The Kitchen Table – Violence Against Gay Americans

As a nation we just helped an unlikely community activist get elected to the White House. Many of us were part of a movement that gave us hope and made us feel included. And in the midst of this rising tide of optimism we endured a painful loss against California’s Proposition 8. Milk reminded me again of how ballot initiatives, fueled by self-righteous bigots shrouded in biblical arguments, have been used for decades to strip gay Americans of their basic civil rights. It makes me shudder to imagine what would have become of Civil Rights for African Americans had our humanity been adjudicated by popular vote.

Read the entire post at The Kitchen Table!

Brutal Violence Against Gays, Trans, Etc.

Not everything in the gay, lesbian, transgender, and otherwise queer world is about marriage and inauguration prayers. But understanding these things in the context of fear and violence can help us come to terms with the anger and frustration that a lot of queer voters are facing.

Read more at Docudharma!

Death Threats Loom Over Gay Christians in Africa

Davis Mac-Iyalla is an Anglican from Nigeria – nothing unusual about that – but he is also gay and the death threats he has received since being open about his sexuality led him to seek asylum in the UK.

Now he is campaigning at the Lambeth Conference, hoping that bishops will face up to the existence of gay Christians in Africa.

I met him just before he began a demonstration at the conference venue on the Kent university campus, joined by lesbian and gay Anglicans from six African countries.

Read the rest at myjoyonline.com.