While the Iranians rightly condemned Saudi Arabia, I find it quite ironic when they represent the murders as a "medieval act of savagery." It's as if the Saudi's, in executing Shiite clerics, held up a mirror to the Iranians in which they saw reflected back their own long-standing and brutal civil and human rights atrocities.
Telling someone they can't be Christian because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is clearly one of the least Christian things anyone can do.
It seems like sexuality is the one field with more of an ideological divide than politics. This year there is greater tolerance than ever to the many sexuality identifications and definitions. At the same time, there are many movements that promote failing programs and invisible walls of discrimination.
For the first time ever, the president of the General Assembly addressed a U.N. forum on LGBTIQ issues. In opening remarks, H.E. Mogens Lykketoft made it clear that members states are obliged to protect the human rights of LGBTIQ people.
What a difference a decade makes. From the most lonely of places, from the darkest of moments, from an abundance of hopelessness, the miracle of Christmas has a particular meaning to me.
"Because intersex is framed as a disorder within the medical model," Morgan told me, "the medical community is using the tools it has to make people fit into the definitions of 'sex' and 'gender' created by society."
James Felton Keith went back to his hometown of Detroit to help rebuild the city after it went bankrupt. On his first day working in the new mayor's office, a colleague was giving him a tour of the office when two gay men walked by and were introduced. After they left, James was shocked at what he heard from his colleague:
Trivializing our thoughts at a young age only increases the already arduous process of discovering who we are, both sexually and nonsexually.
Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi, trans and intersex people doesn't just hurt people; it hurts corporate profits and costs countries tens of billions of dollars in lost economic output.
Twenty years later, bisexual people still face multiple challenges, but some things have gotten better.
Four years ago, in late November, I tumbled into the worst depression of my life. It took me a long, long time to climb out of that black hole -- but I did. However, every winter since then has been a struggle to keep myself from slipping back down again. I know that especially in the bisexual community, I'm not the only one.
The longer I was in the field of sex addiction treatment the more I found both the label and many of the interventions antiquated, limiting and sometimes even harmful--especially when working with gay and bisexual men.
Learning from the past, from the wisdom of pioneers, is crucial for future generations. Following is a short personal history with a message of family love embodied in PFLAG pioneers - luminaries of LGBTQ activism - that should be captured and remembered.
I didn't have the patience to accept others for who they were, mostly because I didn't think others had the patience to accept me for who I was. There were the usual challenges a young gay man faces before coming out, and I don't mean for my brevity to belittle them. They're brutal. But this isn't a coming out story. This is a coming home story.
LGBTQ health is more than just HIV & suicide risk. Yes, please pay attention to those critical issues but that's not where our health problems stop.
Allies help us create spaces for our voices to be heard and eradicate harmful ideas that oppress us.