Golden Globe Winner Mo’Nique Tells Black Gay Men, “God Loves You”
January 28, 2010
On Jan 25th episode of BET’s variety show, The Mo’Nique Show, host and Mo’Nique along with her guest, soul singer Miki Howard discussed numerous topics including sexuality, acceptance and the black church.
Howard said to Mo’Nique:
“One good thing I want to talk about is the gay aspect to our church. We don’t talk about it in our community. I grew up in James Cleveland’s church in LA and it was gay back then, really gay. And we weren’t didn’t know that people thought was bad, that outsiders thought that was bad. So that’s one thing we talk in the church and explore, and how I came to be me.”
Mo’Nique responded by saying: 
I applaud you for addressing this …because people don’t want to talk about it and for not judging because most times we run from it. And for all of our gay brothas watching, we love you this is the no judgment zone. You are always welcome and you are always loved. If you’re in the church and you’re gay, God is not judging you. Be who you wanna be.”
In the beginning of the show, Mo’Nique, whose film Precious is nominated for a GLAAD Media Award this year, also made a comment about African-American lesbians.
She said:
“Sistahs, if you are laying next to your man right now give him a kiss. Or next to your woman.. no judgments here, as long as you got somebody.”
Watch the episode below (The segment begins at around the 27 minute mark of the show)
Rod McCullom, head blogger for Rod 2.0: Beta, praised this episode and expressed why this type of dialogue is necessary:
It’s about time someone mentioned on national television that the black church and black gospel music are “really gay” and they should not be ashamed. There are so many talented black gay men in the church and black gospel music. Unfortunately many are told otherwise and most believe they should remain (semi) closeted.
Given many of the struggles of acceptance that the black LGBT community faces in certain African-American churches, these types of conversations are much welcomed and needed. While GLAAD encourages people to sound off when the media gets it’s wrong, it is also important to praise those who get it right.
If you were touched by Mo’Nique and Miki Howard’s comments, please let The Mo’ Nique Show know by writing a letter to the following address:
The Mo’Nique Show
P.O Box 7868
Atlanta, GA
30357
Related Posts:Rev. Mary Glasspool Becomes First Openly Lesbian Elected to Episcopal Assistant Bishop
December 14, 2009
After a 2006 moratorium on electing gay bishops in the Episcopal Church was lifted in July, the Diocese of Los Angeles wasted no time in acting on the more inclusive policy by nominating two openly gay priests for assistant bishop positions. On Dec. 5 the diocese officially elected one of those priests, Rev. Mary Glasspool of Maryland.
If the decision is approved by the majority of bishops and standing committees of clergy and lay leaders in the Episcopal Church, Glasspool would be the first openly lesbian consecrated as bishop in all of the global Anglican Communion. Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire is currently the only openly gay Episcopal bishop.
Earlier this week the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams released a statement where he questioned the move and warned the Episcopal Church not to approve the decision because ordaining another gay bishop would impact the whole church. Thousands of Anglicans have since then urged him to retract his statement and to “exercise moral leadership to protect gays and lesbians.”
Glasspool, who grew up in New York and followed her father into the Episcopal priesthood when she was ordained in 1982, says that apart from Rowan’s reaction she has received nothing but statements of support from people all over the world. In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Glasspool expressed her joy in the Diocese of Los Angeles’ decision: “I’m deeply grateful. I am profoundly moved by just about everything that’s going on… I’m excited about the future. I think this is a real hopeful sign to the world.”
Related Posts:Washington Post Misses the Mark With One-Sided Profile on Anti-Gay Bishop Harry Jackson
November 18, 2009
In the November 18 edition of the Washington Post, staff writer Wil Haygood wrote a lengthy profile of Bishop Harry Jackson’s opposition to gay rights and to the current bill being considered by the Washington D.C. council that would extend marriage protections to same-sex couples.
GLAAD encourages media outlets to live up to the standards of fair and balanced reporting. Haygood’s article was neither. The bitter impact of Jackson’s work is trivialized by the opening line, “This is how Bishop Jackson spent his summer vacation.” The article positions Jackson as a crusader against marriage and is not at all against gay people.
Yet, it was not long ago that Jackson spearheaded the “Muzzling the Pulpit” campaign against basic legal protections for LGBT people. In the Post article he calls marriage for gay and lesbian couples, an ”oxymoron.” And, denying that he blames gay people for society’s problems or that he is homophobic, he says, “I’m looking at the extinction of marriage. And black culture is in a free fall.”
