Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Many Voices part 4
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
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Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Questions you may have about God & LGBT
Because of outdated Biblical teachings, many gay and transgender Christians ask themselves if God can ever truly love them. This 6×9 card responds to this and other urgent questions in a loving and compassionate way.
Order both our cards in packs of 10 or 50 in our shop.Share this card with LGBT and non-LGBT alike – family, friends, pastors, church leaders, and anyone with whom you’d like to open dialogue.
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/god-lgbt/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Worship
Black Church Conversations
Biblical Themes
Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Rituals & Blessings
Music & Media
Church Seasons
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Questions you may have about God & LGBT
Because of outdated Biblical teachings, many gay and transgender Christians ask themselves if God can ever truly love them. This 6×9 card responds to this and other urgent questions in a loving and compassionate way.
Order both our cards in packs of 10 or 50 in our shop.Share this card with LGBT and non-LGBT alike – family, friends, pastors, church leaders, and anyone with whom you’d like to open dialogue.
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/god-lgbt/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Worship
Black Church Conversations
Biblical Themes
Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Rituals & Blessings
Music & Media
Church Seasons
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What does “gender diversity” mean?
Sex and gender. They’re always present, they’re important aspects of who we are, yet they’re rarely discussed in a thoughtful way.
The following definitions are intended to provide a framework for discussion about gender – physical sex, assigned sex, gender identity, gender role, gender presentation, and perceived gender.
Note, first, that even researchers and clinicians disagree about the use of the words sex and gender. You may be accustomed to using those words in a different way than they’re used here. If so, please don’t let that sidetrack you. Instead, listen for the concepts underlying the words.
Physical sex
Physical sex is often identified simplistically in terms of the genitals we have, but physical sex is much more than that. Just as human beings come in many shapes, sizes and colors, we also come in many varieties of physical sex, based on our own unique combination of chromosomes, hormones, and physical characteristics.
Inspecting a newborn’s genitals to determine whether the baby is a boy or a girl can be inconclusive or misleading. Experts have estimated that approximately one percent of babies (at least 40,000 annually in the United States alone) are born with bodies that differ in some way from what is considered standard for males or females.
Some babies have physical characteristics that lead to confusion about whether they’re male or female.
…My wife and I just had our first baby. People keep asking, Is it a girl or a boy?” and I don’t know what to say because the baby has what the doctors call ambiguous genitals. The doctors are recommending a series of surgeries to “correct” the problem. I’ve never heard of this. I usually follow doctors’ recommendations, but I don’t know what to do. I feel so alone.
Other atypical aspects of physical, genetic, and brain sex are invisible to the eye but may become apparent later, perhaps at puberty, or become apparent only if genetic tests are performed.
Assigned sex
Assigned sex is what people declare a baby to be at birth. Assignment is the answer to the question, “Is it a girl or a boy?” Most of us don’t realize that sex was assigned to us, and we take for granted that we are the male or female that we were originally said to be.
However, sometimes sex is ambiguous, as in the above example, but even when a baby’s genitals look the way we expect them to, sex assignment on that basis alone isn’t necessarily accurate.
…Our child was born with a girl’s body, externally, but when she was about four, our doctor noticed a slight bulge in her groin. After blood work and ultrasound, we learned that she had male chromosomes (XY) and testes rather than ovaries.
Still other people have unambiguous genitals, but have a profound sense that their assignment was wrong, and they’re deeply troubled by the bind they find themselves in.
Gender identity
Gender identity is a person’s internal understanding of their own true gender. Most people never question or contradict their assigned sex. They were declared to be a boy or girl at birth, and that suits them completely.
Some children, however, know from a very young age that their assigned gender and apparent physical sex are wrong for them, that they are really the other gender.
…My nephew is four years old. He’s been telling his parents for two years that he’s a girl and wants to wear dresses. My brother is beside himself. He keeps pointing to the child’s penis and saying, “You’re a boy, just like Daddy.” But the kid won’t buy it and is getting more sullen by the day.
For some people, neither male nor female fits their understanding of themselves.
…I’m 24 years old and look androgynous. People don’t know what I am. I don’t feel that either label—male or female—fits me. I’ve been trying to explain this to my mom, but she doesn’t get it. She keeps saying that I have to decide whether I’m a boy or a girl. I’m so frustrated.
