This morning when I signed into Facebook I read the following status by a young woman who I have known since her birth. It read “I’m not sure how to tell everyone but I am tired of hiding it. I am gay” My response to her was “I didn’t realize it was a secret! Proud of you! Celebrate who God created you to be”. As I wrote my response I was taken back to a similar encounter some 25 years ago. In that case a friend of mine had “come out” and again I said “I didn’t know it was a secret.” At the time she told me that while many people suspected and some close people knew, she had never said it publically. Until she did no one knew for sure and for her, at that time, coming out was risky. There might have been negative consequences socially and in her job.
One would think that things have changed in 25 years and, while some things have, others have not. It is still risky to be gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgendered or anything other than straight. Just a few short months ago a young man in a neighbouring community was stabbed and left paralyzed just because he was gay and someone else felt threatened by that.
I read a story later this morning about a lesbian couple who had moved to Alberta. After settling into this small community their daughter became fast friends with a little girl down the street. One day the daughter came home in tears stating that her new friend was no longer able to play with her. When her “moms” checked in with the other child’s mother they were told “I didn’t think you two were lesbian because you said you were Christian”. I am not sure what being Christian has to do with it but apparently there are still many who believe that you cannot be both. It is unfortunate that the Christian view that appears to get the most publicity is that of being against persons of different sexual orientations. And yet there are many of us who know that we are all children of God, created in God’s image. Our sacred story speaks clearly about treating one another with dignity and respect and loving others as we ourselves want to be loved. Each of us have been given different gifts and we are called to share those gifts with the world. Jesus walked out into the marketplace and invited everyone to come to the banquet feast and continues to do the same today.
Shirley Erena Murray of New Zealand writes these words
For everyone born, a place at the table
To live without fear and simply be,
To work, to speak out, to witness and worship
For everyone born, the right to be free
And God will delight when we are creators
Of justice and joy, compassion and peace
Yes, God will delight when we are creators
Of justice, justice and joy.
Blessings,
Valerie