Today, Christians across the internet are blogging their faith and their support for LGBT people through a synchroblog project organized by Justin Lee, the Executive Director of the Gay Christian Network. The synchroblog is timed to match the launch of Lee’s new book, TORN: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate.

Tired of politicized “debates” about the lives of LGBT people and Christians, Lee has attempted to take a middle approach. “This is an issue that is tearing apart families and damaging the reputation of Christianity. But as much as our culture talks about this issue, there’s very little actual conversation going on,” Lee claims.

Lee’s book, TORN, will reach those in both the Christian world, and those who are, know, or care for someone who is LGBT identified. It asks for people to examine assumptions and to have careful conversations with one another that seek to learn, instead of to “win”.

The synchroblog draws others into the same conversation. Bloggers are asked to write a blog post in favor of sanity and compassion in LGBT/Christian conversation. Several popular Christian bloggers are already participating, including Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner.

As the country reflects on the successes of marriage equality campaigns, we are seeing that caring conversation is making a real difference. Many in Minnesota credited the defeat of the anti-marriage equality amendment partially on a campaign of conversations across the state. Just a year ago, GLAAD launched a Thanksgiving campaign “I’m Going to Let Aunt Betty Feel a Little Awkward This Thanksgiving” to encourage conversations around the Thanksgiving table.

Check out the posts that have been submitted so far at Justin Lee’s Tumblr. Share the best quotes or links to the blogs that speak best to your experience. Bloggers interested in joining the synchroblog can still offer submissions and join in the conversation.

The historic votes on marriage equality in Maine, Maryland and Washington not only extended marriage rights to same-sex couples, but will add a significant amount of capital to the economies of those states, according to a new report by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law. The think tank’s recent report estimated that over the next three years, same-sex weddings could generate up to $15.5 million in Maine, $62.6 million in Maryland, and $88.5 million in Washington, providing a welcome boost for an industry whose growth had flat lined. Of the combined 35,000 gay couples in the three states, researchers estimated about half would wed within three years and spend the state average on their wedding. Notably, the estimates do not include couples who may come from out-of-state to wed.

The Institute has long tracked the economic effect of marriage equality laws, finding in Massachusetts a $111 million boost in the four years after legalization. New York saw an even greater influx of cash in the year after marriage equality passed the state legislature, with New York City alone counting nearly $260 million in wedding-related purchases from same-sex couples.

The Huffington Post visited several local business owners in Maine after the election and posted the video on their website. Alysia Zoidis, who runs a bakery in Portland, Maine, reflected on the victory and said “I think it’s going to be great for any local business that is in the wedding industry. It’s a win-win situation.” Additionally, Lee Badgett, an economics professor at the University of Massachusetts and research director at the Williams Institute, says the additional spending will create new jobs and boost tax revenues.

It's happened again. The New York Times is using an extreme anti-LGBT voice and framing him as nothing more than a Christian conservative.

This time it's Family Research Council president Tony Perkins:

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group, disputed the notion that history is on the side of same-sex marriage, arguing that the legalization of abortion by Roe v. Wade in the 1970s had set in motion a powerful and still growing backlash.

Over time, Mr. Perkins predicted, as people see what he called the consequences of same-sex marriage — grade schools’ endorsing homosexuality, business owners and religious institutions forced to act against their religious beliefs — opposition will rebound.

Push Expands for Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage by Erik Eckholm [NYT]

If you're a journalist, take note. If you're interviewing someone about a group of people, and the person you're interviewing believes that those people are pawns of the devil, that's pretty relevant to your story.

Let's give one of the above sentences another go, using what we know—and what casual readers might not know—about Tony Perkins.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, an organization that condemns homosexuality and has been deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, disputed the notion that history ... etc.

See how much more context that gives readers, without straying at all from the facts? In fact, it requires some implied editorializing on the part of the writer to neglect this information.

Identifying FRC as a "conservative Christian group" and nothing else implies that these two words are all that a reader needs to know where Perkins is coming from.  Which therefore implies that the author believes that the words "conservative Christian" mean the same thing as "anti-gay." Ask any number of conservatives who support marriage equality whether this is the case. In fact, here's a Catholic Republican couple from Minnesota who will do just that.