Gender role
Gender role is what society says is appropriate for males and females, including dress, behavior, and other activities such as using a particular restroom.
When children encounter gender role restrictions that don’t make sense to them, they often conclude that they have a problem and begin monitoring themselves to make sure they don’t step outside the gender role considered appropriate for their assigned sex. For example, you’ve probably known
• an intelligent girl who played dumb to try to become more popular, or
• a boy who held back tears at his grandfather’s funeral because boys aren’t supposed to cry.
We often forget how culturally specific gender roles are, that what is acceptable in one culture is completely unacceptable in another. For example,
• In the United States, adult women are allowed to drive; in some countries, it is forbidden.
• In some countries, men express their affection for each other freely; in the United States, doing so can be dangerous.
Gender presentation
Gender presentation is the way people express their gender or gender role outwardly—including
• Clothing and jewelry they choose,
• Their mannerisms,
• The way they walk and use their hands,
• Their hairstyle,
• The interests they express, and
• Their speech.
If you stand on a street corner in any major city, you can observe a huge range of choices to express gender. And if you look back at your own life, you may remember different periods of experimenting with or changing how you presented yourself as a man or woman.
…I’m a 34-year-old woman. When I was a kid, I felt comfortable only in boys’ clothes. I was so relieved when I grew up and no longer had to fight with my parents over dresses. I wear men’s clothes all the time, and people are fine with it The only exception is the choir I sing in, which requires women to wear long skirts and men to wear tuxes. It’s not that I want to wear a tux, but I find wearing that skirt incredibly stressful.
Perceived gender
Perceived gender is how someone appears to others. Think about how you “know’ whether someone is male or female. We usually see people clothes, so we perceive gender based on gender presentation and how they fit society’s gender roles.
We may think that we can always tell whether someone is male or female, but what we perceive can be inaccurate. For example, at first glance, many people perceive the woman in the photo on this page to be male because of the way she dresses and carries herself.
As another example, look at the photo of the other person. You probably see him as male, and he agrees. Your perception and his own male gender identity, however, don’t match the sex he was assigned at birth: female.
What does all this mean?
Take a moment to consider the distinctions we’ve just made between physical sex, assigned sex, gender identity, gender role, gender presentation, and perceived gender. You probably can’t remember how you learned about your own gender, your physical sex, or the sex you were assigned. We learn these things before we learn to talk. Most of us take them for granted and assume that everyone else does too.
Then again, you may be able to recall some of the ways you learned about what was considered appropriate for boys and girls. You probably learned these things as a very young child by watching your family and friends. You may remember instances when you unknowingly crossed a gender line and were corrected, ridiculed, or punished.
Of course, if you objected to the rules, they were probably rigidly enforced. For example, if you were a girl who didn’t want to wear dresses, or a boy who did, you were probably not given a choice, but made to conform.
Notice that we haven’t mentioned sexual orientation. Many people confuse gender and sexual orientation, and although they’re related, they’re quite separate issues.
Adapted from Made in God’s Image
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-does-gender-diversity-mean/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Worship
Black Church Conversations
Biblical Themes
Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Rituals & Blessings
Music & Media
Church Seasons
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What does “gender diversity” mean?
Sex and gender. They’re always present, they’re important aspects of who we are, yet they’re rarely discussed in a thoughtful way.
The following definitions are intended to provide a framework for discussion about gender – physical sex, assigned sex, gender identity, gender role, gender presentation, and perceived gender.
Note, first, that even researchers and clinicians disagree about the use of the words sex and gender. You may be accustomed to using those words in a different way than they’re used here. If so, please don’t let that sidetrack you. Instead, listen for the concepts underlying the words.
Physical sex
Physical sex is often identified simplistically in terms of the genitals we have, but physical sex is much more than that. Just as human beings come in many shapes, sizes and colors, we also come in many varieties of physical sex, based on our own unique combination of chromosomes, hormones, and physical characteristics.
Inspecting a newborn’s genitals to determine whether the baby is a boy or a girl can be inconclusive or misleading. Experts have estimated that approximately one percent of babies (at least 40,000 annually in the United States alone) are born with bodies that differ in some way from what is considered standard for males or females.
Some babies have physical characteristics that lead to confusion about whether they’re male or female.
