Consistent with our core values outlined in the CTS 2030: Project Transformation strategic plan, CTS continues to prioritize affirming God-given human dignity, working towards justice for all, and embracing diversity. Over the course of the 2024-2025 academic year, a committee consisting of staff, faculty, alum, trustee, and senior leadership stakeholders adopted the name Imago DEI and established the following theological commitments to its ongoing work even as the landscape of the work continues to shift.  

Image Dei Committee Commitments 

The gospel of Jesus Christ and the testimony of scripture compels us as a theological learning community to give witness to and act in ways that affirm God’s transformative love, restorative care, and life-affirming concern for all humans as divine image bearers: 

• As the work of the gospel, we create and support opportunities for all to flourish and live fully into their vocational call and potential. Difference is not a distraction but an opportunity for us to best serve the world God loves and the church God empowers. (Exodus 31:1-11, Ephesians 4:11-16)
• There is room for everyone. We are one body with many members. We take joy in fortifying our learning community through explicit practices of welcome, making sacred space for authentic self-expression, and encouraging transformative pedagogy. (Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 12:2)

Towards the goal of God’s shalom and the Beloved Community, we are committed to: 

• Seminary-wide learning about our theological vision of God’s presence in people of all ethnicities, races, and backgrounds and what that means for our shared life together as a community. (Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:17)
• Clear expression of this theological orientation and commitment in our teaching, communal programs, and public theology. (Habakkuk 2:2, 1 Peter 2:9-12)
• Review of seminary policies and procedures to ensure alignment with this core theological conviction. (Lamentations 3:20, 2 Corinthians 13:5)

We celebrate the strides our community makes to affirm the Imago DEI in all. As stated in the President’s State of the Seminary address, we as a Seminary remain “clear eyed” around challenges and steadfast in our commitment to live our core values.  

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CTS alumni have an incredible impact in our communities. They often lead innovative new ways for beloved community to find places of belonging, particularly for those who are sometimes left on the margins. This is certainly true of Our Kaleidoscope Community, Inc. in Indianapolis. What began as a ministry of Roberts Park United Methodist Church (RPUMC) in Indianapolis has blossomed into a new nonprofit under the leadership of CTS alum, Pastrix Carmen Daugherty (MDiv ’22).

Kaleidoscope is committed to providing safe, sober, social spaces for LGBTQ+ people to gather on a regular basis. They meet every Thursday from 5:30-8:00p.  While they still meet at RPUMC, they now occupy the 4th floor of the education wing at 401 N. Delaware Street.  “People go to church every Sunday. Why shouldn’t queer people have a place to go once a week for community?” Daugherty stated. “Kaleidoscope is unique because there are no age limits, and we represent every letter of the LGBTQ+ alphabet (and all the demis too!) You’ll find members of the Silent Generation talking to Millenials, Gen Z bonding with Gen X, and so forth.  We also have a diverse faith community which means we celebrate and learn about the holy days of all our members.”

While some would not say that Kaleidoscope is a church because it lacks a sacred text, dogma, and rituals, Daugherty refutes that idea.  “Kaleidoscope IS the church in its purest form.  Kaleidoscope is an example of what the early church looked like before it became the official religion of the Royal Empire.  At Kaleidoscope we eat together, support each other, encourage each other, and help each other.  This is what the kin-dom looks like.”

Kaleidoscope even has its own “ministry” called #SelfMade.  Through this program, gender affirming care boxes are sent to trans and non-binary individuals who cannot afford the items they need to feel comfortable in their own body.  They are sent at absolutely no cost to the recipient.  So far over one hundred people have been helped through this program in twenty-three states.

Daugherty sees a bright future for Kaleidoscope.  “We have big plans; plans to transform the world into a safe place for all people, but we can’t do it alone.”  If you would like to know more about Kaleidoscope, volunteer, or donate to their cause, you can visit their website at www.kaleidoscopeinc.org.

