discrimination statutes now forbid unequal treatment of any employee based on race, color, sex, pregnancy, age (40 and over), religion, national origin or disability. Discrimination against anyone, simply because they belong to a specific group, should be illegal.

Adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list simply puts into Utah code a recognition that all Utahns deserve the same civil rights and bosses in the workplace are obliged to base personnel decisions on only two things: qualifications and performance.

It seems pretty simple, doesn't it? That's what happens when you approach a situation with common sense.

Presbyterians Considering Ordination of a Lesbian Minister

From the Christian Post:

An openly lesbian minister's bid to join the clergy may be the first national test of a controversial policy adopted by the Presbyterian Church (USA).

After being denied ordination twice over the past couple of decades because of a ban on ordaining openly gay persons, Lisa Larges made some headway this past week when she gained support from a regional body of the PC(USA).

The San Francisco Presbytery voted Tuesday 167-151 to support Larges' application for ministry. The vote came after a long debate and despite warnings that the action violated the church's constitution and would be appealed.

According to its constitution, the PC(USA) requires "fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman" or "chastity in singleness" for its clergy.

But Larges' third bid comes after the Presbyterian national assembly adopted an "authoritative interpretation" of the ordination standard in 2006 – a decision that opponents say allows some leeway to churches for homosexual ordination.

Larges' latest attempt is thought to be the first test of the 2006 policy, said Jerry Van Marter, news director for the PC(USA).

"I'm in shock," Larges, 44, said of the support she's receiving, according to The Los Angeles Times. "I still feel stunned, honestly, and deeply grateful both to the folks who supported me and to the presbytery for stepping up."

I pray that this is a step toward another major denomination opening the path or ordination up to ALL people willing to answer the call of God to serve Him.

A Blueprint for Change in New Jersey

The state of New Jersey is moving toward equality faster than most states in this country, and one of the reasons for that is the inclusive approach their largest advocacy organization, Garden State Equality, takes.



Here is a feature about them from Bay Windows newspaper in Boston.



Activists in New Jersey, which passed a gay rights bill in 1992, landed a one-two punch in 2006 and 2008, passing first a non-discrimination bill and then a hate crimes bill covering gender identity and expression. Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, the state’s largest LGBT rights organization, said that it took little effort to win over lawmakers on the bills because many of them were already familiar with members of the transgender community and understood the discrimination they faced. He said transgender people have served in leadership positions in Garden State Equality and other organizations, and they lobbied lawmakers on a wide range of issues, including marriage.



"If you make sure that transgender people are in every facet of your organization, if you make sure they’re in the leadership of your organization, you’re providing constant exposure to politicians. ... Here transgender people are front and center in the fight for marriage equality," said Goldstein. "The politicians here see transgender people year round at the table."



One of those trans activists at the table was Barbra Casbar Siperstein, vice-chair of Garden State Equality and president of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats. Through her work with Stonewall she became one of the delegates to the Boston Democratic National Convention in 2004, and she used that event to network with many of the lawmakers who would later help pass the non-discrimination and hate crimes bill. Prior to the convention advocates had searched in vain for a Senate sponsor for the non-discrimination bill, but Siperstein said during the DNC she connected with the eventual sponsor and talked to her about transgender rights."



We had spent a couple of hours talking -- she was in the front row one night at the convention -- so she was familiar with me," said Siperstein. "So when this individual [lobbying for Senate sponsors] went to speak with her, she said, ’Oh yeah,’ she remembers me from the convention."



Garden State Equality also leveraged considerable resources on behalf of the campaign to pass the legislation. In 2006 the organization aired a television commercial featuring a transgender woman named Carol Barlow talking about being told during a job interview that she was unemployable because she is transsexual. The outreach to lawmakers and public education paid off: The non-discrimination bill passed by an overwhelming 102-8, and hate crimes passed 100-10.



Click here to read more of the article from Bay Windows.

The political landscape in 2008

Jim and I were talking about politics and the Presidential Elections coming up this year and it got me to thinking about our choices.