…My wife and I just had our first baby. People keep asking, Is it a girl or a boy?” and I don’t know what to say because the baby has what the doctors call ambiguous genitals. The doctors are recommending a series of surgeries to “correct” the problem. I’ve never heard of this. I usually follow doctors’ recommendations, but I don’t know what to do. I feel so alone.
Other atypical aspects of physical, genetic, and brain sex are invisible to the eye but may become apparent later, perhaps at puberty, or become apparent only if genetic tests are performed.
Assigned sex
Assigned sex is what people declare a baby to be at birth. Assignment is the answer to the question, “Is it a girl or a boy?” Most of us don’t realize that sex was assigned to us, and we take for granted that we are the male or female that we were originally said to be.
However, sometimes sex is ambiguous, as in the above example, but even when a baby’s genitals look the way we expect them to, sex assignment on that basis alone isn’t necessarily accurate.
…Our child was born with a girl’s body, externally, but when she was about four, our doctor noticed a slight bulge in her groin. After blood work and ultrasound, we learned that she had male chromosomes (XY) and testes rather than ovaries.
Still other people have unambiguous genitals, but have a profound sense that their assignment was wrong, and they’re deeply troubled by the bind they find themselves in.
Gender identity
Gender identity is a person’s internal understanding of their own true gender. Most people never question or contradict their assigned sex. They were declared to be a boy or girl at birth, and that suits them completely.
Some children, however, know from a very young age that their assigned gender and apparent physical sex are wrong for them, that they are really the other gender.
…My nephew is four years old. He’s been telling his parents for two years that he’s a girl and wants to wear dresses. My brother is beside himself. He keeps pointing to the child’s penis and saying, “You’re a boy, just like Daddy.” But the kid won’t buy it and is getting more sullen by the day.
For some people, neither male nor female fits their understanding of themselves.
…I’m 24 years old and look androgynous. People don’t know what I am. I don’t feel that either label—male or female—fits me. I’ve been trying to explain this to my mom, but she doesn’t get it. She keeps saying that I have to decide whether I’m a boy or a girl. I’m so frustrated.
Gender role
Gender role is what society says is appropriate for males and females, including dress, behavior, and other activities such as using a particular restroom.
When children encounter gender role restrictions that don’t make sense to them, they often conclude that they have a problem and begin monitoring themselves to make sure they don’t step outside the gender role considered appropriate for their assigned sex. For example, you’ve probably known
• an intelligent girl who played dumb to try to become more popular, or
• a boy who held back tears at his grandfather’s funeral because boys aren’t supposed to cry.
We often forget how culturally specific gender roles are, that what is acceptable in one culture is completely unacceptable in another. For example,
• In the United States, adult women are allowed to drive; in some countries, it is forbidden.
• In some countries, men express their affection for each other freely; in the United States, doing so can be dangerous.
Gender presentation
Gender presentation is the way people express their gender or gender role outwardly—including
• Clothing and jewelry they choose,
• Their mannerisms,
• The way they walk and use their hands,
• Their hairstyle,
• The interests they express, and
• Their speech.
If you stand on a street corner in any major city, you can observe a huge range of choices to express gender. And if you look back at your own life, you may remember different periods of experimenting with or changing how you presented yourself as a man or woman.
…I’m a 34-year-old woman. When I was a kid, I felt comfortable only in boys’ clothes. I was so relieved when I grew up and no longer had to fight with my parents over dresses. I wear men’s clothes all the time, and people are fine with it The only exception is the choir I sing in, which requires women to wear long skirts and men to wear tuxes. It’s not that I want to wear a tux, but I find wearing that skirt incredibly stressful.
Perceived gender
Perceived gender is how someone appears to others. Think about how you “know’ whether someone is male or female. We usually see people clothes, so we perceive gender based on gender presentation and how they fit society’s gender roles.
We may think that we can always tell whether someone is male or female, but what we perceive can be inaccurate. For example, at first glance, many people perceive the woman in the photo on this page to be male because of the way she dresses and carries herself.
As another example, look at the photo of the other person. You probably see him as male, and he agrees. Your perception and his own male gender identity, however, don’t match the sex he was assigned at birth: female.
What does all this mean?
