In December, I am giving a keynote presentation at the Center for Family Life Education’s Sex Ed Conference titled, “38 Years in Sexuality Education: Snapshots and Lessons.” My first job in the sexual and reproductive health field was as the Resource Center Coordinator and Administrative Assistant at the Population Institute; this summer, I celebrated 25 years as a Chief Executive Officer of nonprofit organizations dedicated to sexual justice.

I’ve been reflecting on change and progress during the past four decades, and there is much for us to celebrate. When we created the first version of the Religious Declaration on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing in 1999, its twenty theologian creators called for “blessings of same sex unions.” Twenty four years later, Illinois and Hawaii are about to become the fifteenth and sixteenth states plus the District of Columbia that allow same sex couples the full rights of marriage. The Defense of Marriage Act has been declared unconstitutional; Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is history; the U.S. Senate last week passed a fully trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. And across the country, including in Texas and Pennsylvania, openly gay people were elected or re-elected to public office.

The religious landscape has changed dramatically over the past decades. Yes, it is true that church attendance and affiliation is declining, but the percentage of people who are religious progressives is increasing, religious conservatives are declining in each subsequent generation, and in the latest election, most religious right candidates were defeated. Although there has been a great deal of media about the one quarter of Millennials who are religiously unaffiliated, my own experience with younger adults is that rather than them being “nones” as dubbed by the media, many are rather “religious and spiritual independents” who seek meaning in more diverse and inclusive venues.

I am most concerned about the continued attacks on women’s access to family planning and abortion services, rights that seemed assured when I entered this field. The Religious Institute is engaged in several amicus briefs on including family planning in health care reform, and the lower court decisions have been contradictory, leading inexorably to a future Supreme Court case. In too many states, the legal right to abortion is severely compromised by lack of access and harmful and unnecessary regulations, especially for teenaged and low income women. And too few religious leaders understand how poverty limits a woman's access to safe reproductive health care."

Nevertheless, religious institutions increasingly address sexual justice issues. We are proud to announce that 30 seminaries, divinity, and rabbinical schools in the U.S. have now achieved designation as sexually healthy and responsible seminaries, three times as many as met the criteria when we did our seminal study in 2009. Four religious denominations now require their candidates for ordination to have training or demonstrate competency in sexuality prior to ordination; none did prior to 2010. Even the Pope is seeking to open dialog on sexuality issues with Roman Catholics around the world.

What has not changed in my four decades in this work is the need for us to be both pastoral and prophetic. Too many people continue to suffer because of discrimination, violence, injustice and a stubborn silence about diverse sexuality issues in our faith communities. But together, we are making a profound difference in people’s lives. Let’s celebrate our successes, and then go back to work, energized by hope and love and our vision of faith communities that are sexually healthy, just, and prophetic. 

Support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would give women workplace protections against being fired when they ask for temporary and reasonable accommodations because of their pregnancies.
Take action here.
 
United Methodists, Speak Out For Marriage Equality
On October 26, Retired Bishop Melvin Talbert officiated a same-sex wedding ceremony, in open defiance of denominational prohibitions on such unions. The Council of Bishops will likely make a decision during their November 15-20 meeting on whether to take any action against Bishop Talbert for his actions. Methodists can use this link to tell their own Bishops that they do not support putting clergy on trial for ministry to LGBT people.
Take action here.

---

News

ENDA Passes In Senate, Faces Challenges in the House
On November 7, the U.S. Senate approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), by a bipartisan vote of 64-32, sending the legislation to the House of Representatives. House Speaker John Boehner has said that he will not allow the bill to come up for a vote.
Read more here.
 
Marriage Equality Imminent in Hawaii, Illinois
Hawaii and Illinois have both advanced same-sex marriage legislation, and the governors in those states are expected to sign these bills into law.
Read more here.
 
The United Methodist Church LGBT Issues Update
The past month has been filled with news around same-sex marriage in The United Methodist Church. Here are some of the more high-profile events:

 

Religious Institute Launches New Website
We are pleased to announce our new web site. It is easier than ever to find the resources you need to make your faith community more sexually healthy and responsible, or to answer your questions about sexuality and religion. It also looks great on your tablet or smartphone! Take a look, and let us know what you think. http://www.religiousinstitute.org/
 
All UCC -Affiliated Seminaries Are Sexually Healthy And Responsible
On November 5, the Religious Institute announced that all seminaries affiliated with the United Church of Christ (UCC) have met a majority of the criteria of a sexually healthy and responsible seminary, making the UCC the first Protestant denomination to achieve this distinction. 
Read more, including a statement by Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, General Minister and President of the UCC, here.

 

Make a Donation

Endorse the Religious Declaration or an Open Letter

Newsletter Archive
Get Involved

Visit Our Website

Email Us