The story lacked any voices from pro-gay African-American clergy and African-American gay and lesbians. In the D.C. area alone, there are a number of African-Americans that could have been tapped: Dr. Sylvia Rhue of the National Black Justice Coalition; Aisha Mills, a black lesbian who testified at the D.C. hearings on marriage; The Maryland Black Family Alliance and the group, Clergy United for Marriage Equality, founded by Black clergy which now has 200 members listed on its website.
Although the article mentioned that Bishop Jackson has critics, the author only mentioned hate notes and body guards during worship services, implying that Jackson’s critics are violent extremists. Where were the credible critics who can speak to the harm done to loving couples, to gay young people and parents of gay people who go to church and are afraid to tell the truth because they are told they or their loved ones are rejected by God?
In addition, the lack of diverse voices in such a lengthy piece, reinforces the false notion that the African-American community and Black churches share Jackson’s anti-gay views. It plays on the belief that only white people are for gay and transgender equality and sets up the black community to be scapegoated when pro-LGBT legislation does not pass.
Haywood also showed his own bias when he used the term “alternative lifestyle.” Both the Associated Press and The New York Times have set guidelines against using that phrase because it denigrates the LGBT community and suggest that sexual orientation is a choice and therefore can and should be cured.
GLAAD has reached out to Haywood to discuss our issues with his story.
We urge you to write Wil Haygood at haygoodw@washpost.com to air your opinions about his piece. And now is the time. Hours after Haywood’s story was published, it was announced that Jackson filed suit against the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics over its refusal to allow an initiative to ban same-sex marriage. The board ruled that doing such would violate the city’s 1977 Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination.
Jackson’s lawsuit comes one week after D.C.’s City Council voted in favor of a bill that would allow for gay and lesbian couples to be legally married. A final vote is set to take place on December 1.
Related Posts:The Vatican’s Bid for Breakaway Anglicans
October 30, 2009
Many Catholics are becoming more vocal about their support for marriage equality as evidenced in “No on 1 ads” and the organizing efforts in Maine. The Pope and Vatican leaders, on the other hand, raised eyebrows and hackles in its recent bid to persuade conservative, breakaway Anglicans to become Catholics on the basis of their shared ordination ban for women and LGBT people.
At a news conference on Oct. 20, Cardinal William J. Levada from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced that joining Anglicans would retain many of their traditions while still entering in “full communion with the Catholic Church.”
The Vatican stresses it was responding to requests from more conservative Anglicans from around the world and in no way meant to undermine Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams leadership. But what seemed like a simple ecumenical invitation has problems—even for conservatives.
More progressive Episcopalians noted that the door swings both ways and told a reporter from The Baltimore Sun that three former Roman Catholic clergy have recently joined the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton pointed out that many converts to the Episcopal Church are laypeople from the Catholic Church who are looking for a church moving in a more open and affirming direction.
Conservative Episcopalians who broke away tend to agree with the Roman Catholic hierarchy on barring women and LGBT people from the priesthood, but the historical tension between the Anglican Communion and the Vatican is still very much present. The split between Catholics and Anglicans happened in the 16th century, when King Henry VIII declared himself head of the Church in England. The Vatican has yet to lay out a plan for addressing central theological differences such as papal authority and the meaning of the Eucharist.
Meanwhile, news outlets such as USA Today and the Boston Globe report uncertainty from breakaway clergy and congregations in regards to the Vatican’s invitation. According to USA Today, one of the major deal breakers is the celibacy requirement for Catholic priests. Since the 1980’s, after women were first ordained in the Episcopal Church, some married Anglican clergy were allowed to convert to Catholicism and continue on as active priests.
Cardinal Levada said the celibacy waiver would apply to priests but not bishops nor future candidates for ordination. Levada acknowledged potential problems still remain. According to Times Online, the Apostolic Constitution, which will lay out the conditions for the new “Anglo-Catholic section of the Church,” is not ready for publication—despite the announced invitation.
There are also unanswered questions about what will happen to property of the breakaway congregations and whether or not the Roman Catholic Church would have a claim on them. The property battles could be huge and The Episcopal Church already has too many property law suits with congregations that broke away over openly gay bishops.
The Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer, a guest on the Steven Colbert Show, expressed concern that the church was trying to compensate for the increase of closed parishes and the decrease of men going into the priesthood. Despite Colbert’s comic approach, the conversation raised the important question of whether or not an invitation to membership should be based on who is excluded.
Maine Faith Leaders Speak out on Marriage Equality
October 5, 2009
As the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland passed offering plates to fight Maine’s marriage equality bill, pro-marriage equality faith leaders redoubled their efforts. An array of clergy from Maine effectively got their voices into media representing Maine Religious Coalition for Freedom to Marry.
Bishop Richard J. Malone went so far as to have a recorded message played at Sunday masses in Maine to encourage Catholics to financially support and vote in favor of Question 1 that would repeal marriage equality passed by Maine’s legislature back in May. In response, Catholics for Marriage Equality organized a protest by asking parishioners to put notes in the collection baskets stating their opposition to the church’s anti-gay stance. Anne Underwood, co-director of the Catholics for Marriage Equality, stated that, “Marriage in the Catholic Church is a sacrament reserved to the Church to define and administer…no church can morally deprive families and children of state recognition.”
Polls show support for equality is growing as 50% percent of Maine residents support the marriage equality while 41% want to repeal the law—an improvement from a recent Daily Kos poll that showed a statistical dead heat. Maine citizens will vote on Nov. 3.
Related Posts:Tyra Banks Show Features Story of Teen’s Alarming Attempt to Turn Straight
September 28, 2009
Tyra Banks interviewed sixteen-year-old Jeffrey who was the subject of a dramatic video posted on YouTube by Manifested Glory Ministries in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where ministers targeted him for a “casting out of evil spirits.” The video shows Jeffrey flailing on the floor surrounded by several church members who call out for the “homosexual demon” to exit the boy’s body—and of him throwing up during the process.
Jeffrey, still sixteen, shared that he was aware of being gay at age five and began to date other boys when he became a teen. He reached out to counselors at True Colors, a pro-LGBT youth organization but three days after a gay prom, sponsored by True Colors, he participated in the exorcism and now says the “evil spirit” is gone but the removal of attractions is “a process.”
Tyra brought on both the ministers from Manifested Glory Ministries and Kamora Herrington of True Colors to discuss the impact of “the belief that gay people are going to hell and are possessed by evil spirits.” Ms. Herrington said that she deals with the harm of these beliefs every week in her work with young gay people— and that too often kids harm themselves because of these beliefs.
GLAAD continues to provide resources to journalists about so-called “ex-gay” programs. When the exorcism video first came out in June, GLAAD directed The Associated Press to speak to the Rev. Roland Stringfellow, who spoke firsthand as an African American who had been subjected to exorcisms as a young gay man. He said he was put in front of the church as members shouted “demon of homosexuality come out of him” and said, “it caused nothing but shame and embarrassment.”
It is also important that media outlets who cover this topic know that the American Psychological Association recently concluded there is no scientific evidence that therapies to change orientation work—and these attempts can be harmful.
Related Posts:Sea Change in the Churches
September 24, 2009
Back in June, we published a round up of LGBT issues on the docket for a cluster of denominations. The result was a sea change in the churches. Here are the exciting results:
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA
The Presbyterian Church USA led the way this summer as it voted on a constitutional amendment on ordination equality. Ratification by the required half of the 173 regional presbyteries was not expected so LGBT faith leaders worked with GLAAD to keep the focus on “growing support.” Early in the voting, regions like North Carolina, Alabama, Texas and Arkansas voted for equality. GLAAD helped LGBT Presbyterians blast an early media release through Religion News Service which laid emphasized messages of “growing support” and “churches are changing” to shape coverage of all LGBT church stories. When the vote was final, four LGBT Presbyterian groups worked with GLAAD on a media release. The Associated Press carried the “change” message nationwide.