Take a moment to consider the distinctions we’ve just made between physical sex, assigned sex, gender identity, gender role, gender presentation, and perceived gender. You probably can’t remember how you learned about your own gender, your physical sex, or the sex you were assigned. We learn these things before we learn to talk. Most of us take them for granted and assume that everyone else does too.
Then again, you may be able to recall some of the ways you learned about what was considered appropriate for boys and girls. You probably learned these things as a very young child by watching your family and friends. You may remember instances when you unknowingly crossed a gender line and were corrected, ridiculed, or punished.
Of course, if you objected to the rules, they were probably rigidly enforced. For example, if you were a girl who didn’t want to wear dresses, or a boy who did, you were probably not given a choice, but made to conform.
Notice that we haven’t mentioned sexual orientation. Many people confuse gender and sexual orientation, and although they’re related, they’re quite separate issues.
Adapted from Made in God’s Image
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-does-gender-diversity-mean/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Worship
Black Church Conversations
Biblical Themes
Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Rituals & Blessings
Music & Media
Church Seasons
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What is sexual orientation?
Let’s face it. Americans bring sex into everything from toothpaste to cars, yet most of us have a hard time affirming sexuality as a gift of God.
And if it’s hard to talk about sexuality in an open, honest, caring way, it may seem nearly impossible to talk about differences in sexual orientation. One reason is that when people think “sex,” they tend to think of sexual behavior. But sexuality encompasses a lot more than behavior.
Sexuality encompasses all of these:
• how we understand and express our gender;
• how we grow and change over the years;
• how we view our bodies;
• how we relate to each other;
• whom we like, love, and are attracted to;
• how we reproduce;
• how we’re alike and different in appearance and behavior;
• what we believe is important;
• and much, much more.
Sexuality includes biological sex
Given that every newborn is greeted with the same question—is it a boy or a girl?—biological sex can appear to be the most fundamental aspect of our sexuality.
Yet even that simple question doesn’t always have a simple answer. Some babies have physical characteristics that lead to confusion about whether they’re male or female. For other babies, atypical aspects of physical, genetic, and brain sex may be invisible at birth and become apparent in early childhood, at puberty, or even later when genetic tests are performed. Some people don’t learn until they’re adults and can’t conceive, for example, that their genetic makeup is not simply either/or.
In addition, our biological sex may not match our gender identify, which is how we see ourselves on the spectrum of female and male, what we let the world see about us, and how congruent our bodies are with our internal experience.
Biological sex and gender diversity are explained more fully in Made in God’s Image.
Sexuality includes gender roles
Despite real variations in physical sex, parents do label their child as a boy or a girl, and from that moment on, children begin learning what’s considered appropriate for them as boys or girls—and what’s not.
One gender role expectation that children learn early is not to act “gay” or not to act like a “sissy,” “faggot,” or “dyke.” Rather than be free to be themselves, boys and girls learn to stifle anything that might be considered “wrong”—too feminine for boys or too masculine for girls.
These playground rules, which extend into adult relationships, demonstrate that people confuse gender role with sexual orientation, which will be discussed shortly.
Sexuality includes sensuality and intimacy
Sexuality includes being sensual, which has to do with
• the ways we feel pleasure,
• our comfort with touching and feelings,
• the image we have of our bodies,
• how we accept ourselves,
• what we know about our bodies, and
• how we take care of them.
Sexuality also includes intimacy, which has to do with our ability to
• trust another person,
• to become known,
• to share,
• to show affection,
• to reveal ourselves honestly, and
• to allow others to reveal themselves to us.
Sexuality includes behavior
Sexual behavior has many components: how we walk and talk, how we dress, how we express affection.
When people use the term “having sex,” they’re talking about a subset of a huge range of behaviors, from holding hands to kissing to various forms of giving and receiving pleasure, including different kinds of sexual intercourse.
Sexuality includes sexual orientation
Sexual orientation refers to the sex of the people to whom we’re physically and romantically attracted. We discover our own orientation by noticing the patterns of our dreams, fantasies, longings, physical and emotional arousal, comfort, and love.
Please note that when people label their orientation, they’re indicating only their internal sexual orientation, not their sexual behavior. For example, a woman who identifies herself as heterosexual is simply saying that she’s attracted, physically and romantically, to men. She isn’t saying that she’s attracted to all men, nor is she saying that, at the moment, she acts on her attraction.
