Progress sometimes moves slowly, but we've come a long way in a relatively short period of time, as the victory for marriage equality in New York demonstrates. Here are a few more positive indicators:
-The growing number of conservative Republicans who recognize that the advancement of gay rights is not, in fact, a harbinger of doom. Commentator David Frum is the most recent convert.
-That growth is taking place among evangelicals as well, as demonstrated by Christian leaders like John Shore and Wendy Gritter. Wendy's recent Pastor's Conversation is now available online.
-A bit less obviously, the growing emphasis on social justice among younger evangelicals is a hopeful sign that the church may set aside its thirst for power in favor of the love and compassion that fueled its original growth spurt two thousand years ago.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Good ol' Jon Stewart
Just in case it needs clarifying, I really am who I claim to be (as anyone who knows me through the GCN and BXG conferences can attest), and not, say, a straight woman from Cleveland...
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Links
A few items of interest from around the blogosphere:
1. Jim Burroway's detailed investigation into one of reparative therapy's most famous case studies. Unsurprisingly (and tragically), the reality behind the experiment is far different than the myth that NARTH and its allies continue to peddle.
2. A plug for Nakedpastor, whose site I need to add to my blogroll one of these days. His cartoons frequently echo my own thoughts and reservations about the church.
3. Another plug, this one for Jon Rowe's blog. Rowe's writings are a valuable resource for anyone looking for hard evidence to refute the "Christian nation" advocates who are still popular in many evangelical circles.
4. Kathy Baldock's tireless advocacy is always worth a mention. Her latest post is an open letter to the church.
5. On a lighter note, there's now a blog where people can share the story of their first gay crush. For the record, mine was C. Thomas Howell (laugh if you must; I make no apologies).
1. Jim Burroway's detailed investigation into one of reparative therapy's most famous case studies. Unsurprisingly (and tragically), the reality behind the experiment is far different than the myth that NARTH and its allies continue to peddle.
2. A plug for Nakedpastor, whose site I need to add to my blogroll one of these days. His cartoons frequently echo my own thoughts and reservations about the church.
3. Another plug, this one for Jon Rowe's blog. Rowe's writings are a valuable resource for anyone looking for hard evidence to refute the "Christian nation" advocates who are still popular in many evangelical circles.
4. Kathy Baldock's tireless advocacy is always worth a mention. Her latest post is an open letter to the church.
5. On a lighter note, there's now a blog where people can share the story of their first gay crush. For the record, mine was C. Thomas Howell (laugh if you must; I make no apologies).
Saturday, June 04, 2011
Downsized
In an unusually clear-cut case of "be careful what you wish for," the next leg of my journey has just opened up in front of me. I have no idea what lies down this new path, but with the loss of my job I have no choice but to begin exploring it.
I was laid off from my job shortly before Memorial Day. I'd been uncertain about my future there since our new VP came on board last year, so the real blow was receiving a minimal severance package on top of the fact that my former employer doesn't pay unemployment insurance due to its incorporation as a church (which, in reality, it's not). I have savings and some small investments to live off of for the time being, at least.
On the positive side, this does force me out of the professional rut I've been in for the last several years. And it means I no longer have to partition my work life away from the rest of my life. I'm still deciding what that will look like (there are some relatives and old friends I still don't feel any need to come out to), but there's no longer a financial risk associated with living more openly.
In terms of this blog, it means I can share that I live in Denver and am an active member of Highlands Church, where I've attended since their first weekly service nearly two years ago. The name of my ex-employer will remain unstated, both for the sake of maintaining some anonymity and because I have no reason to speak ill of the organization beyond what I've already said here.
Also, I do have a Gmail account you can contact me through if you've ever felt inclined. The portion before the "at" sign is eugene followed by the number 256 (no space in between). I reserve the right to ignore messages that come across as trollish, but will make an effort to respond to those interested in a real conversation.
For now, this time off is an opportunity to rest and de-stress. I don't know what lies ahead, but as I stated in the subtitle of my blog, sometimes the journey takes you places you never dreamed existed...
I was laid off from my job shortly before Memorial Day. I'd been uncertain about my future there since our new VP came on board last year, so the real blow was receiving a minimal severance package on top of the fact that my former employer doesn't pay unemployment insurance due to its incorporation as a church (which, in reality, it's not). I have savings and some small investments to live off of for the time being, at least.
On the positive side, this does force me out of the professional rut I've been in for the last several years. And it means I no longer have to partition my work life away from the rest of my life. I'm still deciding what that will look like (there are some relatives and old friends I still don't feel any need to come out to), but there's no longer a financial risk associated with living more openly.
In terms of this blog, it means I can share that I live in Denver and am an active member of Highlands Church, where I've attended since their first weekly service nearly two years ago. The name of my ex-employer will remain unstated, both for the sake of maintaining some anonymity and because I have no reason to speak ill of the organization beyond what I've already said here.
Also, I do have a Gmail account you can contact me through if you've ever felt inclined. The portion before the "at" sign is eugene followed by the number 256 (no space in between). I reserve the right to ignore messages that come across as trollish, but will make an effort to respond to those interested in a real conversation.
For now, this time off is an opportunity to rest and de-stress. I don't know what lies ahead, but as I stated in the subtitle of my blog, sometimes the journey takes you places you never dreamed existed...
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