“Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Being referred to by the wrong pronouns particularly affects transgender and gender nonconforming people. Together, we can transform society to celebrate people’s multiple, intersecting identities.” (Source: International Pronouns Day website) International Pronouns Day (IPD) is celebrated every year on the […]
Your congregation may have made the decision 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 your […]
This year we observe Banned Book Week from 22-28 September (2024) If you visit the American Library Association’s Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2023, you will notice that a large percentage of them were targeted because they include positive portrayals of LGBTQ people. When these books are removed or not included in libraries—particularly public […]
Gay and bisexual men make up 70% of new HIV infections in the United States; communities of color and young adults are particularly hard hit. HIV testing is critical for both individual health and in the efforts to end the epidemic. When people know their HIV status, they can make healthy and informed choices about […]
This resource was written by Kelsey Pacha, CLGS’ Youth Resources Coordinator, and made possible by a grant from the Atkinson Foundation. Through their generosity, CLGS has worked with congregations, parents, and religious educators in San Mateo County and beyond to create this resource.
One way to increase your overall welcome is to intentionally include bisexual people. The acronym LGBTQ has a “B” for bisexual, but sometimes communities are not as aware or welcoming as they could be. We may say “LGBTQ” but then erase the particularities of bisexual identity. Sometimes we make assumptions about people; for example, assuming […]
Some people use non-gendered pronouns to identify themselves because it better reflects who they are than “he” or “she.” You can make it clear that your congregation welcomes them by creating space to name our own pronouns. And—because we respect the grammar lovers among us—let us assure you that these are perfectly acceptable in English […]