So it is with homosexuality (gay or lesbian) and bisexuality, which are also sexual orientations. Gay males that that the people they’re attracted to, physically and romantically, are other males; lesbians find that the people they’re attracted to are other women. Bisexual people find that they’re attracted to some who are male and some who are female.
Like heterosexuality, the terms homosexuality and bisexuality describe an internal experience that’s unique for each person. In fact, many people feel that such words are inadequate descriptors of their own personal experience.
And sexuality includes identity
Our identity is who we say we are to ourselves and to others. Note that a person’s identity, orientation, and behavior don’t always line up. For example, a bisexual woman may be married to a man. Her internal orientation is bisexual, but unless she specifically talks about it, people will probably assume that she’s heterosexual.
Of a man who’s uncomfortable with his attraction to other men may insist, both to himself and to others, that he’s heterosexual. Unless he specifically talks about his attraction to men, people will probably assume that he’s heterosexual.
Or a woman who understands herself to be lesbian and has a long-time woman partner may feel that her workplace isn’t a safe place to be “out,” so she allows others to assume that she’s a single, heterosexual woman and then deals with their efforts to help her find a man.
So you see that people’s sexual identity—both their private understanding of their sexual orientation and the public image they project—may not align with their relationships and behavior.
Adapted from And God Loves Each One
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-is-sexual-orientation/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Worship
Black Church Conversations
Biblical Themes
Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Rituals & Blessings
Music & Media
Church Seasons
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What is sexual orientation?
Let’s face it. Americans bring sex into everything from toothpaste to cars, yet most of us have a hard time affirming sexuality as a gift of God.
And if it’s hard to talk about sexuality in an open, honest, caring way, it may seem nearly impossible to talk about differences in sexual orientation. One reason is that when people think “sex,” they tend to think of sexual behavior. But sexuality encompasses a lot more than behavior.
Sexuality encompasses all of these:
• how we understand and express our gender;
• how we grow and change over the years;
• how we view our bodies;
• how we relate to each other;
• whom we like, love, and are attracted to;
• how we reproduce;
• how we’re alike and different in appearance and behavior;
• what we believe is important;
• and much, much more.
Sexuality includes biological sex
Given that every newborn is greeted with the same question—is it a boy or a girl?—biological sex can appear to be the most fundamental aspect of our sexuality.
Yet even that simple question doesn’t always have a simple answer. Some babies have physical characteristics that lead to confusion about whether they’re male or female. For other babies, atypical aspects of physical, genetic, and brain sex may be invisible at birth and become apparent in early childhood, at puberty, or even later when genetic tests are performed. Some people don’t learn until they’re adults and can’t conceive, for example, that their genetic makeup is not simply either/or.
In addition, our biological sex may not match our gender identify, which is how we see ourselves on the spectrum of female and male, what we let the world see about us, and how congruent our bodies are with our internal experience.
Biological sex and gender diversity are explained more fully in Made in God’s Image.
Sexuality includes gender roles
Despite real variations in physical sex, parents do label their child as a boy or a girl, and from that moment on, children begin learning what’s considered appropriate for them as boys or girls—and what’s not.
One gender role expectation that children learn early is not to act “gay” or not to act like a “sissy,” “faggot,” or “dyke.” Rather than be free to be themselves, boys and girls learn to stifle anything that might be considered “wrong”—too feminine for boys or too masculine for girls.
These playground rules, which extend into adult relationships, demonstrate that people confuse gender role with sexual orientation, which will be discussed shortly.
Sexuality includes sensuality and intimacy
Sexuality includes being sensual, which has to do with
• the ways we feel pleasure,
• our comfort with touching and feelings,
• the image we have of our bodies,
• how we accept ourselves,
• what we know about our bodies, and
• how we take care of them.
Sexuality also includes intimacy, which has to do with our ability to
• trust another person,
• to become known,
• to share,
• to show affection,
• to reveal ourselves honestly, and
• to allow others to reveal themselves to us.
Sexuality includes behavior
Sexual behavior has many components: how we walk and talk, how we dress, how we express affection.
When people use the term “having sex,” they’re talking about a subset of a huge range of behaviors, from holding hands to kissing to various forms of giving and receiving pleasure, including different kinds of sexual intercourse.