I have a hard time with voting anymore because I am somewhat of an outcast. I am a Christian, pro-Life, fiscal conservative, constitutional purist, lesbian. That's a hard row to hoe! I don't feel comfortable voting Republican anymore because the party, as a whole, seems to take great pains to bash glbt people at every turn. I don't feel good voting Democratic because that party, as a whole, is basically pro-choice and hasn't done alot to court the glbt vote. They have not taken a strong stand for our civil rights. Frankly, voting Independent seems silly since we all know that there is no way an Independent is going to get the Presidency. It's just not something that can happen nowadays, as much as I'd love it.



So, where does that leave me? I'm not willing to vote for any of the Republican candidates at all. None of them are glbt supporters. I have been looking closely at the Democrats and, while I'd love to see a woman become President, I'm not a Hillary fan. I like Obama so far. I'm not what you'd call excited about Obama, but I like him. I could vote for him. The others in the race probably won't get the nod, so I don't spend much time thinking about whether I'd vote for them or not.



Voting for me has become a lesser of two evils thing. Do I vote for someone who I think will be a champion for the unborn but will set glbt people back 100 years? Do I vote for someone with a great glbt record who is pro-choice? It's a hard choice. The bottom line for me has become this: I vote based on what will affect my life and those I love the most. I have resigned myself to the fact that no candidate is going to think like I do. It's just not going to happen unless I run, and that's not happening! I have too many skeletons in my closet. Pardon the pun. So, I will vote for the person that I think will do things in their presidency to further glbt rights, help the economy, and do the most to get us out of this war. Beyond that, I don't get bogged down in all the wrangling and chit-chat.



Hopefully, whoever ends up running the country for the next 4-8 years will be someone that will take us to better places than the last 8 years have taken us. That is my prayer.

Texas Dept. of Family and Protective Services gets it!

Okay, I know Texas isn't exactly a gay mecca, but they seem to have learned something about how to treat glbt youth. Equality Texas sent this information to me:



"Austin, Texas - (January 17, 2008) – The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), the state agency charged with protecting the physical safety and emotional well-being of Texas' most vulnerable citizens, has implemented a Bill of Rights of Children and Youth in Foster Care establishing a right to fair treatment regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Legislation was introduced in the 2007 session in both the Texas Senate and the House of Representatives to establish a foster care bill of rights, but the bills died in committee. The Department of Family and Protective Services began a process in October, 2007 to implement a bill of rights because ensuring children in foster care know their rights is important to the success of each placement and ease of transition for the child. As promulgated by DFPS, the "Rights of Children and Youth in Foster Care" includes thirty-two rights applicable to all children and youth in care, plus an additional sixteen rights applicable to youth age 16 and older. The rights applicable to all children and youth include, among others: The right to appropriate care and treatment in the least restrictive setting available that can meet the child's or youth's needs. This includes the right to live in a safe, healthy and comfortable placement receiving reasonable protection from harm, appropriate privacy for personal needs, and being treated with respect; andThe right to be free from unfair treatment because of gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, medical status, or sexual orientation. The rights applicable to youth age 16 and older are designed to facilitate the transition out of care and into adulthood.



Statement of Paul Scott, Equality Texas Executive Director "Equality Texas applauds the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for implementing measures to protect the physical safety and emotional well being all children and youth in state care, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While the legislation proposed in the last session included sexual orientation, it did not include gender identity. Likewise, the original DFPS proposal included sexual orientation, but not gender identity. Equality Texas filed comments with DFPS supporting the inclusion of both sexual orientation and gender identity in the bill of rights, citing studies indicating 20-40% of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We are gratified that DFPS accepted our comments, demonstrating once again that the agency is committed to ensuring that all children and youth in foster care know and understand their rights. This is a positive step toward ensuring that youth in state care are not subjected to further trauma because of their sexual orientation or gender identity." Equality Texas works toward the elimination of social, legal, and economic discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression through lobbying, education, and research directed toward the Texas Legislature and other state governmental agencies."



As someone who came out in her late 20's, I don't fully appreciate what it's like to be 14 or 15 and to understand your sexuality is different from most folks. I can't understand what it's like to come out to your parents and get kicked out of your home. It's isolating enough to be a glbt person in our society without having to go through it when you're a teenager and you have no home. Our foster care system leaves alot to be desired, but I think this bill of rights is a major step in the right direction in treating all kids with dignity and respect for who they are, not in spite of it. I'm glad that Texas took this important step.

