MyOutSpirit.com Gay Spirituality Blog

Matthew Shepard: A gay martyr remembered 10 years later

Matthew Shepard died 10 years ago today, bringing international attention to anti-gay hate crimes. 

In his memory I post this icon by Father William Hart McNichols.  The striking image is based on the report of the officer who found Matthew after he was beaten and left to die -- covered with blood except for where the tears ran down.

McNichols dedicated his icon The Passion of Matthew Shepard to the 1,470 gay and lesbian youth of commit suicide in the U.S. each year, and to the countless others who are injured or murdered.

Shepard was a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyoming at the time of his death.  He was brutally attacked near Laramie, Wyoming, on Oct. 6-7, 1998 by two men who later claimed that they were driven temporarily insane by “gay panic” due to Shepard’s alleged sexual advances.  Now the Matthew Shepard Foundation seeks to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance.

McNichols’ own moving spiritual journey and two of his icons are included in my book Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More.

Image credit:
The Passion of Matthew Shepard
© William Hart McNichols
St. Andrei Rublev Icons

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Cross-posted at the Jesus in Love Blog

The Beginning: Equality Ride 2008

So, this is officially the beginning of me blogging for the Equality Ride. I'm honored to do so, and hope that my words and stories will depict what is needed to be shared.

We are less than two months away from loading the bus and confronting the fear that easily arises in people when they're about to encounter a opposite view from their own. I just hope the response from both sides will be that of love and acceptance. We are all God's children and we are all human beings. Not one of us is greater than the other. No one has all the answers, I don't claim that my opinion is 100% right and approved by God. God is mysterious, his ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts.This is part of the conclusion both sides must come to.

I'm excited to be a part of this years Equality Ride. I've been able to meet and get to know my fellow "Riders" and they are absolutely amazing. I look forward to spending two months on the road with them. However, before we can even load the bus we must raise the money to go. That is why on August 31st in Nashville, TN you join me at Aerial for my fundraiser event. There will be a DJ to provide the dance music along with the guest celebrity, Sixpence None The Richer who will perform a acoustic song. For detailed information on this event visit, www.myspace.com/azariahsbenefit. If you can't attend but would like to help please go to www.soulforce.org/azariah_southworth to donate .

Thank you for reading and I look forward to bringing the Equality Ride to you through my blogs.

Before I go, remember that God loves you. As Paul states in Romans “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It is only you that can ultimately separate yourself from the love of God. Don't allow people's opinions of who God is and what his word says determine whether you allow yourself to experience his love.

Take care,
Azariah Southworth

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EDITOR'S NOTE:  Popular Christian tv host, Azariah Southworth, was quickly fired when he came out as a gay Christian a few months ago (read our blog about it).  Among the many projects he is working on now, he is taking the time to go on Soulforce's Equality Ride 2008, which puts young LGBT and Ally people of faith on the road (literally) to changing hearts and minds for equal rights and recognition.  Each rider has a fundraising goal of $3,500 to cover the expense of the journey - donate to support them all at http://www.soulforce.org/2008riders!  Azariah will be sharing his notes from the journey with MyOutSpirit.com's Gay Spirituality Blog!

Gay spirituality vs. everybody spirituality: A new closet?

Gay spirituality may be replaced by “everybody spirituality.”  That’s an important idea that emerged during a recent gay spirituality weekend in New Mexico.  Guest speakers included gay author Toby Johnson and Franciscan priest Richard Rohr.

One of the organizers was gay artist Peter Grahame, who sends this report:

“The Spirituality weekend here in Albuquerque at the end of April '08 went well. We had 30 or so for the dialogue Friday evening between Toby and Richard; the audience participated and it was quite a discussion. The retreat on Saturday and half of Sunday was attended by 18 people or so, and it was very good; Toby offered much information that many found really very helpful and inspiring.

“But as it turns out, we learned from this whole thing that the trend seems to be away from 'Gay Spirituality' to 'Everybody Spirituality.' Apparently, there may be many GLBT people these days, especially among the young, who don't seem to want to be labeled anything. Of course we're all equal. And nobody is trying to say we should be 'separate' or that we're 'better' at all. But many, especially the young GLBT people, don't seem to want  to recognize their unique gifts – especially their unique spiritual gifts; a unique spiritual point of view that I believe comes with being GLBT. Again, these unique gifts don't make us 'special' or 'superior,' but they are unique, different, and these gifts are much needed.