Sexuality includes sexual orientation
Sexual orientation refers to the sex of the people to whom we’re physically and romantically attracted. We discover our own orientation by noticing the patterns of our dreams, fantasies, longings, physical and emotional arousal, comfort, and love.
Please note that when people label their orientation, they’re indicating only their internal sexual orientation, not their sexual behavior. For example, a woman who identifies herself as heterosexual is simply saying that she’s attracted, physically and romantically, to men. She isn’t saying that she’s attracted to all men, nor is she saying that, at the moment, she acts on her attraction.
So it is with homosexuality (gay or lesbian) and bisexuality, which are also sexual orientations. Gay males that that the people they’re attracted to, physically and romantically, are other males; lesbians find that the people they’re attracted to are other women. Bisexual people find that they’re attracted to some who are male and some who are female.
Like heterosexuality, the terms homosexuality and bisexuality describe an internal experience that’s unique for each person. In fact, many people feel that such words are inadequate descriptors of their own personal experience.
And sexuality includes identity
Our identity is who we say we are to ourselves and to others. Note that a person’s identity, orientation, and behavior don’t always line up. For example, a bisexual woman may be married to a man. Her internal orientation is bisexual, but unless she specifically talks about it, people will probably assume that she’s heterosexual.
Of a man who’s uncomfortable with his attraction to other men may insist, both to himself and to others, that he’s heterosexual. Unless he specifically talks about his attraction to men, people will probably assume that he’s heterosexual.
Or a woman who understands herself to be lesbian and has a long-time woman partner may feel that her workplace isn’t a safe place to be “out,” so she allows others to assume that she’s a single, heterosexual woman and then deals with their efforts to help her find a man.
So you see that people’s sexual identity—both their private understanding of their sexual orientation and the public image they project—may not align with their relationships and behavior.
Adapted from And God Loves Each One
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
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What causes different gender experiences and sexual orientations?
Sexual orientation and where we are on the gender spectrum are core parts of our human makeup.
We don’t know why some people are heterosexual and others aren’t or why some people fit society’s expectations of female and male and others don’t.
Perhaps what should matter is how we and our children learn to relate to the diversity of experience.
Adapted from All God’s Children.
Contributed by Melany Burrill
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
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What causes different gender experiences and sexual orientations?
Sexual orientation and where we are on the gender spectrum are core parts of our human makeup.
We don’t know why some people are heterosexual and others aren’t or why some people fit society’s expectations of female and male and others don’t.
Perhaps what should matter is how we and our children learn to relate to the diversity of experience.
Adapted from All God’s Children.
Contributed by Melany Burrill
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
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http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-causes-different-gender-experiences-and-sexual-orientations/
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Why don’t gay, lesbian, bisexual people change?
This question implies that something needs to be fixed—but there’s really nothing wrong. Homosexuality and bisexuality are normal variations of human sexuality.
Confirmation of this fact has come from all the major health and mental health organizations, which have all come to recognize that homosexuality is not deviant, not a symptom or category of illness, but simply normal.
You may have heard of people who claim to have changed their orientation, but they appear to be confusing behavior, identity and orientation. They may have been able to stop acting on their attraction. They may have publicly identified themselves as heterosexual. But nothing has been found to change a person’s internal orientation.
Excerpted from And God Loves Each One.
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
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http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/why-dont-gay-lesbian-bisexual-people-change/
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Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Why don’t gay, lesbian, bisexual people change?
This question implies that something needs to be fixed—but there’s really nothing wrong. Homosexuality and bisexuality are normal variations of human sexuality.
Confirmation of this fact has come from all the major health and mental health organizations, which have all come to recognize that homosexuality is not deviant, not a symptom or category of illness, but simply normal.
You may have heard of people who claim to have changed their orientation, but they appear to be confusing behavior, identity and orientation. They may have been able to stop acting on their attraction. They may have publicly identified themselves as heterosexual. But nothing has been found to change a person’s internal orientation.
Excerpted from And God Loves Each One.
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
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©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/why-dont-gay-lesbian-bisexual-people-change/
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Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Are bisexual people going through a stage?
Our society tries to simplify attraction—something that’s extremely complex—into two polor opposites: Either you’re heterosexual or you’re gay/lesbian.
But not everyone’s experience fits that oversimplification. For bisexuals, the other person’s biological sex may not play as large a role in their attractions as other personal characteristics.
