Browsing Tag

religion

Faith in the ‘Invisible’: Houston Church Debuts Film on Gay Women in Southern Music

Posted on October 11, 2019
A photo of Invisible, playing at a Houston church.

A heart must believe in something. Whether it believes in a higher power, in one’s dream, or in the strength that is exuded from one’s own gifts and talents, a heart must beat for something greater than itself. A heart beats within the halls of St. Peter United Church of Christ in Houston, Texas. St. Peter United is dedicated to the acceptance and visibility of all people. And etched within every stone, there lies a legacy. It is a legacy not…

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2020 Democratic Presidential Contender Pete Buttigieg Meets with Communities of Color in Houston

Posted on May 7, 2019
A photo of Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Houston.

On May 4, South Bend, Indiana mayor and 2020 presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg gave an impassioned speech and posed for photos at a campaign fundraiser at Chapman & Kirby in Houston’s East Downtown. But before shaking hands with eager fans and donors at the public event, the openly gay Democratic contender sat down for an intimate, transparent conversation with some of the city’s most notable Black spiritual leaders at the private residence of Houston community leaders Vince Pryor and Alan…

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Should LGBTQ+ Folx Leave the Christian Church?

Posted on March 13, 2019
A photo of a Christian cross.

Over the past several months, LGBTQ+ folx have been overrun with spotlight as Christian denominations’ dysfunction has been prominently displayed. It has never been an easy feat to identify as both a Christian and LGBTQ+, but in the modern day, some would say that they are completely opposing viewpoints. Balancing the two can feel like hiding both of your identities under a rock. With the recent headlines surrounding the Southern Baptist Church’s and the United Methodist Church’s decisions on LGBTQ+…

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The Southern Roots of LGBTQ Religious Activism: The Curious Story of George Hyde’s Gay Ministry in 1940s Georgia

Posted on December 7, 2018
A photo of Reverend George Hyde

Over the past 50 years, as conflicts over homosexuality have wracked religious denominations across the United States, LGBTQ people have both fought for affirming inclusion within their faith communities and formed distinct groups of their own. When most folks today think about early LGBTQ religious activism, Reverend Troy Perry and the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) spring easily to mind. Perry, a southerner by birth who grew up in northern Florida and was first licensed as a Baptist preacher there at…

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Finding Faith in the Democratic Party

Posted on February 28, 2018
A photo of James Lee, a gay man of faith.

For far too long, conservatives have claimed a monopoly on faith. And if the past few years are any indication, they aren’t letting up any time soon. Republican lawmakers are having a renewed romance with discrimination under the guise of religious freedom. From religious refusals in healthcare and discrimination in adoption procedures to the right to refuse service in business, there seems to be an unending assault on equality in the name of faith. I think it’s time Democrats push back…

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A Long and Winding Road: Finding The Way As A Queer Christian

Posted on December 24, 2017
A photo of queer Christian Sam Fagan.

Like water and oil, Christianity and LGBTQ identity are often seen as separate and impossible to mix. But for southerner Sam Fagan, her faith and queerness are both equal, essential parts to her holistic identity. While she admits the process is ongoing and has not been easy, Fagan has found a way to reconcile the two and finds peace in the balance.…

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The Cowboy in Me: Baring My Queer Christian Country Soul

Posted on December 8, 2017
An illustration of a Christian cowboy hat.

Writing this feels like taking a selfie. Normally, focusing too much on myself makes me uncomfortable. But I hope it can help others who relate. Let me begin by saying that I feel more like a soul than a physical body. Like souls tend to be, I’m moved by and connect with art. I feel nestled beneath towering prison walls when I listen to a dark Johnny Cash album. Like I’m lying in a field of bluebonnets when the Dixie…

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World AIDS Day: Restoring Faith in the Community

Posted on December 1, 2017
An illustration of World AIDS Day and faith.

Faith is something that you believe in, but can’t see. It tells you that all in life and love are possible, even when everyone around you says they’re not. But some have forgotten what it’s like to have faith. Some have lost their faith because those who they thought would be there for them have turned their backs. Today, on World AIDS Day, I’m reminded of the faith that I have, that I have had, and how it has brought…

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