“Maybe some Straight people have gifts like these, too, but to me, not in quite the same way. I agree with Toby that by just wanting to be, or appear to be, just like everybody else... to want to assimilate... well, it seems like a subtle way of just going back in the closet. There are GLBT folks who say, 'We're just like everybody else except for what we do in bed,' but even causal observation shows that just isn't true. And yet, oddly, at the same time, these GLBT folks can still be very much involved in highly visible Gay Pride activities. Go figure.

“In the end, the real point is, as I think Toby keeps saying, that GLBT people do have particular spiritual gifts to offer the development of religion as we head further into the 21st century. Well, anyway, that's not the end of the discussion, I've only touched on a few ideas here, and I applaud you, Kitt, for wanting to open it up for more. Thanks.”

Peter has just launched a gorgeous new website, Ironic-Horse.com, which highlights his book Contemplations of the Heart: A Book of Male Spirit.

I found it especially helpful to hear about the trend from gay spirituality to everybody spirituality.  My partner and I have experienced this attitude with younger GLBT people and been puzzled and saddened by it.  Now I see that, like it or not, it’s part of a larger social context.  Maybe it’s even a sign that the GLBT rights movement has succeeded.

Has anybody else run into this attitude of “inclusiveness” that threatens to water down or gloss over the unique characteristics of gay and lesbian spirituality?  Or if you think it’s time to move beyond the “gay” label, can you explain why?

Image credit: “After the Rainbow Ceremony” by Peter Grahame

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Cross-posted at the Jesus in Love Blog. Kittredge Cherry blogs at the Jesus in Love Blog and edits the Jesus in Love Newsletter on queer spirituality and the arts.  She offers GLBT and progressive spiritual resources at JesusInLove.org.

Regarding the "Equality Riders"

The ongoing discussion on this blog about the repeated arrests of Soulforce's "Equality Riders" is exceptionally important.  We must continue to explore and MEASURE what kinds of activism are MOST EFFECTIVE.  My partner and I participated in a Soulforce direct action in 2000, so I know firsthand how good it feels to stand up for yourself in that way, and how...satisfying, in a way, it is to suffer for what you believe in.  And yet something still didn't seem quite right about this activism practice of "Voluntary Redemptive Suffering."

Interview with Scattered Words

About a month ago, I posted about the burgeoning blogosphere for ex-gay and struggling persons.  I had the privilege of interviewing "Ben" of ScatteredWords.com for my local LGBT paper.  Because the article is their property, I can't repost it here, but I'm providing a direct link:

http://www.thevitalvoice.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000007/000705.htm

"Reparative Therapy" Camp Loses in Court

The story of Zach of LIA/R has long since taken on a life of it's own, to the point that I haven't been tracking it very closely for a while now. So I missed the news this weekend that LIA/R failed to clear its first major hurdle in its lawsuit against the state of Tennessee, as a judge refused to allow LIA/R to continue "treating" people.

A federal judge has refused to allow Love In Action ministry, which counsels gay clients to turn straight, to continue treating people who are mentally ill and require prescription medication.

An injunction was sought against an order from the state Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, which found that the group's two Memphis facilities were controlling patients' access to prescription medication and thus needed to be licensed as a mental health facility.

Love In Action International Inc. has sued the state to oppose being required to get a license. It claims that the facility did not restrict access to medication but kept it in a central location to prevent theft and tampering.

Representatives from LIA/R say they're still hopeful that the courts will rule in their favor. And they could be right. After all, the Salvation Army found a judge to say it's just fine for them to get government funds and discriminate on the basis of religion and sexual orientation. If LIA/R can't find a similar judge in a state as "red" as Tennessee, then don't even deserve to be wingnuts. They'd have to be something dumber.

"Reparative Therapy" Camp Files Suite

No, not against me. Zach's story has spread to far that I'm now getting my news from all over. The latest is that Love in Action has filed suit against Tennessee.

Before today's deadline the state gave Love in Action organizers three options. Change their mission, get a state mental health license or shut its doors.The group answered back by filing a federal lawsuit against the state. Love in Action attorney Nate Kellum says government has no right to regulate Love in Action. That's why he filed a complaint against the state in federal court.

"Its repugnant for a faith based institution, a Christian ministry to come under the regulation of the state," said Kellum.

Without a mental health license, state law prohibits the group from assisting more than one person with a diagnosed mental illness.

"Although Love in Action in its religious ministry has absolutely nothing to do with mental health services whatsoever," Kellum said.

Did you catch that? "It is repugnant for a faith based institution to come under the regulation of the state." Translation: Religious organizations are above the law.

