Dear person who made another homophobic joke,

I get it. Being politically correct is hard work, and it feels like your language is being policed constantly. You want to have the freedom of expression. But the problem is that you don’t want to deal with the repercussions when you’re called out for saying something that’s offensive to someone else.

I’m trying to understand where you’re coming from. I’m trying to see the world through your eyes–to see what prevails upon you to make the joke you just made about someone whose struggles and experiences you can’t even begin to understand.

But honestly, it’s not funny anymore.

What IS funny is how you want to have the freedom to say what you want, but I don’t have that same freedom without backlash.

What’s funny is that you don’t want to be politically correct, because you don’t want to feel responsible for the hurt you cause with your words.

What’s funny is that you claim to follow a God of love, but you do not love.

You preach grace, but you are not gracious. You preach kindness, but you are not kind.

What’s funny is that I used to laugh with you even though I was the brunt of your jokes. You didn’t know that. I’m not so convinced you would stop, even if you did know. And, it’s not funny. It’s not even close.

If I screamed out in pain every time you said something hurtful, would you get the message?

Words matter. Words have weight to them. Words can heal or they can hurt. They can pierce through someone’s heart like a dagger. Just because there’s no visible evidence like you’d see if someone is physically hurt, doesn’t mean it hurts any less.

Next time you make a joke at my expense, I may not sit there silently uncomfortable so that you can enjoy the privilege that you are not someone like me.

 

 

 

 

It’s been a while since I’ve written due to being physically and emotionally exhausted. I started counseling, so…yay 🙂 But, moving on to why I’m writing…

I love the work Eliel Cruz is doing in the LGBT community to make sure that people of faith are included in conversations about queer folks, as well as doing work within different faiths to make straight and/or cisgender people aware that there are LGBT people within their churches and places of worship who are just as committed to their faith. I will mostly be speaking from my experience as a Christian who has grown up under the Baptist denomination.

For me, #FaithfullyLGBT means that I shouldn’t have to choose between my faith and my sexual orientation or vice versa. I am both gay AND Christian. One does not diminish the other and both are a part of who I am as a human being. As a matter of fact, I think being gay AND Christian enhances my faith. Because I try to follow Christ’s example of loving everyone regardless of status, race, orientation, or gender, I am more aware of other groups of people around me who aren’t being treated like human beings with dignity and respect. And, as someone who is gay, I have experienced firsthand the discrimination within the church that comes with being different or “other.”

#FaithfullyLGBT is important as a social media movement because so many LGBTQI people not only deal with discrimination from others who are not queer but also discrimination within their faith communities. I am not currently out at my church or to my family because of the fear that people have when it comes to being queer. It doesn’t feel safe to be myself. Yet, I do not fully fit into the LGBT community due to Christians being a primary group that spews out homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.

Therefore, it is important to educate those outside the LGBT community in the church, that we are people who are deserving of respect, love, representation, and dignity as human beings. Please help support this campaign by donating to and promoting #FaithfullyLGBT.