The Will of the People In Maryland Favors Same-Sex Unions

This from a Baltimore Sun poll released today:

As the General Assembly gears up for a debate on the rights of gay couples, a solid majority of Maryland voters supports some form of legalized same-sex unions, according to a recent Sun poll.

Nineteen percent of likely voters said they support gay marriage, and 39 percent said they back civil unions, meaning that nearly three out of five believe the state should formally recognize same-sex relationships. Maryland law bans same-sex marriage.

Thirty-one percent of those polled said they disagree with granting either form of same-sex unions, but only half of those opponents said a constitutional amendment is needed to ban them. Eleven percent said they were not sure or declined to answer the question.

But consensus on same-sex unions in Annapolis might be out of reach this year. Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat who courted gay voters during his campaign, has said he prefers civil unions, while gay-rights activists are pushing for a marriage bill with an exception to make it clear that no religious institutions or clergy would be compelled to perform or recognize those marriages.

Leaders in the Democratic-controlled State House are also split, with House Speaker Michael E. Busch endorsing civil unions and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller opposing both civil unions and same-sex marriage.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers advocate a constitutional ban, arguing that such a measure is needed to protect the institution of marriage.

Supporters of constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage like to claim that they are following the will of the people. That is clearly not the case in Maryland, however.

Momentum continues to move toward equality, first among the people, then eventually in the halls of legislatures across the United States.

A Small Vermont Community Steps Out to Support Same-Sex Marriage

One thing that I have learned about the political battles regarding GLBT equality is that they are best taken on not in national forums, but in local areas like Bennington, Vermont. The state of Vermont is considering legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage, and people are gathering across the state to support this effort.

Members of the community — both gay and straight — including doctors, teachers, lawyers, reverends and a rabbi, supported gay marriage at a public hearing Saturday before a commission charged with reporting its findings to the Legislature.

Dozens of people, many wearing stickers supporting the Vermont Freedom to Marry task force, urged the committee to support same-sex marriage on Saturday.

A coalition of groups recently formed the Vermont Marriage Advisory Council. The council plans to hold hearings and public forums across the state on the benefits of traditional marriage.

Dwight Schmuck, of Wilmington, said same-sex couples that want to make a commitment to each other should be allowed to legally do so.

"Any two people who want to make a commitment, who love each other, who are we to say no?" Schmuck said.

Alice Spencer told the committee that every generation in her family, from her great-grandparents to her grandchildren, has had gay or lesbian members. Spencer, herself a lesbian, said it did not make sense that she has been allowed to serve as a foster parent but not allowed to marry her partner.

"I can adopt but I am in violation of marriage laws? That's silly," she said. "Families are families. You can't make a family out of a law."

Click here to read the rest of the story from the Bennington Banner.

"American Family Outing" Wants to Dialogue With Mega-Churches

I'm always in favor of people trying to communicate, especially when they try to find common ground and work through their differences. That appears to be the goal of this upcoming effort, as reported on PageOneQ.

This winter, as the Rev. Joel Osteen graces the pages of People Magazine, the familiar image of the old-school, anti-gay televangelist is rapidly being replaced by a new iconography: a younger generation of mega-church leaders with upbeat and inviting messages.

Unfortunately, while this generation's tone may seem less harsh, many of their mega-churches still enforce policies of exclusion and teach theologies that label Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people as sick, sinful, and in need of change.

An "American Family Outing" is taking shape in the spring of 2008 so LGBT families can talk with mega-church leaders and congregation members to share the message that justice for LGBT people is compatible with Christian teaching. Pot lucks, picnics and soulful talk are the order of the day as Soulforce, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), and COLAGE invite churches to talk-the-talk so everyone is free to walk-the-walk.

On behalf of the four partner organizations, Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes has written letters to:

o Rev. Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston, TX
o Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter's House in Dallas, TX
o Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. and Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, MD
o Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, GA
0 Rev. Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL
0 Dr. Rick Warren and Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA

"These pastors are part of a new generation of evangelical leaders in America," says Lutes. "We are calling on them and their congregations to demonstrate a new kind of leadership, one that models compassion and justice for all families, including families with two moms and two dads."