MENNONITE CHURCH
Young LGBT and allied Mennonites made national news for the first time ever as they protested anti-LGBT policies and practices in the Mennonite Church. GLAAD helped young and old alike to get their voices into media. Wearing pink and prepped with talking points, young people expertly used the media to tell the Mennonite Church USA Assembly, June 30 – July 5, in Columbus, Ohio, that youth are leaving the church because of discrimination against LGBT church members. Hundreds of Mennonite pastors signed an open letter calling Mennonites to heal the harm done to LGBT people.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
In July, bishops and elected deputies gathered for the Episcopal Church’s triennial General Convention in Anaheim, California, where they bravely moved forward, despite high-profile opposition, to approve a resolution to officially allow ordination of gay and lesbian priests. They affirmed that God could call anyone to ordination, including people in same-sex marriages or partnerships. Shortly after the ban was lifted, two Episcopal dioceses announced the nomination of openly gay and lesbian priests for bishop. The Convention also recognized transgender rights and inclusion, and delegated the task of proposing blessing rites for same sex-couples.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
The watershed event of the summer was when the mother church of Protestantism, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, voted for inclusion at their biennial Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis on August 17-23. After decades of struggle, the body was ready to vote on an inclusive Social Statement on Human Sexuality as well as ministry policies that allow clergy to be in committed same-sex partnerships. After defeating an attempt to change the voting rules, the body took on the Social Statement on Human Sexuality. For passage it required 2/3 of the 1000 plus voting delegates to support it. When the electronic vote was projected, people gasped. The vote was precisely 66.67%. Expert long-term strategies by the LGBT Lutheran coalition combined with GLAAD’s spokesperson training and media pitching helped bring about these mounmental changes. When the third and final vote was taken on LGBT concerns, the ELCA put the icing on the cake by dropping the celibacy requirement for gay clergy and allowing clergy to be in same-sex unions. Change happened!
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
The United Church of Christ, the first mainline denomination to support full equality for LGBT people, held its General Synod in June. At the weeklong event, UCC representatives approved a resolution to support diversity education in public schools and to encourage other denominations to build ecumenical support for basic respect for all people, including LGBT individuals and families.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
The Unitarian Universalist United Nations office, which now has a staff person designated for sexual orientation and gender identity work, initiated an action of immediate witness against the ongoing violence targeting gay men and lesbians in Iraq. With hundreds of victims in recent years, the church is raising awareness and actively encourages advocacy on the issue.
Mormon LGBT Group Challenges LDS on Anti-Gay Practices
September 22, 2009
Affirmation Gay and Lesbian Mormons celebrated 30 years of support and advocacy on September 18-20. More than 200 members from across the country convened in Salt Lake City, Utah, to explore next steps toward equality in the Mormon Church and society.
GLAAD staff was on hand to provide media assistance for a press conference where Affirmation launched its “Keep Them and Love Them” website. The site provides accurate information in accessible language to prevent family and church rejection when a loved one comes out. People who are coming out, their families and church leaders need accurate information to reduce homelessness, despair and suicide.
Robert Moore/Photo Courtesy of Salt Lake Tribune
Affirmation’s director of youth work, Robert Moore, shared his story of being a seventh generation Mormon who was thrown out of his family’s home as a teen when they discovered he was gay. He was homeless for many months but worked to support himself. Today, he says, “We cannot keep treating our young people like trash.”
GLAAD staff helped Affirmation with media releases and prepared them for follow-up television interviews. With coverage by the Salt Lake City Tribune, the Deseret News and local Fox TV, hundreds of thousands of Utah residents know that gay Mormons are shining a light on the harm caused by misinformation and discrimination.
The high profile role of Mormons in the Proposition 8 campaign in California mobilized an increasing number of pro-LGBT Mormons and ramped up additional political actions to urge Utah government officials and Mormon leaders to support pro-LGBT legislation and families with gay members. While up-front funding of anti-equality work has diminished, leaders in Iowa recently pointed toward the well-known anti-equality group, National Organization for Marriage, as a conduit for Mormon monies.
Affirmation’s media engagement paves the way for two separate early October meetings with Utah Governor Gary Herbert. One is with the Foundation for Reconciliation and the other is with leaders of Equality Utah. Both meetings were precipitated by earlier media work by the Foundation for Reconciliation as assisted by GLAAD in response to Utah’s Governor comparing legal protections for LGBT people to legal protections for “blue-eyed blonds.”
Related Posts:Janesville Gazette Removes Cartoon Defaming LGBT Lutherans Following GLAAD Outreach
September 10, 2009
Janesville Gazette – a local newspaper serving Janesville, Wisconsin – published a defamatory cartoon on its website that mocked a new resolution passed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church that allows clergy to be in committed same-gender relationships.