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June marks the celebration and honoring of Pride and Juneteenth. These intersectional holidays remind us of the importance of celebrating diversity, inclusivity, and liberation in our world. At CTS, we are committed to fostering a culture of acceptance and understanding, where all individuals are welcomed and affirmed for who they are. In this spirit, we are delighted to share an insightful article that explores the intersection of faith, identity, and race, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion. The article, titled “He feared coming out. Now this pastor wants to help Black churches become as welcoming as his own” and written by Darren Sands of the Associated Press, discusses evolving attitudes within the Black Church towards LGBTQ+ inclusion. It shares the experiences of Rev. Brandon Thomas Crowley, a Black pastor who came out as gay in 2015 and addresses the intersectionality of faith and LGBTQ+ identity, a topic of growing importance within religious communities. It also highlights the ongoing dialogue and shifts in perspectives within the Black Church, reflecting broader societal changes regarding LGBTQ+ acceptance. Lastly, it provides valuable insights for counselors and faith leaders navigating issues of identity, inclusion, and support within their communities. By sharing this article, we hope it will help you foster dialogue, understanding, and reflection to promote greater empathy and inclusivity.

As we honor the struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month and reflect on the ongoing journey toward racial justice and freedom on Juneteenth, this article serves as a timely reminder of the values of love, acceptance, and equality that lie at the heart of our mission at CTS. Join us in celebrating the diversity of human experience and affirming the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.

Click the image below to read the original article in its entirety.

(AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

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This Faith & Action Project story lifts up grant recipient Indiana Youth Group and the difference it makes in the lives of LGBTQIA+ teens.

“She came to us feeling broken.”

Describing one of her organization’s clients, Indiana Youth Group (IYG) Young Adult Services Director Kenya Anderson quickly added that, a year-and-a-half later, “She’s still struggling, but she’s hopeful.”

Anderson shared that the “client who was feeling broken” is a trans youth who had experienced emotional and physical abuse from a parent and stepparent who didn’t accept her as she is. The young woman had been cutting herself and considering suicide, Anderson said. With no idea what to do, she came to IYG.

Now? She’s participating in counseling at IYG, enrolled at Ivy Tech, and working on getting healthy. She hasn’t solved all of her problems, but with the support she’s receiving, she does have one thing that is making a huge difference: hope.

In the Faith & Action Project’s effort to accelerate and highlight the organizations that are effective in breaking the cycle of poverty and bringing hope to the lives of the most vulnerable, we sought out a conversation recently with IYG, the recipient of a 2023 Faith & Action Grant.

Targeting mental health services and case management support for the LGBTQ+ individuals aged 12 to 24 that IYG serves, the $20,000 grant has been used to add to IYG’s staff of therapists, who help clients deal with mental health issues and navigate the system of community resources and supports that can help them avoid long-term poverty.

These days, a key part of IYG’s services is stable housing. “Many LGBTQ+ youth find themselves forced out of their homes or in untenable living situations,” said IYG CEO Chris Paulsen. To respond to this crisis – and to a request from the City of Indianapolis – in 2020 IYG launched Project Prism, a rapid rehousing program for LGBTQ+ youth. The program helps clients settle into long-term housing of their choice and surrounds them with education and employment services, basic needs support, mental and general health services, and case management.

To help clients establish credit, IYG puts housing, utilities, and more into the client’s name while also providing guidance on budgeting and ensuring bills get paid. Over time, the client takes on full fiscal responsibility. Today, more than 60 individuals are being housed through the Prism Project.

Housing was not on IYG’s agenda when it was created in 1987 as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ individuals, but it has become a focus as the organization has recognized the key role housing plays in long-term stability. In this way, housing is similar to other programs IYG has created: they expand the organization’s mission in response to what’s happening in the lives of the people it serves. “A lot of our services are built on the needs we see,” Paulsen said.

This follow-the-need approach has sparked growth and evolution in IYG, which now offers a wide range of programs, including a food pantry, clothes closet, testing for HIV and STDs, yoga, nutrition counseling, and more. The organization is also expanding geographically, moving into Indiana cities where there are not similar organizations or where existing organizations need to be strengthened.

“We’re being intentional and looking for places to go. We’ve already opened two locations and we’re looking at two more this year,” Paulsen said. “IYG expects to expand to 10 locations over five years.”

