Resources for LGBTQ+ Christians, Allies, & More PART II

Hi y'all! A little over a year ago, I uploaded a post that was basically a list of content about LGBTQ+ Christianity for people who identify (like some of my loved ones) that way as well as their supporters (like myself). Since that first post, I have discovered even more resources for LGBTQ+ Christians, other cisgender/straight Christian allies like myself, or anyone wanting to learn more. It makes me so happy to see more Christian spaces moving towards affirmation and more queer Christians accepting themselves and living openly. <3 (Part III here)

***If you are an LGBTQ+ Christian, please let me know if you have personal recommendations--as I am a cis/het woman, my perspective is limited and you are the superior judge of whether a resource is helpful or not!***

Although the people listed below have a commonality in that they champion LGBTQ+ inclusion & affirmation in the Christian church, some do offer differing opinions regarding interpretations of specific Scripture or doctrine, so keep that in mind. Also, some of the links to books take you to Amazon (bleh) because I couldn't find a link to an alternative seller--if you find another place to purchase those books, preferably a small, queer-owned bookstore, feel free to let me know in the comments! 

Additionally, although I use the word "resources", several pieces of content are from the same person, so I have organized several elements of this post by the individual providing the resource. This is not to call a person a "resource", as that would be dehumanizing. 

To the LGBTQ+ community: I follow Jesus, and the Jesus I know does not look at LGBTQ+ people as sinful or wrong. God created you to be who you are, to love who you love, and to have the life journey that you have. God will love you whether you come to God or you keep your distance, whether you follow or you don't. You do not have to have all the answers. You do not need to act a certain way or be a certain person. Nothing you do or don't do affects God's love for you. Whoever you are, God is for you.

I am so sorry for the harm the church and its followers have caused you. Please know your feelings and your experiences are meaningful, truthful, and vital. I believe wholeheartedly that that God creates you to be who you are/to love who you love. 

To the church community: your job is to welcome, to protect, and to love as Jesus would. We can always be better at this, and we are always learning. Learn from this community. Let them teach us how to do our job. As a cisgender, heterosexual Christian, it is my honor to use my privilege in order to support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. I believe wholeheartedly that God affirms, honors, welcomes, respects, and loves LGBTQ+ people. 

So, whether you are:

• a Christian who carries shame/guilt about your identity
• an LGBTQ+ Christian who is comfortable in both those identities and looking for support
• an ally (Christian or otherwise) looking to support LGBTQ+ people (Christian or otherwise)
• an LGBTQ+ person interested in exploring Christianity

As always, I hope this post can be of some interest and/or help to you. :)

Podcasts/Youtube

"State of Grace" is a Refinery 29-affiliated Youtube docuseries dedicated to "exploring the intersection of human rights, sexuality, and faith." The series is hosted by Grace Baldridge, a writer, producer, and host known for shows such as Pop Trigger, “Murder With Friends,” and The Young Turks. Grace also writes and records original music under their middle name, Semler. In 2018, they married their wife Elizabeth.Their debut EP was released in 2017, and their second EP, Preacher's Kid, made them the first openly queer artist to land atop the iTunes Christian albums chart. 

I recommend the entire series, but notable episodes include:

• "A Conversation Between A Muslim Politician & An LBGTQ Christian"
• "What Happens If You're Transgender In The Church"
• "The Life Threatening Dangers Of Gay Conversion Therapy"
• "The Dark Reality Of Celebrity Endorsed Mega-Churches"
• "The Dark Reality Of The Christian Music Industry"'

A Tiny Revolution is a podcast hosted by digital pastor/soul coach and advocate Kevin Garcia. The podcast focuses on "the intersection between spirit, sexuality, gender, and justice." In addition to the podcast, Garcia shares information and insights on their website and Instagram. Garcia is also the author of Bad Theology Kills: Undoing Toxic Belief & Reclaiming Your Spiritual Authority. (All episode links posted below are the Spotify links, but they are also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts. These are also just episodes I found most relevant; there are many more available about a range of topics.)