The cartoon depicts a male couple dressed in street clothes and adorned with piercings kissing and groping in front of an Evangelical Lutheran Church. One man inexplicably wears a sleeveless shirt that reads “Gay Clergy.” A female character shouts, “Get a room” at the men, and a Lutheran priest is illustrated as answering “Here ya go!” The cartoon inappropriately sexualizes LGBT clergy members and undermines significant advances in equality for LGBT Lutheran clergy and their loving and committed same-gender partners.
Phil Soucy, Director of Communications for Lutherans Concerned North America – an organization working for the full inclusion of LGBT Lutherans in the church – contacted the Janesville Gazette and expressed his concern about the cartoon’s offensive nature:
Satire has its purposes and we have thick skins and very tolerant senses of humor. This cartoon is not satire – it is disparaging mockery, well off the point, and that has no place in intelligent discourse on subjects of importance.
Soucy also alerted GLAAD about the cartoon and GLAAD reached out to editors at Janesville Gazette. After we expressed our concern that the cartoon depicts the recent decision to allow gay and lesbian clergy in the Lutheran church in a gratuitous and derogatory manner, Janesville Gazette agreed to remove the content from its website.
GLAAD applauds the Janesville Gazette for its swift response in removing the cartoon from its website and will continue to be a resource for the paper to ensure fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of LGBT people. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org
27-Year United Methodist Pastor Comes Out Publicly As Transgender
September 1, 2009
TRANSGENDER MINISTER – Images by Pamplin Media Group
When Rev. David Weekley visited Minidoka, the site of an old Japanese internment camp in Idaho, and heard the stories of exclusion from Japanese-American members of his congregation who lived through World War II, he began to reflect on his own untold story of being transgender. And, when the pro-LGBT group Reconciling Ministry Network (RMN) announced that they would like to nominate him for a service award, he knew it was time to tell his story publicly.
So, after 27 years of service, as a United Methodist pastor—and as a transgender man, Reverend David Weekley came out in his sermon at Epworth United Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon, on August 30th.
GLAAD, RMN, Transgender Religious Leaders Network, his family and others provided resources and support. But what might surprise some people is that officials of the United Methodist Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference (the regional church body) issued a media release affirming Rev. Weekley’s continuing status as “an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church in good standing.” The Bishop Robert T. Hoshibata, leader of the Conference, was quoted in the release which was read to the congregation following Weekley’s sermon:
We believe that God has called David Weekley to serve as an elder in The United Methodist Church. In response to God’s call, Reverend Weekley has effectively served his congregations for 27 years. He is choosing now to share this earlier part of his life journey honestly and openly. This decision does not, in any way, change his faith or his commitment to the ministry to which he was ordained, nor does it change his status as an elder in good standing… I prayerfully ask that his congregation, his colleagues and The United Methodist Church continue to uphold him and his family at this time.
Congregation leaders were well prepared. Ruth Ann Tsukuda, a member of Epworth for 26 years said in The Oregonian article, that she was among those who had been briefed on the topic of Rev. Weekley’s sermon and had intended to observe the response of other members, “But I was fixated on David and how powerful his statement was. I couldn’t stop crying, thinking of him maintaining his faith through all of that. That’s when people usually lose their faith.”
In a few days, Rev. Weekley will travel to Denver as a finalist for the ‘Voice in the Wilderness Award’ from the Reconciling Ministry Network for his column on their website, which he had been writing anonymously as “Transgender Clergy Person.” And, whether the official recipient or not, his future columns will carry his by-line.
Weekly and the other 400+ participants are part of the movement described in The Portland Tribune that is moving the United Methodist church toward full inclusion of LGBT members. Two waves of legislation in 2004 and 2008 to pass prohibitions against transgender clergy failed but there is much need for education on the topic. Gay and lesbian members still face barriers to ordination and even to membership.
Reverend Weekley said to an Examiner.com commentator:
I am very positive about sharing my story, because I believe it is the best way to help educate our society about transgender persons; there is so much misinformation out there, and fear, that it seems imperative to become active. Because some segments of the Church are responsible for a portion of this misinformation and fear, it seems even more critical for others to hear a positive and personal faith story from a transgender person.
Weekley’s sermon comes almost two years after the Reverend Drew Phoenix became the first United Methodist Minister to openly identify himself as transgender. Phoenix’s transition drew immediate national attention and legal challenges by conservatives in the denomination. But, as a clergy person in good standing, and with no prohibitions on the books, the high court of the United Methodist Church threw the charges out.
