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Sex Work: In Bed with the Religious Right
Is American sexual culture schizophrenic? Yes, and this has everything to do with the sexual politics of the religious right. Sexual opportunity is everywhere, but sexual rights have, at the same time, been concretely eroded.
Obama Quietly Declares June “LGBT Pride Month”
Was he speaking with too soft a voice? Many LGBT leaders think so, and are publicly expressing disappointment. But some cannot help but admire the president’s principled pragmatism.
“Troublemaker” Women Honored, Receive Ivy
What sort of religious institution honors a “run-like-hell Catholic” and the first Asian-American woman Rabbi, among others?
Sex and the Chosen People: Be Fruitful and Multiply, Etc.
From essays on same-sex segregation in Orthodoxy to the Jewish case against marriage to queer theology, this collection—edited by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg—offers everything you ever wanted to know about Judaism and sexuality but were afraid to ask.
Abortion Provider George Tiller Murdered at Church
The killing of a doctor who performed abortions—and saved many women’s lives—may be the result of a culture of religious extremism around the issue of abortion. Is violence the inevitable result of hate speech?
Obama’s Notre Dame Commencement: Common Ground on Abortion—Or Appeasement of Foes?
In his address to graduates, Obama urged “common ground” on abortion. The Rev. Dr. Carlton Veazey argues that if you accept that women are full persons in the eyes of God and the law, then you cannot stop working for women’s control over childbearing.
Capitalism and the Anti-Modern Pope
The Pope’s anti-modern critiques should not be waved off so easily, as many allegedly life-promoting institutions actually foster death. There is much in it that a progressive secularist could agree with—apart from feminism and sexual ethics.
Distortions Aside, Clergy Support Gay Rights in Surprising Numbers
Recently released results from a survey of mainline clergy reveals that, when policies are portrayed honestly, the number of clergy who support same-sex marriage, adoption, etc., nearly doubles.
Someone Has Been Giving Away Money
There have always been tensions between religious reasons to give anonymously and social demands for accountability in giving. In this case the money, millions and millions of it, is going to women-led educational institutions.
The Rage Behind Outrage
The director of a new documentary talks about Dick Cheney’s daughter, the arrogance of power, and the days when Republicans weren’t anti-gay.
The Unsung Speech at Notre Dame, A Postmortem
While President Obama’s speech has been praised, criticized, and otherwise picked over, an eminent conservative chosen to “balance” the president’s pro-choice position gave a surprisingly philosophical talk that may have unsettled conservative activists.
Glamour, Nostalgia, and Coming of Age: The Prom As Sacred
Whether prom signals triumph or terror, it’s a powerful rite of passage, endowed with an unmistakable aura of the sacred—if you know where to look.
Court Rules: Feminism is Not a Religion
When an Ivy League women’s studies department is sued for promoting the idea that women are divine princesses and men are minions of Satan, we are reminded that the act of defining religion is important work.
Carrie Prejean, God’s Prophet or Porn Star?
Miss California and her supporters seem oblivious to the possibility that theological consistency might lead to a conclusion that a god who prohibits gay marriage would not look favorably upon her breast augmentation surgery.
Of Values and Viruses: The Challenges for Obama’s New Global AIDS Coordinator
Dr. Eric Goosby, Obama’s pick to run the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief, will face the challenge of faith-based opposition to condom distribution, among other difficulties, when he assumes this important position.
Outrage Outs Closeted Pols Opposed to Gay Rights
Documentarian Kirby Dick maintains that his new film isn’t merely righteous mimicry of tabloid journalism.
AIDS Progress is Paradoxical
When you consider the Pope on condoms, a hospital’s failure to follow simple precautions, and the fading of activism, we’re still coming up short in the fight against AIDS. Still, even at the intersection of AIDS and religion, the news ain't all bad.
The Bible as Security Blanket, Blindfold, or Weapon
Drawing on sources as diverse as feminist theology, biblical criticism and Midrash, renowned poet Alicia Suskin Ostriker’s latest book of essays seeks to rescue the Bible from the clutches of narrow conservatism.
Better Gay at Work Than Gay in Church
A new report on the state of the workplace for LGBT Americans shows that the Fortune 500 is way ahead of churches when it comes to equal rights. In some cases it’s easier to be gay at Chevron than in church on Sunday morning.
Response: Gay or Black, It’s Still Church-Sanctioned Discrimination
To deny the parallels between the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for LGBTQ civil rights obscures the fact that the forces opposing both used the Bible and Christianity to do their dirty work.