The Institute for Welcoming Resources

This past week, 20 conservative religious leaders, representing stridently anti-LGBTQI segments of Christian and Muslim faith communities in the U.S., published a statement on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to proclaim their belief that being transgender is a false idea - and to assert there is only male and female.

And yet, millions of people of faith in the U.S. and throughout the world live a different reality that is true to them - they are transgender. They are young and old, some are thriving and some struggling, many are faith-filled and others have found only rejection in faith. The voices represented in this statement are in the minority of people of faith in this country as a majority affirm LGBTQ equality.

The religious leaders' statement proclaims that gender cannot be divorced from one's sex as male or female - a position that leads the thoughtful reader to ask, "Do they really understand what gender is?"

Majorities of Each Political Party Support LGBT Non-Discrimination Laws

Same-sex couples may now marry legally, but they can still be fired for being gay in 28 states. Many local and state lawmakers are working to update nondiscrimination laws to include protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and such measures would enjoy considerable public support. Roughly seven in ten (69 percent) Americans favor passing laws that would protect LGBT people against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing. Click here for more information.

Are Millennials Leaving Religion Over LGBT Issues?

The fact that most Millennials who are now religiously unaffiliated were raised in a religious tradition raises important questions about the forces responsible for this recent shift. PRRI's latest survey finds one reason for high rates of disaffiliation among Millennials is their perception about how religious institutions treat gay and lesbian people. Click here for more information.

Who Sees Discrimination? Attitudes on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Race, and Immigration Status | Findings from PRRI's American Values Atlas

Most Americans believe minority groups experience a lot of discrimination in the United States today, although perceptions vary broadly by political affiliation and race. Roughly six in ten Americans believe immigrants (63%), transgender people (62%), gay and lesbian people (58%), and blacks (57%) face a lot of discrimination in the country today. This includes research on views of religion and same sex marriage and religious based service refusals. Click here for more information.

Most American Religious Groups Support Same-sex Marriage, Oppose Religiously Based Service Refusals

A newly leaked document shows the Trump administration at least has considered a sweeping executive order that would allow individuals and organizations who have religious or sincerely held moral objections to same-sex relationships or who deny the existence of transgender identity to discriminate against LGBT people without fear of legal consequences. New PRRI analysis, drawn from a data set of 40,509 interviews conducted throughout 2016 as part of PRRI's American Values Atlas, reveals that most American religious groups support same-sex marriage and oppose religiously based service refusals. Click here for more infromation.

Loves Makes A Family: IDAHOT 2017

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. This year's theme is "Love Makes A Family." This year the central educational resource dispells the myth that homosexuality or being a LGBTI person is a "Western product" which counters the primary argument against acceptance of LGBTI people across Africa and around the world.

The United Nations' Free and Equal Campaign and the researchers at the Burke Center for International Relations at UCLA created this new educational resource for IDAHOT 2017.

We encourage you to share this educational resource within your social networks and on social media. The myth that being LGBTI is “from the West” invalidates the existence and human dignity of LGBTI in their country of origin. This myth contributes to stigma, discrimination and violence. So, dispelling this myth will help to create respect and safe places for LGBTI people and their families within their own communities, cultures and countries.

Innterconnectivity: Where Do We Go From Here? March 20

Everyone is invited for this LGBT faith and justice event on March 20 -- in person or live stream -- for a program exploring the intersectional connections of peace, justice, LGBTQ issues, environmentalism with faith.

Rev. Dr. Jane A Spahr, LGBT activist and pastor; Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Civil Rights icon and author; Annanda Barclay, More Light Presbyterians; and Floyd Thompkins, Center for Innovation in Ministry, SFTS will be exploring these issues together.

Join us from 7-8:30pm at First Presbyterian Church, 1140 Cowper St., Palo Alto, CA or watch the live stream at innovation.sfts.edu. For more information, to RSVP for the event, or the online live stream please go to this link.

