In 2021, the documentary Pray Away released on Netflix, detailing the history and harms of conversion therapy. It chronicles the rise and fall of Exodus International, whose primary mission was to make people who were “struggling with homosexuality” straight. During…
Body positivity and self love is a revolutionary act
A childhood friend and I recently have been talking a lot about our bodies. With both of us on the edge of turning 40, what society says about who we are supposed to be or how we are supposed to…
3 ways to practice embodiment in a country that is censoring and capitalizing on our bodies
Since the overturn of Roe vs. Wade in June 2022, 13 states have banned abortion with another nine likely to follow. This means a staggering 48% of the nation would have laws banning procedures for women who need them. These…
Kelly Clarkson changes ‘Piece by Piece’ lyrics into self-empowerment anthem
During her 10-day Las Vegas residency, Kelly Clarkson surprised the audience last Saturday night by singing a song many thought she’d never sing again, “Piece by Piece.” But this time, she rewrote the lyrics into an anthem of self-empowerment. First…
The tide is pulling toward inclusion
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” LGBTQ inclusion in faith spaces is no exception to that. It’s a slow, arduous journey, and we’ve seen many more setbacks than…
4 places to put your tithe money if you no longer attend church
You’ve tithed all your life to a church, dutifully giving that 10% “back to God” as you were taught. But then something happened. A loved one came out. Or you came out. Or Trump got elected. Or the pandemic happened….
5 ways to be an ally to those battling chronic illness
One thing the pandemic did for the disability community was to open dialogue and raise awareness for those living with chronic illness or pain. Long COVID symptoms brought conversations to the forefront regarding those who live with debilitating but often…
It’s a short distance from your Thanksgiving table jokes to queer people being shot dead
Are you alive? My phone began blowing up with texts, emails and messages early Sunday morning. Are you safe? This is not the first time I’ve experienced this. Are your people safe? My body remembers; we’ve been here before. Sunday…
When being a ‘blessing’ comes with some baggage
This is the fourth in a November series produced by BNG on what it means to be “blessed,” a word so flippantly used that it often loses meaning. For those of us who grew up evangelical, the term “blessing” comes…