• Podcast episode #10, "Theology as Survival with Rev. Broderick Greer." Greer, a black, queer, Episcopal priest, has published sermons, videos, and blog posts on his website and hosts his own podcast, Theology Live.
• Podcast episode #22, "First Kisses and The Christian Closet, feat. Candice Czubernat", in which Czubernat describes personal experiences as a queer Christian, including meeting her wife. 
• Podcast episode #26, "I'm Not Interested in Being Right", which discusses how to have navigate conversations with people who do not have affirming beliefs and hopefully help them move "towards a more gracious position."
• Podcast episode #31, "Activist Theology with Dr. Robyn", a conversation with queer, non-binary trans, mixed race latinx public theologian and activist Robyn Henderson-Espinoza. Dr. Robyn's work can be found on their Instagram or on their blog.
• Podcast episode #33, "Petty and/or Prophetic, w/ Alicia Crosby." Crosby is the co-founder of the Center for Inclusivity in Chicago, IL. 
• Podcast episode #40, "The Christian Media Trained Answer, feat. Satchell Drakes" which features a conversation with queer, POC and Christian content creator Satchell Drakes, who is also host of Forbe's OVERWORLD podcast.
• Podcast episode #45, "What it's Like Being Gay at Liberty University w/ Nathanial Totten." Totten also has a blog. 
• Podcast episode #61, "On White Cis Gay Dudes, w/ Garrett Schlichte." Garrett, a queer Christian, also writes about queer culture on a blog.
• Podcast episode #65, "Outside The Lines w/ Mihee Kim-Kort." Mihee Kim-Kort is a queer Asian pastor, mother, and wife who discovered her sexuality later in life. She details her journey in her new book Outside the Lines: how embracing queerness can transform your faith. She also writes on her blog. 
• Podcast episode #69, "Translations & Homosexuals, w/ Kathy Baldock." Baldock is a speaker, educator, mother, and advocate for LGBTQ inclusion in the Church. She has also published a book, Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach between the Church and the LGBT community.
• Podcast episode #74, "Is Jesus Cool with Polyamory? w/Brian G. Murphy", a discussion with Brian G. Murphy of QueerTheology. 
• Podcast episode #88, "How to Come Out as an LGBTQ Christian w/ Amber N. Cantorna", discussing Cantorna's new book, Unashamed: a coming out guide for LGBTQ Christians.
• Podcast episode #89, "Queer in Latin America w/ La Mechuda," featuring Carla Sofia (aka La Mechuda), a lesbian Latina making queer Christian content, including a podcast and blog, en Español.  
• Podcast episode #91, "Holy Spirit Blackout, w/ JJ Warren", featuring JJ Warren, a candidate for ministry within the United Methodist Church.
• Podcast episode #95, "Fat & Queer, w/ Antonia Terrazas", featuring bisexual chaplain Antonia Terrazas, who also posts blackout poetry on Instagram.   
• Podcast episode #99, "Queer and Catholic, w/ Pat+Patrick of Vine & Fig Co."

Writers/Speakers


Pastor Lenny Duncan is, in the words of his website, "a follower of Jesus Christ and is in a passionate love affair with grace. Lenny spent most of his teens homeless after leaving home at age 13. He has spent time in all 48 contiguous states, sleeping by the side of the highway or in penthouses along the way. He has been a prisoner of war in the so-called war on drugs. After systemic oppression or drugs didn’t kill him, Lenny found himself in a strange place: the church. Lenny has been everything from high school drop out, drug dealer, sex worker, street corner poet, hitchhiker, dharma bum, small town drifter, seminarian, political activists, father, pastor, lover, public theologian, and writer. Now he parties dead sober and thrives in the PNW. He is currently the Pastor of the Jubilee Collective, a community organized around the idea that maybe Jesus is anti-racist and loves queer, trans, two spirited people too." He also hosts the The Jesus Jawn podcast.