One of the greatest limiters to growth will be people, Paulsen said. IYG’s work is incredibly relational and labor-intensive, so it takes a lot of people to deliver its services. While this means the organization will need resources to add paid staff – over a few years, it has grown from seven employees to 37 – it also needs volunteers, she said.

“Our programs don’t operate without volunteers,” Paulsen said.

When we asked if they look to congregations as a source of community volunteers, IYG Senior Manager of Resource Development Shelly Fitzgerald said yes, but added a hesitation. “We would invite individuals from opening and affirming congregations to work with us if they are open to learning about LGBTQ+ issues and want to uphold the dignity of the individuals we serve,” she said.

Fitzgerald also noted that many LGBTQ+ youth want to find community in a church, but, having been previously judged or pushed away, they are afraid to approach any faith community. For this reason, it’s imperative that faith communities are open and vocal in their support.

“We need a positive narrative that’s louder than the negative,” Fitzgerald said.

If your faith community would like to help LGBTQ+ youth avoid or emerge from poverty, IYG and the Faith & Action Project would like to work with you, collaborating to ensure hope, equity and a pathway to stability are available to all. Please contact Faith & Action Director Lindsey Rabinowitch to get connected.

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Bob Shaw’s (MDiv ‘73) journey from naivety about LGBTQ+ issues to becoming a dedicated advocate is emblematic of the evolution of allyship in the LGBTQ+ community. His experiences span over four decades, during which he witnessed both the progress and challenges faced by the community. In his role as a Council Member for the Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance, he represents a growing alliance between the LGBTQ+ community and their straight, cisgender allies. Bob’s story and reflections offer insights into the importance of allies in the LGBTQ+ community, their role in amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, and the delicate art of using one’s privilege without overshadowing the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ leaders.

Bob’s story begins in the heart of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as a straight, white, cisgender male. Growing up in Kentucky, he recalls a time when discussions about homosexuality were practically nonexistent. This changed when he attended seminary in the late ’60s, where conversations about inclusivity, love, and Jesus’s teachings reshaped his understanding.

During his seminary years at CTS, Bob, like many of his peers, was engaged in theological discussions that touched on civil rights and the Gospel’s liberating power. These conversations affirmed the belief that the love of Jesus extends to all, regardless of sexual orientation. However, at that point in his life, these discussions remained largely theoretical.

The turning point in his journey came when he learned that a close friend from seminary, Richard, had come out as homosexual. Richard’s story was one of struggle, self-denial, and eventually acceptance. His experience opened Bob’s eyes to the very real pain and suffering that LGBTQ+ individuals often face. It was no longer just a theological concept but a reality that hit close to home.

Richard worked for their denominational publishing body, and when he was outed at work and refused to deny being gay, Richard was fired on the spot. Bob was shocked, facing the underlying danger of his own implicit bias as he surrounded his friend with loving support and was appalled by the actions of Richard’s employer. Bob’s friendship with Richard inspired him to get actively involved in the LGBTQ+ advocacy movement. He realized that there was a crucial need for advocacy and support within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly within his own Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination.

As the LGBTQ+ movement gained momentum, Bob found himself at a crucial juncture. At the 1977 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Bob bore witness to the injustices faced by Richard.  He recognized that it was time to become not just supportive but visible in advocating for the rights and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals within the church. This led to Bob’s active participation in major resolutions related to inclusiveness within the church, even speaking on the assembly floor with thousands of people present. This transformation from passive support to vocal advocacy was a significant shift in his life and faith journey.

As Bob continued to engage with the LGBTQ+ community, he became a charter member of the GLAD (Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples) Alliance, now known as the Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance, an unofficial yet influential movement within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This journey, from naivety to active advocacy, highlights the power of allies in the LGBTQ+ community and their role in championing acceptance and inclusivity.

Bob acknowledges the significant strides made in LGBTQ+ acceptance but remains aware of ongoing challenges, especially concerning LGBTQ+ education and policies. Recent attacks on LGBTQ+-friendly initiatives, particularly in schools, have raised concerns. He stresses the importance of “intersectionality.” In the early days, LGBTQ+ allies worked alongside the LGBTQ+ community with a sense of unity. Over time, he observed a subtle shift where discussions seemed to prioritize specific issues or types of discrimination. He encourages a return to the spirit of common purpose and unity among allies and the LGBTQ+ community.

