Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Embraces LGBT-Inclusive Definition Of Marriage

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Embraces LGBT-Inclusive Definition Of Marriage
The tide has turned for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples seeking to be married in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).

Following years of debate and introspection, America’s largest Presbyterian denomination has announced a change to its constitution that allows for a more inclusive definition of marriage.

Officially called Amendment 14-F, the new wording in the denomination’s Book of Order will describe marriage as being “between two people.”

About 71 percent of PC (USA) leaders approved of the change during a general assembly meeting last June. The church had been waiting for a majority of its 172 Presbyteries, or regional bodies, to approve the measure one by one. On Tuesday, this majority was reached, with 86 Presbyteries handing in decisions to support same-sex marriage within the church.

“Today we are rejoicing!” said the Rev. Robin White, co-moderator of the LGBT advocacy group More Light Presbyterians. “So many families headed by LGBTQ couples have been waiting for decades to enter this space created for their families within their church communities.”

More Presbyteries will continue to hand in their decisions until June, when the amendment is scheduled to go into effect.

But not everyone agrees with the change — as of 41 Presbyteries have voted against Amendment 14-F. Although the updated Book of Order will describe marriage as “a unique commitment between two people,” church leaders added a caveat explaining that it “traditionally” occurs “between a man and a woman.” The careful wording reflects a continuing tension between conservative and liberal factions within the 1.76 million-member church.

After last year’s assembly, PC(USA) ministers have been allowed to officiate at same-sex weddings in places where it is legal for LGBT people to tie the knot. Amendment 14-F won’t make it mandatory for clergy to perform same-sex marriages, and clergy members who object to its wording will be allowed to refuse to officiate those ceremonies.

Hundreds of parishes have left the denomination in recent years, partly because of its more inclusive attitude toward LGBT members. The PC(USA) counted 10,959 member churches in 2005. That number dropped to 10,038 in 2013, according to church statistics provided to The Huffington Post. The decrease includes both churches that dissolved completely and churches that were dismissed to other denominations, including the more conservative Presbyterian Church in America and the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians — neither of which ordains gay clergy or condones same-sex marriages.

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians, a group that has been advocating for LGBT members since 1997, has been tallying the results as they have come in throughout the year.

Executive Director Rev. Brian Ellison said that his group still has much more work to do.

“It’s an important moment for the church in that there really continues to be serious disagreement about this,” Ellison told HuffPost. “This moment is a real opportunity for us to struggle, to work through differences, but still be committed to each other.”

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/17/pcusa-lgbt-book-of-order_n_6885966.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Texas Lawmakers May Have Set A Record For The Most Anti-LGBT Bills In The History Of Any State

Texas Lawmakers May Have Set A Record For The Most Anti-LGBT Bills In The History Of Any State

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Jon Stewart was dead on last night when he said Texas lawmakers are munching on some serious hate cake

The Texas Observer reports today that they’ve now apparently set a record for the most anti-LGBT legislation in the history of any state. 

At least 20 anti-LGBT measures were introduced prior to last week’s filing deadline. That’s more than what is believed to be the previous record of 16 in Oklahoma this year. 

But in the Sooner State, 15 of those bills have already died, and LGBT advocates in Texas say they’re confident they’ll have similar results. 

From the Observer

EqTxDaniel Williams, legislative specialist for Equality Texas, said the group is “well-positioned” to defeat every piece of anti-LGBT legislation. Williams called it the worst session for LGBT rights since 2005—when the state’s marriage amendment passed and a proposal to ban gay foster parents was defeated on the House floor.

“What’s different about this Legislature than 2005 is that Texas, like most of the nation, has evolved on LGBT issues, and that mainstream voice is emerging and is being heard in the Texas Legislature,” Williams said. “It damages the Texas brand, and I think that’s why you’re seeing so many business voices get involved. … We also know how this process works better than our opposition does.”

Bell.CecilThe anti-LGBT legislation in Texas ranges from proposals targeting same-sex marriage, to religious freedom “license to discriminate” amendments, to bans on local LGBT protections, to bills that would criminalize transgender bathroom use.

GOP Rep. Cecil Bell (right), who’s leading the charge with four anti-LGBT bills, told the Observer

“Unfortunately, I think it gets couched as ‘anti.’ It’s not about ‘anti.’ It’s about being pro-states’ rights. It’s about being pro-traditional values,” Bell said. “We’re seeing the results of a federal court system that doesn’t seem to be respecting the rights, the sovereignty, of the states and of the people. Because of that, you see the state legislatures pushing back.”