• His first book, Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the US. Excerpts from Dear Church specifically pertaining to queer theology can be found in this review/analysis by Danielle Kingstrom on her blog. (Duncan is preparing to release his second book United States of Grace later this year.)
• In this Youtube video, "Town Hall with Two Spirit and LGBTQ Lutheran Faith Leaders", Duncan moderates a discussion between The Rev. Beate “Bea” Chun, Pastor Manda Truchinski, Vance Blackfox, and Drew Stever. (I recommend looking into these people as well!)

Austen Hartke is a transgender Christian and the founder/director of Transmission Ministry Collective, described as "an online community dedicated to the spiritual care, faith formation, and leadership potential of transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer, and gender-expansive Christians." He is also the creator of YouTube channel that focuses on the intersections between gender identity and faith. He has a website through which to share sermons and blog posts, as well as a Patreon. 

• His book Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians (2018) which studies theology and personal narratives.
• His Transgender and Christian series on his Youtube, which studies parts of the Bible relating to gender identity and the experiences of trans* individuals.
• The Transmission Ministry Collective's Youtube channel, where they post live bible studies
• Transmission Ministry Collective hosts general support groups twice a week: on Tuesday at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern; and on Thursday at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern. Signup forms can be found here. 
• They also host support groups specifically for trans and gender-expansive BIPOC that meet every-other Wednesday at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern. Forms for the BIPOC group can be found here. 
• His blog post, "When Worlds Collide - Mental Illness Within the Trans Community" (2015)
• His blog post, "Back (and Forth) to Basics" (2015)
• His blog post, "Dysphoria and Dysmorphia: Understanding Identity and Mental Illness" (2015)
• His blog post, "A Ritual for Renaming and Remembrance of Baptism" (2016)
• His sermon, "Reconciling- A Sermon on Matthew 5:21-37" (2017)
• His blog post, "How Christians Are Harming Transgender Inmates" (2018)
• His sermon, "The Bible is a Story About Inclusion - A Sermon on John 10:7-16" (2019)
• A Trans Faith resource list shared on his website.

According to her website, Elle Dowd "is a bi-furious recent graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a candidate for ordained ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Elle has pieces of her heart in Sierra Leone, where her two children were born, and in St. Louis where she learned from the radical, queer, Black leadership during the Ferguson Uprising. She was formerly a co-conspirator with the movement to #decolonizeLutheranism and currently works as a community organizer with the Faith and Justice Collective and SOUL, writes regularly for the Disrupt Worship Project, and facilitates workshops on gender and sexuality and the Church in both secular conferences and Christian spaces. She is currently working on a book with Broadleaf to be released summer of 2021."

• Her blog post, "Mary, Queer of Heaven" (2017)
• Her blog post, "Joseph and the Pretty Princess Dress" (2020)
• Her blog post, "Brimstone, Fire, and Radical Hospitality"(2020)

Jonah Ven is a queer Asian Christian, educator, blogger, writer, and storyteller who shares writing via a website and a Patreon. 

• Ven's poems and prose
• Ven's blog post, "laugh louder, cry harder" (2017)
• Ven's blog post, "A Misconception of Queer Christians" (2017)
• Ven's blog post, "The Dilemma for LGBTQ Christians" (2017)
• Ven's blog post, "Love The Queers: Finding Community on Queer Twitter" (2018)
• Ven's bog post, "Reclaiming Worship Music for the Queers" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "Guarding Your Heart Isn't Very Christian" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "The Second Queer Adolescence" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "Queer Christians, This is Why We're Here" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "The Hours After All the Weddings" (2018) 
• Ven's blog post, "The Sacrifices We Make, the Losses We Endure" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "One Year Later" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "When You Have To Leave Them Behind" (2018)
• Ven's blog post, "A Second Coming Out of Sorts" where Ven comes out as demisexual (2018)
• Ven's conversation with Kevin Garcia as a guest on Garcia's podcast, A Tiny Revolution (2018) 

The Triad Fam, a.k.a the Simbala family, is a Christian, Latinx, polyamorous triad made up of Luis, Katie, and Raquel. Both Katie and Raquel are queer, Latina women. In addition to coparenting their son Lukas and working at their respective jobs, the Simbalas frequently share their experiences and interests via their blog and Instagram. 