Transgender people of all faiths have been rallying together in recent years to combat the transphobia they commonly encounter in their respective denominations. Online resources, such as the Trans Faith on Line and Trans Episcopal are expanding this effort.
Weekley closed his sermon by reflecting, “I am a man in some ways different from other men,” he said. “But most people are different from other people in some way. And God still loves us.”
GLAAD will continue to assist Rev. Weekley as media covers his story and the United Methodist Church responds. We will keep you informed of any new developments.
Related Posts:Lutherans Change Policy—Affirm Partnered Gay Ministers
August 21, 2009
Lutherans, the very first Protestant tradition, founded in the 1500’s, voted to lift the ban on partnered gay clergy on Friday, August 21, 2009. The week of deliberations included a tornado that damaged the convention center in Minneapolis and extensive debate, prayers and conversation.
Meeting August 17-23, the body considered a range of legislation affecting the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. On LGBT issues, the results were historic. At three critical points, delegates chose the next step toward full inclusion.
They rejected attempts by conservatives to change the voting rules on the opening night; they passed the Policy Statement on Human Sexuality with a 2/3 vote; and, finally, delegates withstood legislative end runs and voted to allow clergy to be in committed same-gender relationships.
Emily Eastwood, Executive Director of Lutherans Concerned/North America, said “Today I am proud to be a Lutheran. Supporters and advocates of full inclusion have longed for this day since the inception of the ELCA, and for many of us what seemed like a lifetime. The ELCA has always had gay ministers, now those and all ministers are free to claim who they are and to have the love and support of a lifelong partner, regardless of orientation or gender identity, which is all we ever asked.”
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members and now joins the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ as mainline denominations that have moved toward full inclusion in recent years.
GLAAD assisted the LGBT and allied Lutheran spokespeople by pitching the story through the 1800 religion media journalists and outlets of the Religion News Service. GLAAD trained spokespeople were interviewed by the NY Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, LA Times, NPR, Minnesota Public Radio, local radio talk shows and others. Multiple AP articles blanketed the country and repeatedly quoted GLAAD trained Lutheran spokespeople.
Related Posts:Lutherans Pass Policy Statement on Human Sexuality by Supermajority
August 20, 2009
A tornado touched down on the street outside the convention hall where Lutherans were debating whether you could be a biblical Christian and support LGBT couples and their families. Conservative bloggers saw the storm as a dire sign but they ignored the sun breaking through just as the assembly voted for the new Social Policy on Human Sexuality by precisely the 2/3 vote required . As 66.67 to 33.33 percent vote results were posted on the screen, voters and visitors gasped and then burst into applause.
The national meeting for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is held every two years—this year in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23. The new policy, which creates a theological framework allowing for disagreements within the ELCA over sexuality and scripture, replaces a previous statement that was 15 years old.
Lutherans Concerned, an LGBT affirming Lutheran group, sent a press release to 1800 religion writers and associates through the Religion News Service the week before the assembly, resulting in wide media coverage. Key votes throughout the week and GLAAD’s assistance with media strategies and pitching enhanced that effort. Private interviews with GLAAD trained spokespeople were set with the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Los Angles Times, and others. Related votes will happen on Thursday and Friday.
On Tuesday a devotional booklet, “One Table, Many Blessings,” was released with the names of 95 out LGBT ministers. On Wednesday, a PBS Religion & Ethics reporter interviewed five key LGBT faith leader (airing August 24). Immediately after the vote on the Social Policy on Human Sexuality, PBS filmed the procession of the LGBT coalition’s worship service attended by about 2,000 people. The videographer quipped, “This will be our stock footage of Lutherans worshipping for years to come!”
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members and now joins the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ as mainline denominations that have moved toward full inclusion in recent years. An increasing number clergy, laity and family members are going on record for equality.
Related Posts:Lutherans Pass First Hurdle Toward Partnered LGBT Clergy
August 19, 2009
Lutherans leapt the first hurdle at their biennial policy setting meeting after extensive debate on allowing ministers be in committed same-gender relationships.
Conservatives lobbied hard as they made a motion to raise the percentage required to pass the measures but failed by a large margin. The national meeting for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is held every two years—this year in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23.
Photo Courtesy of ELCA.org
GLAAD staff is on-site as Lutheran LGBT advocates are making the most of media opportunities to expand the impact of their work. The ELCA will vote on a proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality and a Recommendation on Ministry Policies. The policy statement lays the groundwork for all policies on human sexuality.