Bob’s personal journey as an ally had led him to reflect on his “Position of Privilege” (what he calls his POP) as a straight, white, cis male. He recognizes that his privilege offers a unique platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ issues. In the past, he has used this privilege to speak out in situations where LGBTQ+ individuals couldn’t, knowing that there would be minimal consequences for him.

However, the landscape is changing. Society is reevaluating the concept of privilege, and this shift is especially pronounced within the LGBTQ+ community. He acknowledges the ongoing conversation about the role of allies with privilege, whether it remains a useful tool or becomes a liability that overshadows LGBTQ+ voices.

Bob’s humility and self-awareness serve as a guiding light for allies navigating the evolving role of privilege. He emphasizes that allies with privilege still have a role to play, but it’s not the same high-profile leadership that was once necessary. Instead, the emphasis is on collaboration, listening, and continued exploration of how allies can contribute effectively.

In Bob’s full reflection on his Power of Privilege below, we find a powerful message for allies and the LGBTQ+ community at large: the journey towards equality is multifaceted, involving continuous self-awareness, intersectional unity, and an evolving understanding of privilege. It’s a journey that requires commitment, resilience, and unwavering support for the voices that need to be heard. Bob suggests that allies with privilege must adapt their role, embracing collaboration, listening, and continually exploring how they can contribute effectively to the LGBTQ+ movement. His story reminds us that sometimes, transformation begins when we move from passive acceptance to actively advocating for those whose voices need to be heard and celebrated.

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Indy Pride is right around the corner on Saturday, June 10, and CTS is excited to support the festival with two booths. One booth will highlight information about the degrees and programs CTS offers, and the second will focus on the Counseling Center and mental health services available to the community. Both booths were organized by CTS staff, students, and alumni and will have giveaway swag for festival visitors.  

Pride is a celebration of all people stepping into their fullest selves, a safe space where everyone can be proud of who they are and their place of belonging in our human community. It is an opportunity for all of us to show communal love and support, particularly for those who identify as LGBTQIA+. The celebration is an intentional show of solidarity for those who have faced ostracism, persecution, and hatred – particularly those who identify as LGBTQIA+. 

Come out to Indy Pride on Saturday, June 10, and be sure to stop by the CTS booths to say hello! 

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by: Rev. Dr. Amy Lindeman Allen, CTS Assistant Professor of New Testament 

I met an incredible human being last month—actually, I met many incredible people, but one individual stands out.  

In April, in the interim between our Indiana state legislature passing laws targeting LGBTQIA+ youth, especially by denying classroom protections and gender affirming healthcare, and our governor signing these discriminatory bills into law, I had the opportunity, together with fellow CTS faculty, students, and alums, to attend two gatherings at the Statehouse to speak out against this slate of hate.  

The first gathering, a vigil of lament led by Indiana interfaith leaders, called upon Governor Holcomb to veto the anti-trans healthcare bill. Which he did not. The second gathering, sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) decried this slate of hate and rallied those gathered around continued affirmation of all Hoosiers in our diversity of identities.  

It was at this latter gathering that I had the opportunity to encounter the incredible young woman on the left in the photograph above. Asked to speak as the representative faith leader at the ACLU rally, I confess that I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to say. My core conviction that God created all people in God’s image and calls us all good, of course, was easy to articulate. But how to make this relevant – to the amazing group of people who were cheering encouragingly as seasoned trans advocates and individuals giving their personal testimony took the stage, to those listening with rapt attention as we were treated to our own impromptu Drag Queen Story Hour – that I was becoming increasingly less confident of as each successive speaker took the stage.  