So back to the factual record regarding this particular pundit.  Just to remind you of what Tony Perkins — once again, whose organization is deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center— has done and said to earn his national reputation on this issue of marriage equality, let's now take a look at a few highlights from his Commentator Accountability Project profile: 

Facts

- Says about gay people: “They are intolerant. They are hateful. They are vile. They are spiteful...pawns of the enemy.” (See 0:43 mark.)

- Says many gays have an "emptiness within them" (:55) because they are "operating outside of nature" (1:09)

- Says that gay young people “have a higher propensity to depression or suicide because of that internal conflict; homosexuals may recognize intuitively that their same-sex attractions are abnormal.”

- Despite what health experts have said, insists that pedophilia is “a homosexual problem.”

- The Family Research Council has distributed a pamphlet that claims gay men are more likely to molest children, and supports "reorientation therapy" for gay people

- The Family Research Council has distributed a pamphlet that begins by likening the logic behind same-sex marriage to the logic behind man-horse marriage (complete with horse graphic)

- Says "it's a fact" that homosexuality leads to "eternal damnation"

- Says gays and lesbians are "held captive by the enemy"

- Says marriage equality will be "the nail in coffin of marriage" and will "take society down with it"

**You can read the whole thing here.

So much pointed hostility.  Take your pick.  This is not simple conservative Christianity.  This is not mere marriage advocacy.  Tony Perkins has viciously condemend LGBT people in the harshest way one can possibly condemn LGBT people.  That's not an overstatement.  Tony Perkins has cast us out of both polite society and pleasant eternity, collecting both political opportunity and paychecks from crude and cruel discrimination.  Sickeningly, he has directed undue focus onto LGBT children, who are often the most vulnerable of any. 

Tony has done all he can to make life more difficult for certain kinds of human beings.  His is an extremely dangerous game that doesn't deserve respect.  It doesn't deserve a big fat mainstream media pass, either.  

In Search of My 'North' By Gretta Estrada as told to Victoria Ruiz

My name is Gretta and I was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. I was raised by my maternal grandmother who took care of me because my mother had to emigrate to the US when I was a year old. When I turned 13, my grandmother died and I was left without anyone to take care of me. I decided to go to school, and for years I had to withstand mockery from classmates who were aware that I liked boys. My family always rejected me because of my femininity (I am a transgender woman but they don't see it that way). One of my uncles threw me out of his house because, as he says to this day, he “didn’t want homosexuals in his family.”

Because of their ignorance and apathy towards me, I ended up living on the streets, seeking help from transgender girls I knew and who eventually got me involved in prostitution as a means of survival, and there I was introduced to the underworld of drugs. I was persecuted by the police and the military because of my gender identity.

At 15, I started taking hormones and my physique took a drastic change from child to woman. Looking female was dangerous for me, as I was harassed by people who took advantage of my economic and emotional poverty. At that time in my country, the whole LGBT community was treated horribly by the authorities and the community in general. We were threatened by our own families, by gangs and the police. Though I had better luck than others, I still had to endure harassment, persecution, abuse, violence, mistreatment and humiliation from the drug addicts and drunks that I met on the streets. Many times I had to witness the murder of so many of the women who at some point had given me their help and support.

I came to California when I was 19, and thought I would find the land of opportunity. However, at that time there was so much stigma against the LGBT community that it was difficult for us to find work, housing or basic services. But I was determined to not be deterred by any adversity, and so I did everything from work as a day laborer to cleaning floors. As a result of trusting unscrupulous people and because of my low self-esteem, I contracted HIV. When I got the diagnosis I thought I would die in a few months, and even considered suicide by throwing myself in front of a train. I actually had a lot of scenarios for exactly how I would kill myself.

Luckily, those times are behind me now. Today, I’m hopeful that someday a cure will be found for HIV/AIDS. I'm also very focused on educating and supporting other girls and women who, like me, are trying to find their way North.

