In recent news, a massive exodus of the church has come into focus. A New York Times series by Jessica Grose tracks and analyzes why “the largest and fastest religious shift is under way,” and back in the fall, Pew…
Baylor asks for — and gets — new exemption to discriminate against LGBTQ students
This article was updated Monday evening, Aug. 14, to include new comments from Baylor President Linda Livingstone. Baylor University recently asked for and was granted a federal religious exemption from charges of sexual harassment against LGBTQ students under Title IX…
Transgender community living in fear, two trans pastors testify
The American transgender community is becoming increasingly panic-stricken by the surge in anti-trans legislation and rhetoric sweeping the nation, a trans minister said during a webinar hosted by the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. “All the trans folks I…
It’s not like there’s trans surgery happening everywhere, doctor explains
Trans medical expert Fan Liang said there are way too many misconceptions about gender-affirming health care to share during a single panel discussion about the mistreatment of transgender people in the United States. “So, I’m just going to hit on…
Appealing to religious freedom is the way to counter Christian supremacism in America today
Christian supremacism has gotten completely out of hand in the United States. We’ve seen it in the insurrection warfare of the New Apostolic Reformation, the battle against librarians by the likes of Kirk Cameron, the desire to punish homosexuality by Al Mohler, Dan…
Jason Aldean and Tyler Childers and two visions of small-town community
It doesn’t seem like it was just a couple weeks ago Jason Aldean released a music video to expand on the lyrics of his now widely popular and equally controversial hit “Try That in a Small Town.” Nor does it…
Excluding LGBTQ people is not the Muslim way
Recently, a group of Muslim Americans issued a statement asserting that same-sex relations and being transgender are forbidden in Islam. They claim that there is “universal consensus” on the issue. As a Muslim ally to the LGBTQ community, I want to…
Why it’s not enough to make an exception for intersex people amid your exclusion of trans people
Intersex people always have lived among us, but shame and societal expectations have kept them living largely in the shadows. The June 30 nationwide release of the documentary Every Body, available in theaters and for streaming, is just the latest…
The transgender obsession
A large segment of American Christianity is obsessed with transgender people. Anti-trans sermons, articles, videos, study guides, billboards, podcasts and social media messages, along with massive political efforts to harass transgender people, are rampant. For example, more than 700 legislative…