• Their blog post, "The One Where Katie Spills Her Guts Out" about her journey as a bisexual, Christian, Latina woman.
• Their blog post, "Reconciling Our Faith with Our Dynamic" about their journey, particularly Katie & Raquel reframing their idea of God and God's view of their same-sex relationship. 
• Their blog post, "Out of Hiding" about coming out as a triad, which necessitated Katie coming out as bisexual.
• Katie's interview with Bishop Leila Ortiz on the Luthercostal Podcast, discussing God’s grace.
• A feature on the family, posted on the Barbara O Photography website.
• A Youtube feature called "Being Polyamorous And Christian Is Not A Sin" as a part of the truly channel's "LOVE DON'T JUDGE" series.

The Rev. Elder Dr. Troy D. Perry is a gay man and the founder of Metropolitan Community Churches, also know as the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC). Upon the discovery of his sexuality, Rev. Perry faced divorce, estrangement from his wife and children, loss of his minister's license, and a failed suicide attempt.  His is also one of the founders of the oldest Pride Parade in the world--on June 28, 1970, Rev. Perry, with two friends, Morris Kight and Bob Humphries, founded Christopher Street West to hold an annual Pride Parade. Today, he continues his advocacy work with his partner, Phillip. 

• He is a contributor to the book, Don't Be Afraid Anymore (1992)
• His autobiography, The Lord is My Shepherd and Knows I’m Gay (1996)
• His book, Ten Spiritual Truths for Successful Living for Gays and Lesbians...and Everyone Else (2003) 
• He is the subject of the 2007 documentary, "Call Me Troy." 
• Interview with The Hollywood Partnership (2017)
• Interview with The Lavender Effect
• In Fall 2019, Perry and his husband donated personal artifacts and records from the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) to The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History's archives.
• The MCC website (linked above) offers Sacred Space Online Learning for a variety of topics, including Disabilities Ministry, LGBTQ+ Studies, Queer Theology & BLM, and Teaching for Social Justice, among others.
• The MCC website (linked above) also offers a TRANSformative Church Ministry Program  that seeks "to provide local church congregations tools and resources to create, enhance, and maintain sustainable trans*, gender non-conforming, and gender-identity-focused ministry."

Matthew Paul Turner is a Christian author, most widely known for popular children's bedtime stories such as When God Made You, When God Made Light, and When I Pray for You. Turner is a photographer and journalist, and traveled all over the world documenting National Geographic’s “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman”. On July 17, 2020, he publicly came out as gay and announced his amicable divorce from his wife, with whom he shares two children. 

• His blog post "Do you disagree with SCOTUS’s decision about marriage? I have questions, so many questions…" (2015)
• His Instagram post where he publicly comes out as a gay man.
• A followup Instagram post about public reactions to his coming-out (send him some love if you're on Instagram btw!) 

Joel Hollier is a Christian, gay writer/theologian currently pursing his PhD in Sydney, Australia. In addition to working as a chaplain, he regularly writes about theology + spirituality on his blog. He is also in the pre-publication phase of a book of LGBT theology musings. You can also follow him on Twitter. 

• His blog page, "On the Bible and Being Gay"
• His blog post, "Coming Out of the Closet: A Reflection One Year Later"
• His blog post, "Would My Allies Please Stand Up?" 
• His blog post, "To Someone In the Closet: A Monologue"
• His blog post, "6 Things Christians Can't Afford to Keep Ignoring" 
• His blog post, "When My Theology Reaps Despair"
• His blog post, "An Open Letter to Parents of Young LGBTQ People"
• His blog post, "Stop Telling Me I'm Not a Christian"
• His blog post, "Why I (A Gay Man) Follow Jesus (Still)"
• His blog post, "LGBTQ Christians: Could Forgiveness Be Our Greatest Freedom?"

Musicians

Brian Falduto is probably best known for his role as Billy in the 2003 film School of Rock. Today, he works as a gay country music artist, an LGBT advocate, and an I.C.F. certified professional life coach. In 2017, he released his EP, Love One Another. He consistently posts music on his Youtube channel. Additionally, he has a website and Instagram.