Nov. 12-19 is Transgender Awareness Week and Nov. 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance,  a worldwide gathering of trans and allied communities to memorialize victims of anti-trans hatred or prejudice. Events and vigils will be held nationwide. A longer version of Gretta's story will run in the December issue of Adelante Magazine.

Tonight catch all new episodes of Modern Family, Suburgatory, Chicago Fire, The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons, American Horror Story: Asylum and DTLA.

What to Watch: Wednesday, November 14

9:00pm: Modern Family, ABC (30 mins) NEW

Claire takes Manny and Luke along to Alex's decathlon and Phil attempts to plan a boys night, but things go awry when he misreads the social cues of a party visitor (guest star Matthew Broderick). Meanwhile, Cam and Mitch arrange for an interesting baby gift for Jay and Gloria.

9:30pm: Suburgatory, ABC (30 mins) NEW

Tessa decides to spend Thanksgiving in the city with her mother and Dallas fires Chef Alan so George can host Thanksgiving himself. However, George's cooking skills are not up to the test, so he pays Alan to help him prepare the dinner.

10:00pm: Chicago Fire, NBC (1 hr) NEW

Casey lays his life on the line during a fire and it might just be the attention he needs to escape Voight's threats. Meanwhile, Dawson gets help in her disciplinary hearing from the patient in question.

10:00pm: The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons, MTV (1 hr) NEW

Contestants take part in an eating challenge.

10:00pm: American Horror Story: Asylum, FX (1 hr) NEW

In the conclusion to a two-part episode, Sister Jude uncovers new secrets about Arden's past. Also, Kit makes a surprising confession and Bloody Face will be unmasked.

11:00pm: DTLA, Logo (1 hr) NEW

Lenny finds help from an unexpected group, Bryan turns to his mothers for advice and Kai has an intense meeting with the high school principal.

This morning and afternoon, check your local listings for information about Ellen, The Talk (CBS) and The Chew (ABC). Days of Our Lives on NBC (check local listings for time) features gay character Will as a series regular; keep an eye out for developments between Will and recurring gay characters Sonny and Neil.

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About TV Gayed
Grab the remote or set your DVR! GLAAD brings you the most up-to-date listing of LGBT content on television every weekday. Check GLAAD Blog for daily TV Gayed posts!

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, see www.glaad.org, www.facebook.com/glaad and www.twitter.com/glaad.

The submission deadline for the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Blog category is Friday, November 30, 2012.  In the past, the award has been given to Mombian, Joe.My.God., and Towleroad for their groundbreaking coverage of LGBT people and issues.

This year, the submission fee for this category has been waived and bloggers can submit their entry by filling out an online form or the mail-in submission form. 

"Through breaking news and bringing important stories to the forefront, bloggers and online activists are some of the loudest and most effective voices in the march toward LGBT equality," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor news and entertainment media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect our lives. Events are held in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Nominees will be announced in January 2013. For more information on the GLAAD Media Awards, go to www.glaad.org/mediaawards. If you would like to submit a nomination for another category, please see the directions.

Editor's Note: This guest post from Deen, is part of a week-long series to celebrate the visibility and heroism of transgender Americans as part of Transgender Awareness Week. The final day of Transgender Awareness Week is theTransgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

I fought the idea that I was transgender for a long time. Perhaps I knew that it would test my most important – and precarious – relationships that those relationships wouldn't make it. I don't know. What I do know is that I came out as a “butch” bisexual in 1994, at the age of 19. I spent 10 years proving my masculinity everyday, defending myself to my family, and fighting the barely conscious thought that maybe this journey would take me farther, and being very afraid.

GLAAD and the MTPC (the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition) have released four new videos for the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign, as first reported by BuzzFeed. The I AM: Trans People Speak campaign, started locally by MTPC, aims to spotlight the stories of transgender Americans and their allies in an effort to educate the public about transgender issues, as well as speak to transgender youth and adults. These latest videos feature prominent transgender advocates sharing their experiences and views, including New York Times bestseller Professor Jennifer Finney Boylan, actress Laverne Cox, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) attorney Noah Lewis, and performance poet Kit Yan. You can participate in the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign by submitting your own video here.

