Dec 1-15 Archives

John T. Graves: Black gay clergyman was founding president of nation’s first LGBTQ group in 1924 (Society for Human Rights)

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, Saints

John T. Graves was a black gay clergyman and first president of the Society for Human Rights, the oldest documented LGBTQ-rights organization in the United States. It was founded more than 100 years ago in 1924 in Chicago. Graves’ historic role proves that the...

Matthew Shepard: Modern gay martyr inspired hate-crime laws

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, Oct 1-15, Saints

Matthew Shepard is a modern gay martyr whose unusually cruel murder in October 1998 got international attention and inspired laws against anti-LGBTQ hate crimes. He was a 21-year-old openly gay student at the University of Wyoming at the time. Shepard (1976-1998) was...

Gay centurion: Jesus heals a soldier’s boyfriend in the Bible

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, March 1-15, Saints

Jesus praised a gay centurion in the Roman army as a model of faith and healed his male lover in the gospels, according to some Bible experts. The centurion’s story has gotten surprisingly little attention throughout history considering that Jesus himself was...

Queer cheer for Christmas: Make the Yuletide gay

by Kittredge Cherry | | Calendar, Dec 1-15

Find queer cheer in this round-up of LGBTQ Christmas highlights from the Jesus in Love Blog at Q Spirit. Clicking the headlines below for queer Christmas songs, a gay baby Jesus, love between good King Wenceslas and his page, lesbian Madonnas, carol composer Christina...

Queer Nativity scenes show love makes a family

by Kittredge Cherry | | Calendar, Dec 1-15, Featured, Resources

I create my own queer Nativity scenes for the Christmas season. One has two Marys at the manger with the baby Jesus, and the other features two Josephs with the Christ child. I put Mary with Mary and Joseph with Joseph—just like putting two brides or two grooms on top...

John of the Cross: Dark night of a gay soul honored in art and poetry

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, Saints

“The Dark Night of the Soul,” a spiritual classic with homoerotic overtones, was written by 16th-century Spanish mystic Saint John of the Cross, also known as San Juan de la Cruz. His feast day is Dec. 14. It always near the winter solstice, the longest night of the...

Gay and lesbian Nativity cards and ornaments available

by Kittredge Cherry | | Calendar, Dec 1-15

Gay and lesbian Nativity scenes are available on Christmas cards and ornaments now at the Q Spirit / Jesus in Love Store. What if the child of God was born to a same-sex couple? Because, after all, LOVE makes a family, including the Holy Family. The images are true to...

Queer Lady of Guadalupe: Artists re-imagine an icon

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, Saints

Our Lady of Guadalupe brings a message of holy empowerment that speaks to LGBTQ people — and angers Christian conservatives. Queer art based on Guadalupe is shown here for her feast day today (Dec. 12). She is an Aztec version of the Virgin Mary that appeared to...

Adele Starr and others: Patron saints for straight allies of LGBTQ people

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, Saints

After her son came out in 1974, Adele Starr helped launch the group that became PFLAG, formerly known as Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. She overcame her negative perceptions about homosexuality to become an unflagging champion for LGBTQ rights...

Tibira do Maranhão: First indigenous gay martyr of Brazil

by Kittredge Cherry | | Dec 1-15, Saints

LGBTQ activists in Brazil launched a campaign for the sainthood of Tibira do Maranhão, the first gay martyr of Brazil. The indigenous man was baptized and then executed for sodomy by French missionaries on Dec. 8, 1614. Tibira is the first documented case of a person...