When it was finally my turn, as I was standing beside the ACLU organizer making my introduction, I believe the Holy Spirit herself led me to notice the sign of a girl about the age of my own daughter, standing in the front row. Her sign read, simply, “Love thy neighbor.” And, ultimately, this is the commandment that all world faiths call us to follow. As I took the microphone, I let this child be my guide and asked her to raise her sign for the assembly to see. Then, alongside of affirmations of God’s love for all of God’s people—gay, straight, bi; cis, trans; queer—I reminded those gathered that it was precisely children like this young girl we were gathered to support and that we would do well to listen to her words.  

After the rally, the young girl in question and her mother came up to me and asked if we could take this picture. I affirmed them both for their witness and this incredible child said to me, “I hope to be on the stage telling my story next year!” I encouraged her and told her I couldn’t wait to hear it. Then, as we were walking away from the event, it occurred to me—this was a gathering speaking out against this year’s dangerous and discriminatory legislation…and this child took it for granted that a similar gathering would be necessary again next year. 

Unfortunately, as we follow the legislature in Indiana, including the governor’s signing both of these harmful bills in question into law in the days following these gatherings, this expectation seems all too likely to come to pass. And yet, with the conviction of this young person and so many others like her, we who call ourselves Christians are charged to follow Christ’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Indeed, to step out and act with such love even when the odds are against us is at the very heart of the Christian witness.  

As Saint Paul writes, citing Abraham as an example who believed, “in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist…Hoping against hope, he believed” (Romans 4:17-18) 

Indeed, Paul exhorts us who would follow Abraham’s example:  

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Romans 5:1-5).  

So, friends, even as we climb the uphill battle, I pray that you will join me in not losing hope. Already, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana on behalf of transgender youth and their families and healthcare providers, challenging this new law that prohibits the provision of medically-necessary healthcare to these families. As we, as a seminary community, continue to affirm the God given dignity of all human persons, may we, like the young person I met last month, continue to show up and be a voice for care, compassion, and justice in our state. 

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by Tonya Schrougham

CTS Student Council President, MDiv/MACMHC Student, CMHC Intern

Fear is a powerful emotion.  It taps into a primal place in ways that many other emotions do not.  It is linked to our survival instincts.  It warns and protects us while simultaneously being unpredictable and at times unreliable.  In nature we discuss fear in terms of fight, flight, or freeze.  In society we often celebrate an ability to ignore the fear responses and push through regardless.  Fear at its core is intended to be a fleeting response.  It is a reactionary emotion intended to remove us from immediate danger.  It is the motivation for a deer or rabbit to escape a predator.  It is the human response that enables us to remove ourselves from threatening and potentially harmful situations.

As I have sat with the idea of fear in relation to the current attacks against the LGBTQIA+ community, I am struck by the fear on both sides.  The attacks themselves come from a place of deep fear.  A fear that a group of people are losing their power.  They are at risk of losing their uniqueness that has made them feel special, powerful, and significant.  The fear seems to really drive a fight response, compelling them to aggressively go after what threatens their sense of safety.  The perspective of the other does not matter when survival instincts are triggered.

The other side of fear is the lived LGBTQIA+ experience.  Aggressive survival instincts produce fear responses from those toward whom the aggression is being directed.  The fear responses in this group appear to be much more diverse and arguably more traumatizing.  There are those that push back in the form of protests, filibusters, and using their voices across social media platforms.  There are others that freeze.  They hide their true selves or in the case of minors in states where trans care is under attack, they are forced to conform to a social norm rather than having autonomy and significance.  Their exploration of who they are is halted either by their own fear at the hostile environment or by government overreach into their personal and family life.  Then, there are those that survive by flight.  This becomes a particularly challenging fear response as safe places vary greatly.  Economic considerations might make actual flight not feasible so it can heighten the sense of threat.  Regardless of the specific response triggered, however, the end result for this community becomes an extended experience of the fight, flight, or freeze response.

A 2020 article from Harvard Medical School explored the stress response related to extended experiences of the fight or flight response.  The article points out that research related to the physical effects shows an increase in blood pressure, increased risk of blood clots, and potential brain changes.  Psychologically, those brain changes can contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction.  The psychological impacts are such that increased risk of suicide is a given the longer an individual is suspended in the fear response.