The release of these new videos coincides with Transgender Awareness Week, (November 12-19), when individuals and organizations around the country work to raise the visibility of transgender people and the issues they face. Transgender Awareness Week culminates with the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors those whose lives were lost to anti-transgender violence. 

"The stories of everyday transgender Americans remain relatively unheard in both national and LGBT media," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "These stories will not only empower members of the transgender community who rarely see relatable stories, but also educate Americans everywhere about the fact that the community is a valuable part of the fabric of our culture. The campaign will also shine a light on the high level of discrimination that our transgender friends, family and neighbors continue to face in schools, the workplace and in their own communities."

For those in Massachusetts, you can attend Fenway Health's event for Transgender Awareness Week that will feature videos from the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign. You can find out more about Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance by visiting www.glaad.org/transawarenessweek and www.glaad.org/tdor.

This week is Transgender Awareness Week and to mark the occasion, GLAAD’s Religion, Faith, and Values Program wants to highlight the achievements of a few trans faith leaders who have helped make their traditions more open and welcoming spaces for all people. 

 Rev. Cameron Partridge serves as counselor to Episcopal/Anglican students at Harvard Divinity School, where he studied for his Masters in Divinity and Doctorate in Theology. Rev. Partridge now lectures at Harvard on both liturgical topics and those relating to gender and sexuality and has led congregations at Boston University and Christ Church in Cambridge, Mass. Partridge, who transitioned over ten years ago, is married and has a young son. When his son is older, Partridge wants to tell him about his experience and transition and hopes it will help him grow up respecting others for who they are.

Twenty five years ago, when she first began transitioning, JamieAnn Meyers struggled to find a place where she fit within the Lutheran (ELCA) Church. She is now the founder and facilitator of ReconcilingWorks’ affinity group, TransLutheran, which was approved this past spring at the ReconcilingWorks’ board meeting in Minneapolis. She also writes for the Huffington post about trans inclusion and equality.

Like JamieAnn Meyers, Nicole Garcia struggled with finding a church where she felt comfortable. Soon after she began transitioning in 2003, she discovered St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in downtown Denver, Colo. and began attending services regularly. In 2008 she was elected Transgender Representative to the Board of Directors of Lutherans Concerned/North America (now ReconcilingWorks). Nicole is deeply involved in the Interfaith Working Group (IWG), which supports transgender and gender nonconforming people from all faith backgrounds, and is pursuing a graduate degree in counseling.

In 2009, after having been ordained as a Methodist (UMC) minister for nearly 30 years, Rev. David Weekley decided to come out to his congregation. Before coming out, he had written anonymously for Reconciling Ministries Network, and had talked about his frustrating with feeling forced back in the closet by a denomination that did not yet accept LGBT people. But when he came out, he was accepted. In an October 14, 2009 entry, he writes: “From the morning I first shared my transgender identity with my congregation I have received emails, letters, cards and other affirmations, prayer-support, and encouragement from all over the United States, and world. Most inspiring and joyful for me are the number of persons contacting me sharing their stories and sharing hope.”

In 1996, Rev. Erin Swenson became the first Presbyterian (PCUSA) minister to retain her ordination after transitioning. In 1999, she co-founded the Southern Association for Gender Education, Inc. (SAGE), an organization dedicated to providing education and resources to colleges, universities, medical groups, and faith organizations. With her background in pastoral counseling, in 2003, Erin became the chair of the Health Ministries Committee of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.

The work of Revs. Partridge and Swenson, JamieAnn Meyers, and Nicole Garcia are a few of many people toward acceptance and inclusion in their faith traditions. Without their dedication to change and understanding, welcome might have taken much longer. GLAAD is pleased to recognize the strength of these and other trans activists who work to make their traditions truly welcoming to all people.