It does happen sometimes that gay/lesbian people will begin their coming-out by thinking and saying that they’re bisexual, which may seem safer to them at first. But it also often happens that may people who are bisexual never mention it.
That, coupled with society’s insistence on only two possible sexual orientations, supports the impression that bisexuality is rare. It’s not. Actually, it’s quite common.
Excerpted from And God Loves Each One.
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
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3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/are-bisexual-people-going-through-a-stage/
Many Voices
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And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Are bisexual people going through a stage?
Our society tries to simplify attraction—something that’s extremely complex—into two polor opposites: Either you’re heterosexual or you’re gay/lesbian.
But not everyone’s experience fits that oversimplification. For bisexuals, the other person’s biological sex may not play as large a role in their attractions as other personal characteristics.
It does happen sometimes that gay/lesbian people will begin their coming-out by thinking and saying that they’re bisexual, which may seem safer to them at first. But it also often happens that may people who are bisexual never mention it.
That, coupled with society’s insistence on only two possible sexual orientations, supports the impression that bisexuality is rare. It’s not. Actually, it’s quite common.
Excerpted from And God Loves Each One.
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
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3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/are-bisexual-people-going-through-a-stage/
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Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What do same-sex couples do together?
Just like other couples, same-sex couples pursue whatever interests they have in common—singing, playing ball, gardening, worshipping, raising families, and so on.
They have the same potential for positive and negative relating—caring, hurting, nurturing, fighting, having fun, abusing, competing, or cooperating.
They also have available the same means for making love—holding hands, intimate eye contact, and touching with every part of the body.
Excerpted from And God Loves Each One.
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
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3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-do-same-sex-couples-do-together/
Many Voices
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Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What do same-sex couples do together?
Just like other couples, same-sex couples pursue whatever interests they have in common—singing, playing ball, gardening, worshipping, raising families, and so on.
They have the same potential for positive and negative relating—caring, hurting, nurturing, fighting, having fun, abusing, competing, or cooperating.
They also have available the same means for making love—holding hands, intimate eye contact, and touching with every part of the body.
Excerpted from And God Loves Each One.
Contributed by Ann Thompson Cook
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
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3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-do-same-sex-couples-do-together/
Many Voices
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Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Wlll talking with children about sexuality and gender influence them?
Many people worry that if we’re open with our children about sexual orientation and gender diversity, it will encourage them to experiment, perhaps out of curiosity, and perhaps influence their development.
Sexual orientation and gender identity are internal experiences. Research shows clearly that adults do not cause children to become lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or heterosexual.
Adults can, however, influence how children feel about themselves, including all the ways they may feel out of sync with cultural messages. Adults can have a huge impact on whether children accept or reject themselves and how they feel about and treat those around them.
Please see important research on the impact of family acceptance vs. rejection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. See the Family Acceptance Project’s findings in English and in Spanish.
Adapted from All God’s Children:Teaching Children about Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
Contributed by Melany Burrill
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
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Encourage learning
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Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/wlll-talking-with-children-about-sexuality-and-gender-influence-them/
Many Voices
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Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Wlll talking with children about sexuality and gender influence them?
Many people worry that if we’re open with our children about sexual orientation and gender diversity, it will encourage them to experiment, perhaps out of curiosity, and perhaps influence their development.
Sexual orientation and gender identity are internal experiences. Research shows clearly that adults do not cause children to become lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or heterosexual.
Adults can, however, influence how children feel about themselves, including all the ways they may feel out of sync with cultural messages. Adults can have a huge impact on whether children accept or reject themselves and how they feel about and treat those around them.
Please see important research on the impact of family acceptance vs. rejection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. See the Family Acceptance Project’s findings in English and in Spanish.
Adapted from All God’s Children:Teaching Children about Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
Contributed by Melany Burrill
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
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Donate now
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Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/wlll-talking-with-children-about-sexuality-and-gender-influence-them/
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What if a child is gay or transgender?
You may sense that a child in your class, congregation, or family may be gay or transgender. What should you do?
• Love that child unconditionally as an amazing gift from God.
• Deepen your understanding of sexual orientation and gender—read, discuss, and learn as much as you can.
• Get help—don’t go it alone. Find a PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) or other support group.
Sexual orientation and gender identity aren’t choices, and you can’t change them. However, your responses can change how children feel about themselves and their outlook on life.