I am very optimistic about this approach. I think they picked out an excellent group of churches. I have personally been moved by the writings of Dr. Warren and Rev. Hybels and would be thrilled to see them openly promote equality. Especially for Warren, that woudln't seem like a huge leap with his activism to promote AIDS care, but he is a Southern Baptist after all.

When people communicate, there is hope. I pray these pastors step up to the plate and engage is this critically important dialogue.

New Edition of the International Carnival of Pozitivities Posted

ICP 2.7 has just been posted on The Spin Cycle. While the host's language is rougher than I usually link to, the stories he posted (included one from Straight, Not Narrow) are always worth reading and I encourage you to check out the latest edition.

Buffalo Episcopal Churches Apologize to Gay People

This seems to be a week for apologies, and here's another one from a group of Episcopal churches in Buffalo, NY.

From Outcome, Buffalo's Gay Newspaper with a hat tip to my friend Allan Hendricks from Equality Florida:

In an open letter to gay people in Western New York, leaders of Episcopal congregations in Buffalo offered an apology and asked forgiveness from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. The letter further emphasized that they offer gay people, welcoming and loving religious congregations.

An email sent to Outcome by The Reverend Armand John Kreft, Rector Church of the Ascension, offered their support of GLBT people in their battles with hatred, bigotry, prejudice and violence. The group of City of Buffalo Churches further make clear that GLBT people are welcomed by their congregation. "•Staff

The full text of the letter follows:

Contact: The Reverend Armand John Kreft, Rector Church of the Ascension 716-884-6362 COTAB@Verizon.net
Date: January 11, 2008
An Open Letter to the GLBT Community:

We leaders of Episcopal congregations in Buffalo want to offer our apology and ask forgiveness from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender community. For centuries the institutional church and organized religion have slandered, tortured, disenfranchised and sometimes murdered members of the community. We ask forgiveness for using our Sacred Scriptures to wrongly justify hatred, bigotry, prejudice and violence against those of different affectional orientation and gender identification, both in the past and, unfortunately, still today.

As leaders of congregations, some of us openly gay and lesbian, we are humbled and vow to use our influence to change not only our religions but our laws that seek to marginalize the GLBT community. If you would like to seek an organized religion, we would urge you to attend as many different denominations and spiritual paths as you can. There are several that will welcome you. If you wish to seek an Episcopal Church, those of us listed below promise a welcoming and loving community for you, and/or your partner and your children.

EPISCOPAL CHURCHES OF THE CENTRAL ERIE DEANERY

St. Paul’s Cathedral Church 128 Pearl Street Buffalo
Church of the Ascension 16 Linwood Avenue at North St Buffalo
St. John’s – Grace Church 51 Colonial Circle Buffalo
Church of the Good Shepherd 96 Jewett Parkway Buffalo
St. Phillips Church 18 Sussex Street Buffalo
Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua 1114 Delaware Avenue Buffalo
Ephphatha Church of the Deaf 96 Jewett Parkway Buffalo

It's never easy to admit you were wrong, and it's even harder to do so publicly, so in realizing that I commend these churches for stepping forward for what they now understand to be the right thing to do.

"The Bar Exam Flunker" Apologizes

You may remember hearing a story over the summer where a student in Massachussetts flunked the state bar exam and blamed it on his failure to answer a question regarding same-sex marriage. As I suppose an aspiring attorney would instinctively do when he feels he was wronged, Stephen Dunne sued over the "inappropriate question."

This story has taken an unusual twist, however. Dunne has withdrawn his lawsuit and issued a public apology.

From Bay Windows:

But in his letter, Dunne said his suit was "misguided" and that he was
"lashing out as a result of failing the bar exam." "I am deeply sorry for the
hurt that I have caused the gay community," Dunne wrote. As far as we can tell
after interviewing Dunne on Dec. 24, he’s not headed off to jail, rehab or Oprah
- in fact, he said he’s studying to take the bar exam again - so we give him
props for his public mea culpa. The one thing he declined to do was name the law
school he attended, stating he didn’t want to draw attention to his alma mater
(although he did say it’s in Boston). We have a feeling that’s probably okay
with the school.