Spirit Day, GLAAD’s anti-bullying campaign, has been nominated for “Best Meme of the Year” by Queerty for the 2012 Queerties! The Queerties honor  “the best (and occasionally worst) in politics, entertainment, sports, viral videos, eye candy and more.”

From the White House to the newsroom to Las Vegas to the classroom, millions participated in Spirit Day on October 19 by wearing purple or going purple online – all in a visible stand against bullying and in support of LGBT young people.

Wearing purple on Spirit Day has become a national symbol for allies and all those who want LGBT young people to know that they’re supported for who they are. GLAAD worked with hundreds of partners including national and local organizations, schools, celebrities, sports leagues, Spanish-language media, web sites, and corporations.

You can continue to stand up against bullying by voting Spirit Day as “Best Meme of the Year” at the 2012 Queerties!

Tonight catch brand new episodes of The Office, Glee, Grey's Anatomy and Scandal.

What to Watch: Thursday, November 15

9:00pm: The Office, NBC (30 mins) NEW

Angela believes the Senator is cheating on her and convinces Oscar to help her spy on him. Meanwhile, the ladies teach Dwight how to sell to women and Toby asks the guys at work to grow mustaches for Movember.

9:00pm: Glee, Fox (1 hr) NEW

Rachel, Kurt and Santana visit Lima as the New Directions perform Grease. Meanwhile, Cassandra July shakes up Rachel's life as she works to get her first New York role. Check out a sneak peek below.

9:00pm: Grey's Anatomy, ABC (1 hr) NEW

Bailey tricks Arizona into helping her with a pediatrics case and Cristina tries to find a bit of normalcy in her new environment. Meanwhile, the group carries on with their lawsuit and continue to work to find ways to live with their injuries.

10:00pm: Scandal, ABC (1 hr) NEW

Cyrus and Fitz scramble to deal with James' first front page news story about the happenings in the White House. Meanwhile, Olivia tries to stop Huck's secret past from leaking out and Harrison deals with another Pope & Associates secret.

This morning and afternoon, check your local listings for information about Ellen, The Talk (CBS) and The Chew (ABC). Days of Our Lives on NBC (check local listings for time) features gay character Will as a series regular; keep an eye out for developments between Will and recurring gay characters Sonny and Neil.

_____________________________

About TV Gayed
Grab the remote or set your DVR! GLAAD brings you the most up-to-date listing of LGBT content on television every weekday. Check GLAAD Blog for daily TV Gayed posts!

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, see www.glaad.org, www.facebook.com/glaad and www.twitter.com/glaad.

A groundbreaking survey of LGBT Americans' financial health was released by Prudential Financial Inc. yesterday, and reveals that very few LGBT Americans are getting advice catered to them from the financial services industry. In the survey of more than 1400 LGBT-identified Americans, nearly two-thirds gave financial institutions a score of 4/10 or worse, when it came to meeting the specific needs of the LGBT community. And only one in every ten respondents said they had been approached by an adviser who addressed their specific needs. Reuters reports:

"(LGBT people) have additional particular concerns: how taxes for same-sex couples are treated and how Social Security and pension benefits accrue (or don't) for surviving partners. There is room here for financial companies to address the retirement planning needs of aging gay couples, and they do not all seem to be filling that space."

The report is the first of its kind, looking specifically at the financial needs of LGBT-identified Americans.

“We recognize that the LGBT community faces a number of unique challenges when it comes to financial planning,” says Sharon Taylor, senior vice president, Human Resources. “We hope that the insights from the study will enable both Prudential and the financial services industry to better meet the LGBT community’s financial needs.”

Financial planner Stephanie Lee told Reuters that there are a lot of things LGBT couples need to worry about that married heterosexual couples don't, and the fact that partner recognition laws are different from state-to-state, or even city-to-city, can make this area difficult to navigate.

"You have to talk about benefits for surviving partners, about tax treatment for regular marriages or domestic partners, about health directives. You have to talk about divorce, and wills, and estate-tax exemptions. And some of this changes with every state. It's a lot of information, and it can get very tricky."

