Category Archives: Transgender

Wave of restroom laws hearken back to Jim Crow

  Remember when our people were highly restricted in the use of public restaurants, restrooms, and water fountains? We had to plan ahead. We carried our own food and beverages, arranged to stop at someone’s house to use the bathroom, …

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Posted in Blog, Bullying/violence, Gender, Social justice, Stigma, Transgender | Comments Off on Wave of restroom laws hearken back to Jim Crow

Why I can’t forget my blackness

The discomfort of being THE black guy in the room is something that I have to negotiate over and over again. Often—especially in progressive and/or queer political spaces— I am one of very few people of color. In practice, the …

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Posted in Black Lives Matter, Social justice, Transgender | Comments Off on Why I can’t forget my blackness

The Black church: Bold and bad enough to accept and affirm

The Black Church has been a strong pillar of the community. I pray that it will have the courage not only to accept, but affirm its gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children. The recent VH1 segment, Out in Hip Hop: …

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Posted in Church leaders, Congregational life, Economic disparities, Family, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Media portrayal, Opening to change, Pop culture, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Stigma, Straight allies, Transgender, Youth and young adult | Comments Off on The Black church: Bold and bad enough to accept and affirm

CeCe McDonald: Finding Myself, Finding My Spirituality

Crucial in my journey was this learning:  Our communities’ internalized teachings and fear mongering tactics are inflicted upon black bodies to keep us oppressed. We too often uphold traditionalism and bible binaries without interrogating our own internalized hatred (racism, homophobia, …

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Posted in Blog, Bullying/violence, Church leaders, Congregational life, Family, Opening to change, Social justice, Transgender | Comments Off on CeCe McDonald: Finding Myself, Finding My Spirituality

Maybe Same Sex Marriage IS God’s Will

We are not the same America. We are not the same America that we were 20 or even 10 years ago. For decades, civil liberties framed the discourse about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) justice. Now marriage, a union …

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Posted in Church leaders, Church seasons, Congregational life, Family, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Opening to change, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Straight allies, Theology, Transgender | Comments Off on Maybe Same Sex Marriage IS God’s Will

A letter to the National Baptist Fellowship of Concerned Pastors

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Recently, I learned of your public protest against the leadership of Dr. Forrest Harris, President of American Baptist College of Nashville, and his decision to invite Bishop Yvette Flunder, …

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Posted in Church leaders, Gay/lesbian, Gender, Hospitality, Opening to change, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Straight allies, Theology, Transgender | Comments Off on A letter to the National Baptist Fellowship of Concerned Pastors

Laying my burdens down: Embracing Black, Queer Christians in the church

In February, Black LGBT activists Wade Davis, Tiq Milan, and Darnell Moore hosted a #ThisIsLuv town hall forum in Washington, D.C. #ThisIsLuv brought the Black Queer community together and showcased the support and love that we receive from our friends …

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Posted in Congregational life, Family, Gay/lesbian, Opening to change, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Straight allies, Theology, Transgender | Comments Off on Laying my burdens down: Embracing Black, Queer Christians in the church

Black Lives Matter to the Black Church

When I came home from college for winter break I noticed a flyer on my church’s Facebook page that said December 14th was designated as “Black Lives Matter” Sunday. It was a couple weeks after the Grand Jury decision to not …

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Things I thought I would never say: An open letter to COGIC

My dear Church of God in Christ, I am about to take a risk and say some things that I more or less thought I would never say. I have concluded that it is time. I am approaching my 60th …

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Posted in Blog, Church leaders, Congregational life, Family, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Opening to change, Transgender | Comments Off on Things I thought I would never say: An open letter to COGIC

Reflecting on Black Sexualities, Black Religiosity, & Black Lives in Anti-Black Times

These reflections were first shared on October 20, 2014 at the Columbia University conference, “Are the Gods Afraid of Black Sexuality? Religion and the Burdens of Black Sexual Politics,” and published in TheFeministWire.com Seventy-three days ago, Mike Brown, Jr., an …

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Posted in Blog, Bullying/violence, Community questions, Gender, Sexual orientation, Theology, Transgender, Youth and young adult | Comments Off on Reflecting on Black Sexualities, Black Religiosity, & Black Lives in Anti-Black Times