The TV show Pose tells the story of queer people of colour living in NYC in the 80s and 90s by exploring one of the most culture-defining chapters of LGBTQIA+ history: ‘House culture’ or the Ballroom scene. Ballroom houses were alternative family structures or ‘chosen family’ units usually led by a ‘house mother’ who would … Continue reading Pride as Glory
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Juneteenth and Pride as Liberation
This is a sacred day. While in my time zone it's already June 20th, right now my siblings in the US are currently celebrating Juneteenth. June 19th marks the day formerly enslaved Black Texans learned of their liberation. "The formerly enslaved immediately began to celebrate with prayer, feasting, song, and dance.”
Pride as Sacrifice
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, a woman named Stormé DeLarverie was unjustly handcuffed, arrested, and imprisoned. While she was only one of many people treated that way by law enforcement that night, Stormé’s unjust arrest and public humiliation became a pivotal moment in the fight for gay rights. The events of that night ignited the Stonewall uprising and changed the course of LGBTQIA+ history.
Pride as Diversity
As I mentioned in my last post, this Pride month, I want to offer some devotional reflections on key themes of Pride and share how they've helped me connect freshly with different aspects of the gospel story. The first theme is Celebration—or more specifically, Celebration of Diversity. Putting aside for a moment Christian concerns about … Continue reading Pride as Diversity
Pridemas Season
Today, I'm excited for the first day of the new month. Today marks the beginning of [Australian] winter and more importantly the day my mobile data finally resets after I depleted all my data last month. It also marks the beginning of Pridemas Season starting June 1. In the words of my friend Reuben: Pridemas … Continue reading Pridemas Season
How Conservative Christians Can Support Queer People
This week I’ve been thinking about how there’s so much more space for middle ground than we sometimes acknowledge. I don’t mean to say that being in the center or remaining neutral on important issues is superior, but I think even while different communities hold opposing views strongly, there’s still a lot of room to … Continue reading How Conservative Christians Can Support Queer People
Trans Day of Visibility
As well as being Easter Sunday, today is International Trans Day of Visibility. To celebrate this, I wanted to honour a number of trans people whose lives have impacted me in a personal way (whether they’re aware of it or not).
Paradigm Shifts
One week ago I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. It’s been a couple of years of questioning whether I might have ADHD, and about 15 months of actively pursuing a diagnosis (don’t get me started on that whole long process!). During this time I began identifying as ‘ADHD-adjacent’ and found that much of the language for common ADHD experiences, like object impermanence or hyperfocus, were helpful ways to describe what I was experiencing. Those who are close to me probably got sick of hearing me talk about ADHD experiences constantly, and as my housemate put it last week, “we all knew/suspected.” But as soon as the diagnosis became official last week, something strange happened.
How to Talk to Kids about Queer People
A while back, I got a phone call from an old pastor friend who was struggling with a difficult situation and wanted my insights on how he could approach it. It turned out that his kid’s kindergarten was celebrating “Wear it Purple Day” and inviting all the kids to wear purple clothes to celebrate the … Continue reading How to Talk to Kids about Queer People
11 Trauma-safe Practices
Following up on my last post outlining core principles of trauma-informed practice, I wanted to share some more practical ideas for what it might look like to embody these principles Christian contexts. I should acknowledge that my own lived experiences of religious trauma relate to two specific subcultures—Independent Fundamentalist Baptist and White Evangelicalism—so my suggestions … Continue reading 11 Trauma-safe Practices
Singled Out 