Among those who took the survey, only one quarter said their financial needs were similar to those of the population at large. As the New York Times reported in 2009, a same-sex couple can pay over $200,000 more throughout a lifetime than a heterosexual married couple would in healthcare costs alone. Social Security benefits could cost a same-sex couple nearly $90,000 more, and these families could pay more than $40,000 more in estate taxes.

You can see the full results of Prudential's survey on their new LGBT Financial Experience page.

Depressed Black Gay Men (DBGM), a non-profit organization committed to helping raise awareness of depression, will premier its latest documentary, “You Are Not Alone,” this Saturday at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in Washington Heights, New York.

Through the courageous sharing of personal stories, “You Are Not Alone” explores many of the underlying social factors which contribute to high rates of depression among Black gay men. “You Are Not Alone” also opens up discussions on the critical issues affecting many Black men and Black gay men who go through life hiding their depression, which can contribute to unsafe sexual activity because they are unconcerned about the consequences, elevated drug use, and even death by suicide.

The documentary is a combination of powerful, heart wrenching and poignant interviews and is balanced with professional opinions provided by mental health professionals, academics and religious leaders (Christian and Islam).

“A Black gay man dealing with depression should know that his mental illness is treatable and he need not suffer in silence; he is not alone,” says Antonie B. Craigwell, who created and co-produced the documentary. “If, by what I’m doing I could help stop one Black gay man from killing himself, then my work is done; his healing begins,” adds Craigwell.

Craigwell has been conducting discussion forums nationally on raising awareness of how Black gay men are affected by depression and focusing on its effect on the mental stability of the wider Black community. Drawing on research, the forums show the link between being depressed and contracting HIV, STDs, AIDS, suicide, and many other mental, emotional, physical traumas.

“You Are Not Alone” is the product of a collaboration between triple NAACP Image Award winner Stanley Bennett Clay and Guyanese-born double NYABJ Award winner, journalist and national gay mental health activist Antoine B.Craigwell, who together embarked to push the envelope, shine a light in a dark, unspoken area in the Black community, to bring healing.

 It is premiering as part of a benefit gala on November 17 at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center (formerly the Audubon Ballroom where Malcolm X was assassinated) 3940 Broadway (at 165th St.) in Washington Heights, New York.

“You Are Not Alone” premieres at the fundraising gala “I, Too, Am Not Alone @ the Table” which begins at 7pm, featuring live music, performances by artists who contributed music for the documentary, and of Blackgay artists showing their work. Following the premiere, there will be a moderated Q&A with panelists: “America Psychologist” Jeffery Gardere, Ph.D. the documentary’s co-executive producer; Stanley BennettClay, the director; Terrie Williams, author of “Black Pain”; and principle actors.

For more information and tickets to attend the premiere of “You Are Not Alone” and gala visit www.dbgm.org and to see a trailer of the film www.yana-thefilm.com or contact  Antoine Craigwell at 917-504-3723 or antoineb@dbgm.org

As GLAAD marks Transgender Awareness Week, we lift up the lives and realities of transgender people. The best way to learn about transgender people is to listen to their own stories. GLAAD also encourages media outlets to highlight various aspects of the lives and realities of transgender people. We commend one Jewish publication for doing just that.

Gay and lesbian Jews have found a more prominent place in a diverse spectrum of Jewish traditions over the past twenty years, but transgender Jews often feel that they must still search as individuals to figure out where they fit in. The Jewish Daily Forward highlighted a gathering of trans Jews from across North America in Berkeley, Calif. to address how Jewish communities welcome – or don’t – their transgender friends, family, and coreligionists.

The retreat, hosted by Nehirim, an organization that offers support to LGBT Jews, offered seminars entitled “Being a Jewish Gender Outlaw,” “Being Transgender Is Kosher: Beyond the Binary in Ancient Jewish Texts” and “Does Judaism Love Your Body?” and addressed questions about how to navigate Jewish traditions, especially those relating to traditional gender roles and expectations, as a trans person.