Welcoming Church Program Leaders meet in Washington, DC

The Welcoming Church Program Leaders held their first gathering of the year in Washington, DC from March 9-10. The organizations represented at the gathering were the National LGBTQ Task Force, Believe Out Loud, More Light Presbyterians, Open and Affirming Coalition UCC, Affirm United, GLAD Alliance, Reconciling Works, Room for All, Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests, and Welcoming Community Network (WCN).

40th Celebration of LGBTQ Lives at Kirkridge

Over 40 years ago, Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center offered a clarion call of welcome to LGBTQ persons in faith communities. A special retreat celebrating the LGBTQ-affirming faith movement to mark this historic anniversary is being held on September 8 - 10, 2017.

Many of the “firsts” that have occurred in faith, nation, and military LGBTQ communities can trace their threads of origin back to the mountain. This is where leaders found their courage, strength, and voice. This is where their convictions were strengthened by the spiritual, emotional, and political awareness that blossomed during their time at Kirkridge. Virginia Mollenkott, John McNeill, Mary Hunt, Chris Glaser and Bishop Gene Robinson are among the faith leaders who are part of Kirkridge's LGBTQ history.

This celebration gathering will cast a wide net of welcome to all who wish to celebrate our 40-year LGBTQ history. Longstanding programs who have gathered at Kirkridge will also be invited to join the conversation, including: Sisterly Conversations, The Gay Men’s Event, Agape, and the historic Gay and Lesbian Christian program. Along with creating space for spiritual reflection, we will ask ourselves and each other: what’s next? What’s next for LGBT faith and justice work at and beyond Kirkridge?

We will seek to equip our conference participants in more effective ways to counter the religious exemption laws and efforts to rescind the hard-earned LGBTQ equality achievements of the last three decades. We will also work to equip our conference participants with effective strategies to counter religious exemption laws and efforts to rescind the hard-earned LGBTQ equality achievements earned over the past three decades.

The retreat leader is Rev. Erin Swenson. Erin is a Presbyterian minister. She has served as pastor, counselor, chaplain, educator, and administrator within a variety of faith communities, including Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Care at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. Erin was the first transgender Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians, a LGBT-affirming network in the Presbyterian Church (USA). As a transgender woman she confronted the Presbyterian Church with her own transgender reality. Ultimately, she became the first-known mainstream Protestant minister to make a gender transition and retain ordained office, an event that was covered by USA Today and Newsweek.

NEW DOCUMENTARY!

"In Our Fullness: Faith and Activism Across Difference"
presents conversations with activists about faith-based work for radical social change around issues including sexuality, gender, race, class, and age. The video includes powerful testimonies from activists representing Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Native spiritualities, presenting challenges and successes in faith-based progressive-left coalition building.

Produced by the Institute for Welcoming Resources, a Project of the National LGBTQ Task Force, in partnership with the Macalester College Chuck Green Civic Engagement Fellowship.

Additional Ecumenical & Multi-Faith Groups Convened by IWR

Majorities of Each Political Party Support LGBT Non-Discrimination Laws

c. Same-sex couples may now marry legally, but they can still be fired for being gay in 28 states. Many local and state lawmakers are working to update nondiscrimination laws to include protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and such measures would enjoy considerable public support. Roughly seven in ten (69 percent) Americans favor passing laws that would protect LGBT people against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing.

Are Millennials Leaving Religion Over LGBT Issues?

Who Sees Discrimination? Attitudes on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Race, and Immigration Status | Findings from PRRI's American Values Atlas

Most American Religious Groups Support Same-sex Marriage, Oppose Religiously Based Service Refusals

Transfigurations: Transgressing Gender in the Bible

Based on his one-person play, theatrical performance activist Peterson Toscano unearths transgender Bible characters - those people who do not fit in the gender binary - and who, in transgressing and transcending gender, find themselves at the center of some of the Bible's most important stories. Over five sessions, you will watch videos of Peterson's Bible study sessions at RMN's national convocation. It is designed for small group sessions in which discussion will play a major role. Discussion Guide available for free download.