The Recommendation on Ministry Policies proposes to remove the ban on openly gay clergy by allowing congregations who wish to do so to have a minister who is in a committed, same-gender relationship, while not requiring any congregation to do so.
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members. This year, an increasing number clergy, laity and family members are going on record about the important ministries shared by people who are LGBT who have faced discrimination up to now.
Related Posts:Lutherans Debate Partnered LGBT Clergy
August 12, 2009
Same-gender partners and their families will be front-and-center at the upcoming national meeting where policy for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is voted on every two years. This year, the body will decide to drop—or keep—the requirement of celibacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clergy.
Lutheran LGBT advocates are organized and are hopeful in light of The Episcopal Church national meeting where LGBT equality was affirmed, as well as the changing landscape of opinions of mainline clergy who increasingly support LGBT rights.
2007 Churchwide Assembly (Photo Courtesy of ELCA.org)
Meeting in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23, the denomination will vote on a range of topics, but the most high-profile is whether or not to lift the ban on ministers who are in same-gender, committed relationships.
Two proposals impact LGBT people: a 30-page, Social Statement on Human Sexuality and a Recommendation on Ministry Policies.
The Social Statement is the theological and teaching document for the ELCA on constructive social relationships and responsibilities. It lays out the range of good faith opinions among Lutherans on same-gender committed relationships and asks the church to agree to disagree while moving forward in hospitality.
The Recommendation on Ministry Policies proposes to remove the ban by allowing congregations who wish to do so to have a minister who is in a committed, same-gender relationship, while not requiring any congregation to do so.
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members. At its 2007 national meeting, 82 ministers came out and introduced themselves and their partners. In response, the body voted to ask bishops to “refrain” from punishing partnered clergy and congregations. Despite this vote, the ban on clergy in partnered same-gender relationships was not changed and the impact of written policies continued to impact many clergy, families and congregations. This year, more clergy, laity and family members are going on record about the important ministries shared by people who are LGBT who have faced discrimination up to now.
When the 82 Lutheran miniters came out in 2007 GLAAD worked closely with Lutherans Concerned, an LGBT affirming Lutheran group, to help those ministers tell their stories effectively in the media.
This year GLAAD is also working with affirming Lutheran’s to ensure that as the ELCA once again takes up the issue of LGBT clergy, those voices will be fairly represented in mainstream coverage of the national meeting. GLAAD has media trained more than twenty top LGBT Lutheran ministers for interviews with USA Today and National Public Radio. And during the convention, GLAAD will be on-site to expand the coalition’s media capacity. Win or lose, the world will know through the media that Lutheran LGBT advocates are challenging the ELCA to take a step toward full equality.
Related Posts:Episcopalians Announce Openly Gay Nominees for Bishop
August 7, 2009
Earlier this week, two Episcopalian dioceses announced their nomination of openly LGBT priests for bishop positions. As we wrote previously, the Episcopal Church overwhelmingly voted in favor of ending a 2006 moratorium on ordaining openly gay bishops on July 14.
Rev. Bonnie Perry, Photo Courtesy of Advocate.com
The Rev. Bonnie Perry, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Chicago, Illinois, is among three nominees for the Minnesota bishop position. She has been in a committed relationship with her partner, the Rev. Susan Harlow, for 22 years. Harlow is a professor at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.
The Diocese of Los Angeles also announced the nomination of the Rev. John L. Kirkley of San Francisco and the Rev. Mary Douglas Glasspool of Maryland, both of whom are in committed same-sex relationships. There are six candidates for the position of suffragan (assistant) bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles.
Rev. John Kirkley, Photo Courtesy of Bay Area Reporter
In a statement to the Bay Area Reporter, IntegrityUSA President Reverend Susan Russell applauded the nominations:
Coming so soon after the slate announced by the Diocese of Minnesota, today’s announcement by the Diocese of Los Angeles is another sign that the ’season of fasting’ at the expense of the vocations of gays and lesbians in the Episcopal Church is at an end. For Minnesota and California to move so quickly after our convention, what they are doing is signaling that the resolution that we passed in Anaheim is not just a resolution but reality. The Episcopal Church is in a place where it is able to be broadly inclusive. That is good news not only for the diocese, but also the whole church.
If the candidates are elected by lay and clergy church leaders later this year, they would be the first openly gay priests to take the position of bishop since the ordination of Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003.
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