In attendance was Joy Ladin, the first transgender person to teach at an Orthodox university (Ladin waited until she had tenure at New York’s Yeshiva University before transitioning), who was featured in the Jewish Daily Forward’s 2012 Forward 50 list.

Nehirim is one of several organizations, along with Keshet, Jewish Transitions, and TransTorah, that help LGBT Jews find safe, welcoming communities. And welcoming congregations are becoming more common. The Reform and Reconstructinist movements both ordain trans rabbis; Conservative and Orthodox communities are still struggling with full acceptance, but have issued declarations on acceptance for those who have transitioned.

Throughout Transgender Awareness Week, GLAAD will continue to highlight stories of transgender individuals. The Religion, Faith & Values program thanks the Jewish Daily Forward for highlighting the story of transgender Jews. We will also continue to bring you transgender stories from a faith perspective. 

This week saw the debut issue of StandUp Magazine, a publication focused on highlighting positive stories of inclusion and fairness from the world of sports. StandUp Foundation founder Ben Cohen (who also graces the cover of the first issue) is a longtime ally of the LGBT community, and has been one of the leaders of current worldwide anti-bullying efforts throughout sports. Cohen said:

“It is time to celebrate a return to true sportsmanship and the spirit of fairness at its core. As sports role models, we have an incredible opportunity with StandUp Magazine to set an example for character in action, welcoming all to sports and creating good on and off the field.”Eric Carlyle, president at Media Out Loud Global LLC said, “StandUp Magazine brings a fantastic addition to our portfolio of properties. Sports culture is changing and it is time to document and share the people, attitudes and good works making that happen.”

A share of the profits from the magazine will go to the StandUp Foundation.

OutSports reports that StandUp Magazine will be available nationwide, with planned distribution through Barnes & Noble Booksellers and by subscription; it will be sampled and promoted to more than 1.5 million customers through other media properties and merchandise distribution channels.

You can subscribe at standup-magazine.com

Tonight, Showtime is airing the national television premiere of Wish Me Away, the documentary which chronicles country singer Chely Wright’s coming out  and the release of her book. Wish Me Away showcases the initial struggles she faced with her family, and the challenges she overcame in Nashville, country music’s epicenter, as one of the first out country singers.  Watch the film’s trailer below.

Wish Me Away has traveled the festival circuit for over a year, where it has received great reviews from critics and audiences alike.

Earlier this week Chely presented the Interfaith Alliance’s President’s Award to LGBT advocate and author of “CRISIS: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay In America,” Mitchell Gold, at the annual Walter Cronkite Faith & Freedom Award dinner in New York. Chely received the Award last year.

You can see a video of Chely at the GLAAD Media Awards below, and be sure to catch Wish Me Away from directors Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf tonight on Showtime at 8 pm.

As part of a series on bullying, KOB 4 News in New Mexico spoke to Jolee Al-Villar, a transgender woman who says she was forced out of her position at the Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) in Albuquerque by anti-transgender harassment. Jolee served in the Marine Corps and the Texas Air National Guard, and was highly decorated for her service before joining KAFB as a civil engineer. However, when she came out in 2005, she says she was mistreated at work. Jolee has filed a lawsuit against the United States Air Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory at KAFB, alleging that her supervisors made inappropriate comments and physical threats towards her, and that she was unfairly denied promotions. Litigation is currently pending.

During Transgender Awareness Week, it is especially important that media outlets report on stories like Jolee’s. Incidences of anti-transgender bias, discrimination and violence often go unaddressed or are misrepresented, but they occur on a regular basis. Adrien Lawyer, Director of the New Mexico Transgender Resource Center, spoke to KOB 4 about Jolee’s story, saying, “I wish that story was unusual in any of its detail, but it’s not. It’s very common.” The impact of these and other issues facing transgender people are recognized during Transgender Awareness Week, including alarming rates of anti-transgender violence that claims so many lives honored each year on the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Journalists can find out more about Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance here, and find resources for reporting on events around these observances here.