Click here to read the Q&A with Stephen Dunne in Bay Windows.

A Loving, Clarifying Christian Response

I am sensitive to the fact that, although Pastor Brenda and I minister to the GLBT community, we are not ourselves gay and do not have the depth of first-hand experiences a GLBT person does. Specifically here, I am referring to the hurt of being condemned by a church and the healing that must take place in a GLBT person who experiences this before they can live in the fullness of God's love. That's why I bring you some of these examples/stories directly from GLBT people that tie in to the message of our ministry.

Peterson Toscano cofounded the organization "Beyond Ex-Gay" with Christine Bakke (who I have the pleasure of meeting for the first time at the recent Gay Christian Network conference). On his blog Peterson Toscano's A Musing, he shares a response he sent to a professing Christian and "ex-gay" who had contacted Peterson and pleaded with him to "Pursue Jesus and he will heal you (presumably turn him straight)." Here is an excerpt from Peterson's wonderful, loving response:

You wrote to lead us to Jesus. You wrote to tell us how wonderful life is
with Jesus and the joy we will find in being in relationship with him. I know
this joy and live it daily. My "gay lifestyle" includes worshiping with other
believers every week as well as sweet times of fellowship on my own with God. My
"gay lifestyle" includes listening to God and following God's leading, which has
affected nearly every part of my life including my diet, my friendships, my
career, my sexuality and how I view and use my body.

We don't blame the ex-gay programs for all the hurt we suffered. Much of it
was self-induced, spurred on by a society, an ungodly world, that along with
some portions of the Church, believes that one must be heterosexual to be
acceptable. In this belief the "unsaved" world and the Church live in unison,
much like the church and the world both supported slavery for centuries. There
is too much of worldly values in the Church of Jesus, and it is time that the
church no longer conform to the pattern of this world but experience a renewing
of the mind.

Instead of lashing out at those from the Christian Right who don't get it, the approach Peterson uses here, especially to someone who was reaching out in love, however misguided, can be the most effective answer. If people see the light of Christ shining through GLBT people, as I did when I first started attending a gay-affirming church, that could lead them to an appreciation of how God loves GLBT people right where they are.

Instead of taking offense, this approach can disarm them and lead to understanding.

A Gay Mayor? Not an Issue in Takoma Park, MD

Sometimes it's worth taking time to point out noteworthy items that are NOT a major issue. That is how I would describe the presence of Bruce Williams, the mayor of Takoma Park, Maryland (Pastor Brenda's home town) who also happens to be gay.


Here is an excerpt from the Washington Blade (thanks to Equality Maryland for the tip):

Meeting Bruce Williams is like meeting one of your neighbors when walking
to get milk or calling to ask for a cup of sugar.

After 15 years in public office, Williams, who is gay, was elected mayor of
Tacoma Park late last year. How have things changed in the 15 years since he’s
been in public life?

“Tuxedos,” he says, noting the more formal nature of being mayor.

“When I was first elected as a city council person in 1993,” Williams says,
“I wondered what it was going to be like running as an openly gay official. I
was happy to find out in Takoma Park that it just wasn’t an issue.”

Telling one of his favorite stories, Williams recalls the time a local
television reporter went to a house in his neighborhood when he was first
elected. A woman, with her hair in curlers and a baby on each hip, answers the
door.

Williams says the reporter asked if the woman knew her new councilman was
gay.

“And?” Williams recalls as the woman’s “who-cares” reaction.

When asked if being gay has affected him or his constituents, Williams
says, “I don’t think it has. I think it is just one factor among many. What my
constituents look at is my willingness to serve, my competence to serve, the
fact that I show up, I listen and I try and make thoughtful decisions.”

You can read the rest of the story at the Washington Blade.

The Fight For Equality Never Ends, Even in Mass.

Massachusetts has legalized same-sex marriage and fought back a referendum that would have repealed it, but even there the work is not done. Mass Equality is still working hard to increase support for the issue to insure the tables won't get turned down the road.