Hopefully, the suite won't go anywhere. If they're offering treatment for alcohol and drug addiction they they ought to have a license, and the state should shut them down if they don't. Period.

What're more interesting is that that there's going to be a documentary about LIA/R.

LIA/R Gets One Week Reprieve

It look likes Love In Action/Refuge (LIA/R) — the “reparative therapy” facility Zach’s parents sent him to when he came out to them — is getting a one week reprieve.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities has backed down on an order closing a facility that claims to turn gays straight.

The department now is giving the Love In Action facility an additional week to apply for a license or the order will be carried out.

The state contends the group needs a license for the services the group claims to provide and gave it until September 23 to comply. (story) Love In Action Executive Director John Smid said the organization is trying to meet the state’s requirements. but refused to go in any details.

Not much more information than that, I’m afraid. It sounds as if the state of Tennessee is trying to give LIA/R a chance to get their act together. On one hand, it could be that they’re trying to be fair to LIA/R (*shudder*). But it could be that Tennessee is a conservative enough state, that officials are sympathetic enough with LIA/R’s mission to give them a fighting chance to stay open.
Further updates as events. warrant.

Tennessee to Ex-Gay "Ministry": Shut Down

It’s finally happened. The state of Tennessee is ordering Love In Action/Refuge (LIA/R) to shut down it’s “reparative therapy” facilities.

The state Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities has ordered the closing of what it calls two unlicensed personal care facilities run by a Christian group that counsels gays to give up homosexuality.

The state inspected two facilities in Memphis on Aug. 19 and determined Love In Action International Inc. was providing housing, meals and personal care for mentally ill patients without a license, according to a subsequent letter to the organization from the Department of Mental Health.

The department gave Love In Action until Sept. 23 to cease operation of the facilities and apply for a state license.

…If the organization were to continue operating the facilities past the Sept. 23 deadline, it would face criminal penalties that include fines of up to $500 and six months in jail for each day the facilities are determined to be in violation of state laws, Potter said.

Of course, it’s not over yet. As of yesterday LIA/R was still in operation, and they have until Friday to shut down and apply for a license. So we’ll have to wait and see how this unfolds.

Meanwhile, Peter Toscano — a former LIA/R client — has an interesting post up about how LIA/R president John Smid is apparently a minister in his own mind, but not much more.

But John Smid never attended seminary. In fact, the highest degree he holds is a high school diploma. He was handed the title of “Rev.” by Germantown Baptist Church.

John Smid, who never took psych 101 or any college-level counseling course, denounces the American Psychiartic Association’s professional assessment of homosexuality. Not only has he been running a mental health facility without a license, he has done so without the training.

John Smid, who never attended seminary or even audited an undergraduate Bible class, publically expounds on what the Bible has to say about same-gender loving people and false images.

Peter’s seen LIA/R from the inside, so I’m guessing he knows whereof he speaks.

I have to admit, I’m astounded at the possibility that what started as a few blog posts by a scared teenager grew into a blogswarm and then into a media story, and could possibly close down this facility. I’m glad I could play whatever role I might have had in it. Twice now, as a blogger, I’ve been able to play a small role in helping bring media attention to stories that might have otherwise been neglected; Rashawn’s and Zach’s.

Of course, blogging only helps spread the story around, but it can also help move people to action. As Zach’s story spread around the web, more and more people heard it, and some of the took the action of blogging it themselves, alerting their media to the story. As a result, some people got on the phone to the Tennessee Department of Health, and starting the balls rolling in the investigations that just might end up shutting the place down.

Though it’s entirely likely that LIA/R will claim victim status if it’s actually forced to close, and that they might remain open or find a way of reopening if forced to close, I still count this as something of a victory, in terms of using the web to shed light on operations like LIA/R, and to force a change in the way they operate. And because it’s happened once, it can happen again. So, maybe it’s created the possibility that some other gay teenager somewhere might escape having his/her psyche mauled by operations like LIA/R. If so, then it’s definitely worth it.

Via Gay News Blog.

"Reparative Therapy" Facility to Close?

It's been a while since I posted anything about Zach's story, mainly because since his return home I felt it necessary to back off and give him whatever space he needed to work out what he's experienced. Since then, a discussion about whether Zach was controlling his blog or not broke out on a previous post. Zach's blog is now temporarily disabled.

But's that's not what this post is about. It's about the other side of the story, which involves LIA/R being investigated by the Tennessee Department of Health. This evening I got an email from EJ, which linked to his post concerning the outcome of that investigation. The news for LIA/R is not good.