True Blood star Carrie Preston, Broadway's Nick Adams, and LGBT actorvist Wilson Cruz will be among the special guests at GLAAD Art Auction this weekend in Manhattan. The event, hosted by Good Morning America's Sam Champion and Rubem Robierb, will celebrate recent victories for marriage equality in Maine, Maryland and Washington, as well as the defeat of an anti-marriage amendment in Minnesota.

Right now, ticket buyers will receive a special half-off companion ticket with the purchase of admission. All proceeds benefit GLAAD's work to share stories from the LGBT community that build support for equality. To buy your tickets, click here.

GLAAD Art Auction will feature over 100 unique pieces of art from established and emerging artists. Guests will also enjoy hosted Ketel One cocktails, delicious hors d’oeuvres, as well as an exclusive VIP after party with special celebrity guests. Past auction items include works by Wassily Kandinsky, Annie Leibovitz, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Herb Ritts and more.

To see a complete list of participating artists, as well as special guests, click here.

As part of Transgender Awareness Week, Fenway Health has released a video for the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign started by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC). Fenway Health, which focuses the health and well-being of LGBT people, has been participating in Transgender Awareness Week by holding events and sharing graphics the highlight the issues transgender people face. In this new video created with MTPC, individuals share their experiences as transgender people and their commitment to being transgender allies, while discussing the work that Fenway Health is doing for the local transgender community.

Yesterday, GLAAD and MTPC released four new videos for the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign to coincide with Transgender Awareness Week. To find out more about Transgender Awareness Week and the I AM Trans People Speak campaign, visit www.glaad.org/transawarenessweek and www.glaad.org/transpeoplespeak.

This week is Transgender Awareness Week, which will culminate next Tuesday in the Transgender Day of Remembrance, where we remember those who lost their lives due to anti-trans violence. Memorials will be held around the country in various cities.

Faith communities may also memorialize those who have been lost. Congregations are encouraged to offer a petition in your worship services in recognition of the Transgender Day of Remembrance. The Lutheran LGBT organization, ReconcilingWorks has provided worship materials for congregations, including different forms of Confession and Forgiveness and Prayers of the People.

These worship resources are written by the Rev. Jay Wilson, a self-described queer and genderqueer transguy, autistic and disabled. He also identifies as a Lutheran postmodern, third-wave feminist, academic geek, disability rights activist, and social justice advocate. Rev. Wilson has a degree in social work as well as divinity, and has worked with homeless populations, in advocacy, and in academia. He is a member of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. 

Rev. Wilson notes that the resources were written for a Lutheran context, and may be adapted to other traditions, and he warns that this liturgy talks about violence, which may be difficult for some people.

One suggested confession includes these petitions:

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and one another.

Gracious God, Have mercy on us.

We confess that we have turned from you and from your claimed people.

We have given ourselves to the powers of sin in division, bickering, bullying, isolation, hatred, fear and oppression.

We have sinned against you and your people in judgmental thoughts, careless words, and fearful deeds; by what we have said and done, and by what we have left undone.

We have left members of our community isolated and alone.

We have not confronted hatred and violence.

We have left our own privilege and sexism unexamined.

We have failed to notice and challenge gender oppression in, with, and under our racism, ageism, classism, ableism, sizism, binary thinking, and all the other ways we oppress.

We have turned away from hunger and poverty, turned our backs on the suffering of most of our world.

We have loved our own comfort more than we have loved others.

We have put our gender norms before our love for you and for our neighbors.

Turn us again toward you, bringing us into full relationship through your Spirit with all of our neighbors.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us to walk in the ways of the table-turner, the oppression-healer and the community-builder. Let your Holy Spirit speak through us and guide us into community.

Amen

GLAAD is lifting up the lives and stories of transgender people for Transgender Awareness Week, as well as the Transgender Day of Remembrance. GLAAD is partnering with MTPC (the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition) to release new videos for the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign. You can participate in the I AM: Trans People Speak campaign by submitting your own video here.

GLAAD encourages all faith communities to participate in both Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance. These resources are a helpful way to get started. Let us know in the comments below what your faith community is planning to do/has already done.