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Content Filed Under: Faith Voices Against LGBTQ Discrimination

Millions of Americans nationwide belong to faith groups, and hold faith as a cornerstone of their lives, a lens for them to better understand the world they live in and how they contribute to that world. Many people of faith believe in the basic tenets of equality, fairness, and inclusion, and it is these people who are helping to lead the conversation about why protecting LGBTQ people matters, and how their support is because of their faith, not in spite of it. Read these stories of Faith Voices Against LGBTQ Discrimination from all over the country below, and click here for more information on why communities of faith support LGBTQ equal treatment. 

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My LDS faith leads me to support the Equality Act

The Salt Lake Tribune • June 30, 2021, 11:45 am This year, for the first time, we raised a rainbow flag at our home in honor of Pride Month. It prompted good discussions with my older kids about what the flag stands for and why we are displaying it. These talks were helpful both in trying to teach my kids to practice inclusiveness and as a reminder that we respect the dignity of all people.
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We’re all made in God’s image

Anchorage Daily News • June 29, 2021, 11:47 am All across Alaska, there is a rich and strong history of LGBTQ-affirming faith communities that are getting to the heart of everyday dignity and justice for our neighbors. For more than 20 years, I’ve been serving as the rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, a welcoming and affirming congregation in Anchorage. My position at St. Mary’s sometimes leads to opportunities to walk alongside those who are struggling. I have spoken with many Alaskans who have a hard time understanding their LGBTQ family members and reconciling their deep love with their religious upbringing. I understand that many people may have complex views on LGBTQ people, but Holy Scripture itself is clear: We’re all made in the image of God, worthy of love, dignity and respect.
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Why my faith compels me to support the Equality Act

The Morning Call • June 19, 2021, 10:29 am As the conference minister of the Penn Northeast Conference of the United Church of Christ, I often speak on social justice issues and their connection to Scripture and our Christian faith. Today, I write in support of a groundbreaking piece of legislation called the Equality Act.
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Pulse shooting spurs effort to understand LGBTQ struggles

Orlando Sentinel • June 10, 2021, 10:22 am Five years ago, a mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub claimed the lives of 49 people and injured 53 more. This was one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history targeting the LGBTQ community, particularly LGBTQ people of color.
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Equality Act an opportunity for moral clarity

Charlotte Observer • June 9, 2021, 10:18 am Thirty years ago on a warm summer evening at Livingstone College in Salisbury, a student came to my office and told me that he was planning to end his life. I had counseled many students in my time as campus minister for Livingstone – a historically Black college affiliated with the AME Zion denomination – but this conversation was different. The young man before me was struggling deeply with what he felt was a conflict between his sexual orientation and his faith. The discrimination and condemnation he had experienced meant that he couldn’t see a place for himself in the world anymore. As I listened to his story, it struck me that my response could mean the difference between this bright young student living or dying. What he needed was acceptance.
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Euphoria Star Hunter Schafer’s Dad Mac on Why His Faith Calls Him to Support Trans Equality

PEOPLE • May 25, 2021, 3:57 pm The Reverend Dr. Mac Schafer is a pastor in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has served in the Presbyterian Church (USA) for 28 years. He has his Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. In this op-ed for PEOPLE, the reverend opens up about supporting his daughter Hunter Schafer, a model and LGTBQ activist who stars in HBO's critically acclaimed hit Euphoria alongside Zendaya — and showing up for the LGBTQ community.
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NC Faith Leader Calls On Tillis, Burr to Back Equality Bill: ‘Love Thy Neighbor … Means Every Neighbor’

Cardinal & Pine • May 25, 2021, 10:14 am If we listen to some special interest groups and politicians, we might think there’s a deep divide among people of faith about how to relate to the LGBTQ community. But when we look closely at faith communities and listen to the people living their faith, we see the truth of their support for the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people.
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Equality is for all God’s children: Black, brown, white, straight and LGBTQ

The Hill • May 18, 2021, 3:47 pm In his first joint address to Congress, President Biden said young transgender people are “so brave” and urged lawmakers to pass the Equality Act, which would expand federal civil rights laws to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in virtually all areas of American life. The president’s request for federal legislation comes as state legislatures around the country have passed anti-LGBTQ laws targeting transgender youth, including bills that ban best-practice medical care and restrict participation in school sports. Biden is right: we need immediate federal action to guarantee equal protection under the law for transgender youth.
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Honoring the Past, Looking to the Future

The Detroit Jewish News • May 14, 2021, 3:44 pm Bella Abzug was a force of nature. She was the first Jewish woman elected to the U.S. Congress and a leader in the women’s movement. Abzug, who died 23 years ago, served three terms in the House of Representatives in the 1970s. Ahead of her time, she championed progressive changes, co-authored and shepherded through passage of the Freedom of Information Act and the Right to Privacy Act. Abzug personified the beautiful Jewish tradition of tikkun olam by fighting for women’s rights and LGBTQ equality and nondiscrimination protections.
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Catholic bishops opposed a suicide prevention hotline. Why?

National Catholic Reporter • May 6, 2021, 3:41 pm The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has hit a stomach-churning new low. I say that as someone who is extremely proud of my faith, despite the struggle it has taken to remain a Catholic. In an article published on March 24, National Catholic Reporter national correspondent Christopher White broke the news that the bishops' conference had "quietly lobbied behind the scenes" to scuttle legislation passed by Congress last fall that established a national toll-free hotline to prevent suicide. Their objection? The legislation contained funding targeted at addressing the staggering epidemic of suicide and suicide attempts by LGBTQ people, especially youth.
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A prayer for a more just, inclusive future for LGBTQ folks in 2021

Religion News Service • December 28, 2020, 11:46 am Protecting all people, no matter who they love, is the first step to going into the future together.
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Jewish Community Organizer Says Religious Support is Key to All Nondiscrimination Movements

August 29, 2018, 10:22 am Bennet Wilcox of Jews United for Justice speaks about the intersection of his faith and his work in organizing for social justice.
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Presbyterian Church Makes History, Adopts Official Pro-LGBTQ Stances at Biennial Conference

By Shane Stahl • June 21, 2018, 2:27 pm The Church apologized for former intolerance and vowed to speak against LGBTQ discrimination.
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An Advocate for LGBTQ Older Adults Draws on His Faith

May 30, 2018, 10:28 am Randy Block, an advocate for older LGBTQ adults, speaks about being the leader of the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network and how he works for the betterment of the senior LGBTQ population.
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Bishop Who Will Preach at the Royal Wedding Is a Strong Supporter of LGBTQ Equal Treatment

By Adam Polaski • May 15, 2018, 11:51 am We thank Rev. Curry for his strong support and for illustrating that many faith leaders support LGBTQ equal treatment because of their faith, not in spite of it. 
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