Pena.GilbertAnd GOP Rep. Gilbert Pena (right), the author of two of the four transgender bathroom criminalization bills, said this:

“This bill really is trying to establish the students’ rights to privacy,” said Rep. Gilbert Pena (R-Pasadena), who wants to make schools liable for damages if they allow transgender students to use restrooms based on how they identify. “How many girls in our high schools are going to be willing to allow some transgender male into their bathroom? Would you allow that for your daughter? I would not allow it for my daughter.”

Apparently, Pena doesn’t quite understand the concept of transgender, since his bill would actually require transgender males to use the restroom alongside his daughter. 

Ahh, Texas. 


John Wright

www.towleroad.com/2015/03/texas-sets-record-for-most-anti-lgbt-bills.html

Daniel Franzese Landed a New Role: HIV/AIDS Awareness Advocate

Daniel Franzese Landed a New Role: HIV/AIDS Awareness Advocate

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Portrait by Daniel Jack Lyons

Big things are happening for Daniel Franzese. He publicly came out, created a string of popular parody videos on YouTube, landed his role on Looking, and is now an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. I got the chance to to talk to Mr. Franzese about his new role in HIV/AIDS advocacy.

Phillip M. Miner: I learned you’re now an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and you’re out spreading the message about making HIV-related issues more prevalent in TV and the movies. Why is having HIV-positive characters on TV important?

Daniel Franzese: I’m learning a lot about HIV and AIDS. That’s what got me this passionate and involved. When this season of Looking started, I was playing the only HIV-positive character on scripted television, which to me seemed so odd and not right. GLAAD has reported that since the mid ’90s there have been very few HIV-positive characters on TV, and right now Eddie is only one of two in all of scripted television. I know the power media has. I know the effect filmmaking, television, and stage work have on spreading the word and educating people. I have a memory of growing up and seeing The Ryan White Story and seeing a couple of very special episodes that were meant to educate us. There was a real movement in late ’80s and mid ’90s in television of helping people understand what was happening with HIV and AIDS and understanding how to protect yourself. When HIV-positive characters were more prominent on TV, the exposure and education was directly affecting the decline in new infections.

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Portrait by Daniel Jack Lyons

PM: What do you think changed?

DF: I think there were other things in the gay rights movement that also deserved attention. Hollywood started exploring other stories of gay life — gay couples and families — and now trans characters. However, the stories about HIV and AIDS cannot be ignored. I think it’s time Hollywood recommit itself to telling these stories until we’ve eradicated the disease.

PM: Speaking of exploring other aspects of gay life, I love how Looking is telling Eddie’s story. It’s great to see a story about an HIV-positive person that’s about him living his life.

DF: The creators of Looking did not want Eddie to be portrayed as a victim but rather as someone who’s capable of being pursued and falling in love. His story ignites hope.

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Portrait by Daniel Jack Lyons

PM: You’ve said there need to be more HIV-positive characters. What type of character would you like to see?

DF: Playing a big guy on Looking, I know that I represent an underrepresented group of people within the gay community. Now that I am playing someone HIV-positive, I realized how underrepresented this demographic is too. I’d love to see an African-American female character with HIV, as they are one of the groups who are at greatest risk right now. We need to see more serodiscordant couples — more of them, and different types of them, and how they’re making it work. People need to see what it would be like to be in a mixed-status relationship.

PM: My day job is writing for an LGBT health center, and we talk about PrEP frequently. I know PrEP is revolutionizing people’s attitudes toward serodiscordant couples.

DF: I’ve learned a lot about PrEP too, and the ways it’s become much easier for those with different HIV statuses to have a sexual relationship. I thought I was protecting myself correctly, but I came to realize — through my experience with HIV-positive friends, the role on Looking, and as an ambassador to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation — that I was actually misinformed in a lot of ways about PrEP. After learning the facts, I realized I need to be vocal and help inform those who don’t have the proper information. PrEP is definitely something a lot of gay men don’t have the facts on. I feel like the biggest misconception is people can have unprotected sex if they’re on PrEP. That’s definitely something I didn’t understand. Also, heterosexual people might not know PrEP is available to them. Right now we have the tools to end new infections by 96 percent if we use them. If Hollywood recommits itself to using its influence, then we can start to see a real change with the numbers.

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Portrait by Daniel Jack Lyons

PM: Here in New York we have the goal of ending AIDS by 2020. It’s an aggressive goal.