Three techniques the article suggests to counter stress that may impact both physical and psychological health are Relaxation, Physical Activity, and Social Support.  In the context of what can feel like a battle at times, relaxation can seem borderline ridiculous, but it can be so important.  A great resource for some practices that will contribute to self-compassion and help with relaxation are available at www.self-compassion.org.  Physical activity doesn’t always need to be a trip to the gym.  Time in nature can be incredibly helpful in addressing both the physical activity and relaxation component.  And last, but probably most important is the social connection.  Whether we are part of the LGBTQ+ community or consider ourselves an ally, social connection is key to survival.  We need others.  Check on your friends.  How can you offer support in ways that are true to you?  Remember, not all of us lead protest marches, although that is important.  Some of us sit on buses and quietly, calmly refuse to move.  Some of us run for political office and determinedly engage in a filibuster.  Community can have an incredible impact on the mental health of the individual.  When we feel that we are part of something and have others that genuinely see us it can be life giving and lifesaving.

References:

Understanding the stress response. Harvard Health. (2020, July 6). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

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by Dr. Felicity Kelcourse, MMin, PhD, LMHC

CTS Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Psychology of Religion

Thirty years ago, a woman told me she had grown up believing, as a Christian, that it was only right for her to marry a man. She later came to believe that she was not being true to the person God created her to be, that God would not want her to live a lie. She amicably divorced the man she had married and found the female partner she is with today.

Much has changed since then. The supreme court has affirmed the legal right for women to choose women, and men to choose men, as the life partners they love. When you see two people who love each other, it is easy to believe that these loving unions cannot be a bad thing, that God is always on the side of love.

Stigma still exists towards lesbians and gay men. Removing that prejudice means that people are free to follow their hearts and not pretend to be someone they’re not for the sake of social convention. But stigma remains for persons born intersex, some of whom identify as transgender. What most heterosexuals don’t know is that sex is assigned at birth purely on visual inspection of a baby’s genitals, physical traits that may or may not reflect a person’s actual sense of gender identity.

In 2018, Amnesty International declared an Intersex Awareness Day, identifying myths many heterosexuals believe.

Myth 1: Everyone is born either male or female and Myth 2: Being Intersex is very rare.  In fact, by some estimates as many as one in 1000 babies are born intersex by virtue of natural variations that affect genitals, gonads, hormones, chromosomes, or reproductive organs. Sometimes these characteristics are visible at birth, sometimes they appear at puberty, and sometimes they are not physically apparent at all.

Myth 3: Being intersex is a condition that needs to be corrected: Doctors and parents may decide on a gender at birth, performing surgery to ‘normalize’ intersex children, potentially causing lifelong physical and emotional suffering. Children have a right to participate in these decisions when they are old enough to speak for themselves.

Myth 4: Intersex people are transgender. Being intersex is not the same as being transgender. Physical sexual characteristics do not determine our gender identity, or who we are attracted to. Transgender simply means that a person’s gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. “An intersex person may be straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or asexual, and may identify as female, male, both or neither”. Intersex and trans people have the right to choose their own gender identity, and not be forced to live with bodies or identities they do not feel comfortable with.[1]

If we honor God as Creator, what right do heterosexuals have to say that LBGTI persons are not created in the image and likeness of God? It is essential to our psychological, physical, and spiritual health for each of us to honor the truth of our created being, not forced by society to live a lie.

Ten years ago, I watched my daughter’s best friend transition from female to male. I know it was hard for this friend’s mother to “lose” a daughter, and it was a difficult transition for the friend, given the social prejudice that the only “right” way to be a person is to be either male or female. But I see the confidence this young person has gained, now that he can present himself as the person he knows himself to be. The gender affirming care he chose and received was an essential part of his successful transition.

The transphobic legislation being considered and enacted in Indiana is not the way of love. To honor God as Creator means to love and honor all of humanity, including people who may not look and love like heterosexuals. To honor God as Creator is to love all God’s children. If we listen to our neighbors with our hearts, loving them as we wish to be loved, we will know this to be true.

References:

[1] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/10/its-intersex-awareness-day-here-are-5-myths-we-need-to-shatter/ accessed 3 19 2023

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