Here is an easy-to-understand research report in English and in Spanish about the impact of family acceptance or rejection; it shows that healthy and supportive parenting or teaching that enhances self-esteem can have a vital impact on the well-being of any child.
Adapted from All God’s Children:Teaching Children about Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
Contributed by Melany Burrill
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
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Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
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Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-if-a-child-is-gay-or-transgender/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Worship
Black Church Conversations
Biblical Themes
Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Rituals & Blessings
Music & Media
Church Seasons
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
What if a child is gay or transgender?
You may sense that a child in your class, congregation, or family may be gay or transgender. What should you do?
• Love that child unconditionally as an amazing gift from God.
• Deepen your understanding of sexual orientation and gender—read, discuss, and learn as much as you can.
• Get help—don’t go it alone. Find a PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) or other support group.
Sexual orientation and gender identity aren’t choices, and you can’t change them. However, your responses can change how children feel about themselves and their outlook on life.
Here is an easy-to-understand research report in English and in Spanish about the impact of family acceptance or rejection; it shows that healthy and supportive parenting or teaching that enhances self-esteem can have a vital impact on the well-being of any child.
Adapted from All God’s Children:Teaching Children about Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
Contributed by Melany Burrill
Please give credit: The person or organization who contributed this resource has made it available for you to download free for use for worship or education in your congregation or faith community. Whenever you use it, please attribute to the contributors as they are named, adding the words, "downloaded at ManyVoices.org." Use of this resource for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited.
Please give feedback: To share anything about your experience using this resource, enter your comments below. Your feedback helps build a vibrant community.
Please give a donation: If you appreciate the opportunity for free downloads, please consider a donation so we can continue offering guidance to all who seek to broaden their welcome.
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/blog/resource/what-if-a-child-is-gay-or-transgender/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Current Search Terms
Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Refine Your Search
EducationFrequently Asked Questions (9)
Frequently Asked QuestionsChildren & Youth (2)
Black Church ConversationsMoral Reflections (1)
Gay/Transgender Experience (1)
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Resources in "Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity"
Questions you may have about God & LGBT
Black Church Conversations, Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Gay/Transgender Experience, Moral Reflections, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What does “gender diversity” mean?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What is sexual orientation?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What causes different gender experiences and sexual orientations?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Why don’t gay, lesbian, bisexual people change?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Are bisexual people going through a stage?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What do same-sex couples do together?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Wlll talking with children about sexuality and gender influence them?
Children & Youth, Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What if a child is gay or transgender?
Children & Youth, Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/resources/?/sexual-orientation-gender-diversity/
Many Voices
A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Donate Now
About
How to Begin
Resources
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Tumblr
YouTube
Vimeo
RSS Feed
Shopping Cart
Search for:
Join our mailing list
Resources
Current Search Terms
Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Refine Your Search
EducationFrequently Asked Questions (9)
Frequently Asked QuestionsChildren & Youth (2)
Black Church ConversationsMoral Reflections (1)
Gay/Transgender Experience (1)
Support Many Voices
Please spread the word about Many Voices.
And donate today, at whatever level you can.
Together, we can achieve the justice and liberation that we so long for, affirm the lives of our gay and transgender brothers and sisters, and call the Black church into the full expression of God’s unconditional love.
Donate Now
Resources in "Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity"
Questions you may have about God & LGBT
Black Church Conversations, Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Gay/Transgender Experience, Moral Reflections, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What does “gender diversity” mean?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What is sexual orientation?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What causes different gender experiences and sexual orientations?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Why don’t gay, lesbian, bisexual people change?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Are bisexual people going through a stage?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What do same-sex couples do together?
Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
Wlll talking with children about sexuality and gender influence them?
Children & Youth, Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
What if a child is gay or transgender?
Children & Youth, Frequently Asked Questions, Frequently Asked Questions, Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity
About
Media
Our team
Employment
Contact us
Encourage learning
Share resources on sexuality & gender
Get involved
Donate now
Sign up
Welcoming church list
Other justice-seeking organizations
RSS Feed
YouTube
Like ManyVoices
on Facebook
Questions? Comments? Participate in the conversation!
3133 Dumbarton Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007 | info@manyvoices.org
©2010 Many Voices, All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use
http://www.manyvoices.org/resources/?/sexual-orientation-gender-diversity/
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