The new chairman of the organization, David Wilson, is working on a group not usually disposed to support them, the African-American community.

MassEquality, a gay marriage advocacy coalition, has launched a statewide
push to increase support for its cause among black residents of Massachusetts.
The effort is a priority for Wilson, an African-American who was named the
group's chairman in October.
He knows it will be a challenge.

Many black people in Massachusetts and across the country have reacted
unsympathetically to the gay rights movement, especially to efforts by gay
rights advocates to link the fight for marriage rights to the civil rights
movement.

Gay rights advocates say with the battle against a constitutional amendment
that would have banned gay marriage in the state now behind them, they are
beginning a concerted effort to speak directly to the black community, hoping
the approach can change some minds in the Bay State and serve as a national
model for outreach to minorities.

"We have defeated the amendment, and clearly we need to educate the broader
community about equal marriage," Wilson said. "We have a lot of work to do,
because this is just a step forward in this equal-marriage fight across the
country. If we get it right here in Massachusetts, we can expect to use this
model elsewhere."

Click here to read the rest of the article from the Boston Globe.MassEquality, a gay marriage advocacy coalition, has launched a statewide push to increase support for its cause among black residents of Massachusetts. The effort is a priority for Wilson, an African-American who was named the group's chairman in October.

He knows it will be a challenge.

Many black people in Massachusetts and across the country have reacted unsympathetically to the gay rights movement, especially to efforts by gay rights advocates to link the fight for marriage rights to the civil rights movement.

Gay rights advocates say with the battle against a constitutional amendment that would have banned gay marriage in the state now behind them, they are beginning a concerted effort to speak directly to the black community, hoping the approach can change some minds in the Bay State and serve as a national model for outreach to minorities.

"We have defeated the amendment, and clearly we need to educate the broader community about equal marriage," Wilson said. "We have a lot of work to do, because this is just a step forward in this equal-marriage fight across the country. If we get it right here in Massachusetts, we can expect to use this model elsewhere."

Click here to read the rest of the article from the Boston Globe.

A Great Perspective

I found this wonderful quote on the Dallas Morning News religion blog:

"When faith simplifies things that need to remain complex instead of giving us
strength to live with complexity, when it gives answers where none exist,
instead of helping us appreciate the sacredness of living with questions, when
it offers certainty when there needs to be doubt, and when it tells us that we
have arrived when we should still be searching - then there is a problem with
that faith."

- Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, author of the new book "You Don't Have to be Be Wrong for Me to Be Right."

I don't often quote Rabbis here, being a Christian myself, but wisdom is wisdom regardless of where the originator worships.

I hear right wing fundamentalits spout how simple everything is to understand, how they have all the answers, how anyone living outside of their philosophy is a heretic, how anyone in a same-sex relationship is an abomination with no room for doubt.

Then I see that quote and realize that there are people who DO get it. WE don't have all the answers.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isiah 55:8-9

Any person who thinks that they understand it all it is actually putting themself up on a pedestal they will eventually fall off of. I'm content seeking the answers about life and God that I can obtain and accepting those that I'm not capable of understanding and that He does not see fit to reveal.

That's called faith folks, and that's what truly loving God is all about.

A Preview of the Upcoming Equality Battle in the Maryland Legislature

In 2008, my home state of Maryland will be one of the key battleground states regarding GLBT equality issues.  The Washington Blade has a preview on the eve of the start of this year's legislative session:

A marriage rights bill, tax relief proposal and other measures to benefit gay Marylanders will greet state lawmakers when they reconvene next week.

Such bills, including one to sanction the marriages of same-sex couples, are going before the General Assembly during a time when lawmakers and gay activists are seeking historic gains.

“I think there’s a strong chance the General Assembly is going to take action to remedy discrimination against same-sex couples in Maryland,” said Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland.

But he said exactly what inequities are addressed — and how they are remedied — remains to be seen.

“My job as the executive director of the state’s largest LGBT organization isn’t to glimpse into a crystal ball,” Furmansky said, “but to mobilize to make the greatest gains possible for our community.”

The greatest gains could come from the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act, a measure that would make valid marriages of “two people.”

Click here to for more detail in the Washington Blade story.