DF: But possible! I think that’s the exciting thing, when people realize it is possible to end HIV and AIDS. When everyone is getting tested, and people who are positive are receiving the care and medicine they need, and those who are positive are utilizing the tools available to not transmit the virus, we can do this! We’re in a new day and age, and information can reach people a lot quicker this time. We can stop HIV and AIDS once and for all!

PM: When I type this up, every one of those sentences is going to have an exclamation point. You’re fired up.

DF: Yes, I am fired up! When I learned that the numbers of new infections were declining when HIV-positive people were being more accurately represented in film and TV, and once they were portrayed less, the numbers rose, this was a wake-up call, proving the influence Hollywood has on this issue. Now that Hollywood is slowly starting to integrate modern-day stories of HIV-positive characters back into the forefront, it’s now time for the public to be proactive and take the steps to educate, protect and prevent. I want to say to everyone who reads this: Get out there and start the conversation with your friends, talk to your doctor, get informed, know your status. These are the first steps to putting an end to HIV/AIDS.

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Portrait by Daniel Jack Lyons

For more information, go to elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org and glaad.org/HIVF, and follow Daniel on Twitter and Instagram @WhatsUpDanny.

www.huffingtonpost.com/phillip-m-miner/daniel-franzese-hiv-aids-awareness_b_6858792.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Gay Atheists Should Be Treated Like Drug Addicts, Pat Robertson Says

Gay Atheists Should Be Treated Like Drug Addicts, Pat Robertson Says

A concerned mother didn’t know what to do after her son came out as gay and an atheist (talk about a doubly whammy!), so she turned to 700 Club’s resident dinosaur Pat Robertson for help.

“Dear Pat,” the mother wrote, “Not so long ago my son ‘came out of the closet’ and a year later he told us he was becoming an atheist. I want him to follow the path of Christ, but it’s so hard. What should I do?!”

Without missing a beat, Robertson began vomiting his opinion on the matter, comparing the woman’s son to a drug addict and calling her his “enabler.”

“You cannot go along and say, ‘I agree with your lifestyle,’” Robertson instructed. “So don’t be an enabler, any more if he’s a drug addict. You don’t enable people to continue in their drug habits.”

Robertson’s solution?

“You’ve gotta let him know that you don’t approve of things that he’s doing.”

Watch the video below.

Related stories:

Pat Robertson Says You Can Get AIDS From Towels

Pat Robertson Thinks Gay Sex “Is Not Very Pretty”

Pat Robertson Thinks SF Gays Carry Special Rings To Transmit HIV

Graham Gremore

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/KRbGi4Xy8ns/gay-atheists-should-be-treated-like-drug-addicts-pat-robertson-says-20150317

Homophobic 'Religious Freedom' Bills Defeated in West Virginia

Homophobic 'Religious Freedom' Bills Defeated in West Virginia

House Bill 2508 and Senate Bill 487, two pieces of West Virginian legislation that would have codified and sanctioned widespread discrimination against the state’s LGBT population, have been defeated. Neither of the bills made it to their respective bodies’ voting floors before West Virginia’s legislative session ended this past weekend, effectively cutting the discriminatory laws off at the knees.

6a00d8341c730253ef01a511603fb9970c-800wi“Fairness and equality have prevailed in West Virginia,” said Marty Rouse, National Field Director to the Human Rights Campaign. “These bills were assaults on liberty and justice, and without the work of Fairness West Virginia, HRC members, and allies in the state, they could have very well been passed into law.”

H.B. 2508 followed in the recent trend of conservative House bills designed to circumvent laws protecting LGBT people from workplace, housing, and employment discrimination. Similarly S.B. 487 would have empowered West Virginian government officials to claim religious exemptions in those instances where they were required to render services for LGBT people like issuing marriage licenses.

In many ways the bills worked to support the vision laid out in H.B. 2881, a defeated bill that–had it passed–would have rolled back any and all protections for queer people under the pretense of improving intrastate commerce.

“As evidenced by the overwhelming public opposition to discriminatory legislation, it’s clear that West Virginia is no place for intolerance and hate,” explained Andrew Schneider, Fairness West Virginia executive director. “We look forward to continue working with our allies in the WV Legislature to ensure that West Virginia is a more inclusive and attractive place to call home.”


Charles Pulliam-Moore

www.towleroad.com/2015/03/homophobic-west-virginian-house-and-senate-legislation-dies-on-the-vine.html