24 April 2026 Your congregation may have decided to welcome people of all sexual orientations before there was a significant awareness about including gender identity. You may have already talked about and worked on including gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, but not transgender people. Now is a great time to revisit those conversations and expand […]
16 April 2026 Let’s face it: everyone needs to use the restroom. You can make your congregation more welcoming by providing non-gendered restroom spaces. These make an important statement about your openness to transgender and gender non-conforming people. Studies have shown that transgender people face significant harassment and violence in public restrooms; you can counter […]
10 April 2026 While it is important to recognize and affirm key dates and events within the LGBTQ community, your welcome is even greater if you do not limit LGBTQ visibility to those times. LGBTQ people and their families who come to your worship services, teachings, or programs will notice the presence of others who […]
3 April 2026 What issues are of the most concern to your local LGBTQ communities? How could they best be addressed in your area? You might want to consider hosting an online community forum to raise awareness and discuss how this issue is affecting people in your neighborhood, town, or city. You can invite community members, local decision […]
27 March 2026 Did you know that half of LGBTQ people in this country live in states where there are no protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? Many people think such discrimination is already illegal, but only 21 states and the District of Columbia ban discrimination in employment and housing; one […]
20 March 2026 Part of being a vibrant, inclusive faith community is creating an affirming space not only for LGBTQ people but for our families as well. More than a quarter of same-sex households include children, with studies showing 28.7% of families overall raising children, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA. Among African-Americans, the number is even […]
13 March 2026 It is helpful to step back from time to time and take stock of where we are in creating congregations that genuinely welcome and include LGBTQ+ people. When you are working to expand your welcome, take a little time to inventory your leaders and ministries. At this halfway point in the year, […]