• In 2020, Falduto released his original song, "God Loves Me Too". An article about the meaning behind the song appeared on websites for Broadway World and The Good Men Project, as well as several other publications. 
• His interview with Country Queer

Ricky Braddy was a contestant on Season 8 of 'American Idol'. In 2015, he joined the Dove-Award winning gospel group Karen Peck and New River, only to leave the group two years later. When he competed on Season 17 of 'The Voice' in 2019, he officially came out as a gay Christian. Currently, he is still making music and various other projects, which you can discover via his Twitter and Instagram. 

• His Instagram post about his partner Logan, who is one of the reasons he decided to come out 
• His video interview with MJ's Big Blog on Youtube

Bobby Jo Valentine is a songwriter, singer, speaker, and a self-described "hopeful, Jesus-leaning, poetic mystic." His latest release is album Temporary Weather (2020). Those interested in learning more can visit his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or his website.

• A 22-minute documentary about his experience, "BOBBY JO: JOURNEY OF A SINGER-SONGWRITER" premiered in 2014.  
• His interview on the A Tiny Revolution podcast about his journey (2017) 
• His interview with OutSmart Magazine about balancing his faith and identity (2018)

Other Websites/Resources 

• The Salt Collective is, according to their website, an online publication featuring a diverse group of contributors "who are shaped by and grounded in the spirituality and ethics of the Beatitudes. Together we curate unusual discussions on faith, politics, culture, and media." Those wishing to submit a piece for publication are asked to send an article consisting of 250-1000 words along with a 3-sentence biography and a profile picture to tscsubmissions@gmail.com. They also have a Facebook page and a twitter. 

• Beloved Arise is "the first national Christian non-profit dedicated to celebrating and empowering LGBTQ+ youth of faith," founded by Jun Young. Young came out as gay in 2018, which cost him the opportunity to serve a second term on the board of Christian organization World Concern. This led him to create Beloved Arise. In addition to posting affirming content and  amplifying queer Christian voices on their Instagram, Beloved Arise also offers fully affirming, safe youth groups via Zoom (so pandemic friendly!) 

• According to their website, Church Clarity.org is "a crowd-sourced database of Christian congregations, listed by how clearly they communicate their Actively Enforced Policies [that] currently evaluates church websites for policies that impact LGBTQ+ people and Women in Leadership." You can also follow them on Instagram for information and queer-affirming content.  

• Queer in Faith is a website run by Rachael (they/them), a first year seminary student. In addition to Rachael's writing about the intersections of grief, trauma and belief and  perspectives of LGBTQ inclusion through an intersectional lens, the website is also home to the How to Be Human podcast. Additionally, visitors of the website can submit #queerloveletters. (There is also a queerinfaith twitter and Instagram.) 

• FreedHearts is a nonprofit whose mission is to reach parents, LGBTQ Christians, educators, therapists, and churches "with a message of love, inclusion, belonging, and hope." Through their Mama/PapaBear Nation and Chosen Family communities, they guide Christian parents "on the journey to help them fully understand their child, reconcile faith issues, and keep their child safe and their family strong." Their work includes LGBTQ retreats, a blog, video courses, and resource links. You can learn more on their website or on their Instagram. 

• Stacey Chomiak is an LGBTQ Christian, advocate, illustrator/animation artist, and soon to be author of a Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story (An Illustrated Memoir). In addition to posting on Instagram, Chomiak regularly blogs via their website.

• Faithfully Radical Christian is a blog run by Naomi Gonzalez, a "brown, Puerto Rican, bisexual woman who affirms a radical God that calls out homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and imperialism and exploitation of all types." Gonzalez has a BA in Religious Studies from Moravian College, an MDiv from Brite Divinity School, an MA in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from George Mason University, and is currently finishing an MA in History at Texas Christian University. In addition to blogging, Gonzalez also creates content for the Faithfully Radical Christian Instagram.