How does religious discrimination affect the LGBT community's fight for equality?
Throughout the years religious people have thought of members of the LGBT+ community as sinners or nonhuman simply because of the fact that they do not follow what their religious standards call for which leads to discrimination towards the LGBT+ community. Each different religious group has their own beliefs and standards to follow meaning that not all religions are against being gay, however, as shown in the graph to the left, many are opposed to it [1]. The religions that tend to be the most opposed to the idea of homosexuality are the ones that are the most conservative. Many members of the LGBT+ community have experienced discrimination and dehumanization from the church themselves because of the way that they live their lives.
"I DON'T THINK ANY ONE TYPE OF RELIGION IS THE WORST AGAINST LGBT+ COMMUNITY. I THINK MOST ULTRA CONSERVATION FACTIONS OF RELIGIONS ARE THE WORST."
- Gabriel Carrasquillo |
As seen in the graph above, provided by a survey conducted by Pew Research Center [1], no two religious groups have the same opinions on whether or not members of the LGBT+ community should be accepted or discouraged. For example, 16 percent of Jehovah's Witnesses believe that people involved in the LGBT+ community should be accepted compared to a whopping 70 percent of Catholics who believe that they should be accepted. A person's view on the community depends on their interpretation of what they believe is right, whether it be that they follow the Bible and from their interpretation they see it is alright to accept the community and be part of it or not. As said by interviewee Gabriel Carrasquillo who is a financial donor and volunteer for the Human Rights Campaign "I think most ultra conservation factions of religions are the worst" [2], the most discriminating religions are the mainly ones that are constantly preaching and live their lives by the Church. As seen in the chart to the right, provided by Pew Research Center [3], more popular religions prohibit same-sex marriage rather than the smaller amount that actually allows same-sex marriage.
Many members of the LGBT+ community have been discriminated against directly by the Church. When the Church is to find out that one of their members is part of the LGBT+ community, they may ask that person leave the Church and stop worshiping that belief because they are now viewed as a sinner in that particular church. Not all churches are like this, but interviewee Elliot Hobaugh, who is part of a Missoula LGBT activist group, had an experience similar to this: "I went to a church before I was out that talked about stoning queer people and in Montana, we had some very problematic pastors come preach at out school and they were very anti-queer. I also used to go to a Christian camp and got kicked out of that camp when I came out and lost a lot of friends" [4] . A lot of churches are not accepting of members of the LGBT+ community because they decided to shun them to avoid speculation around the church allowing a gay person in.
On October 9, 2015, a former member of Watermark Community Church, named Jason Thomas, was written a letter by The Elders of Watermark Community Church informing him that his status in the church has change because of his involvement in a same-sex relationship [5]. In this letter, attached to the right, the Elders of the Church call out Mr. Thomas by saying that his involvement in this same-sex relationship has resulted in a destructive pattern that prohibits the Church from caring for him. The Church told Mr. Thomas later on in the letter that: "We are praying that repentance comes quickly and that you do not continue choosing a path of destruction and one that leads you away from the authority and care of the church" [6]. By saying this, they are telling the him that being involved in same-sex relationship they are ruining the relationship that they have with the Church and that in order to fix this relationship they need to end their other relationship which is causing this person go to down a path of destruction. This an example of a church kicking their members out because they are part of the LGBT+ community and the church does not approve of their involvement with the community.
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Christian schools have also found a way to go above and beyond to discriminate against members of the LGBT+ community. The schools have figured out that they can ask the U.S. Department of Education to waive portions of Title IX which bans discrimination based upon gender. These waivers were first heard about in July of 2014 and have since spread like wildfire. Due to this waiver being passed, many members of the LGBT+ community have been banned from schools numerous reasons. For example: at Georgia Fox University, a transgender student was denied housing and when the student filed a complaint with the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, the claim was dismissed because out Title IX. As of August 2015, the Department of Education has granted 27 of these wavers to religious schools and universities. All of these different religious schools were asking for these waivers that way they are able to discriminate against the LGBT+ community because they do not feel as though being part of this community is fit for their beliefs. Conservative Christian groups have been hosting camps that train groups how to prove their "sincerely held religious beliefs" about the community [7]. These groups are helping each other out in making the discrimination against the LGBT+ community making discrimination possible and they also causing a worsening in the discrimination.
When after asking Mr. Elliot Hobaugh whether he believes the religious discrimination against the LGBT+ community has gotten better or worse over the years he stated: "I feel that with the new administration In the country has brought upon a new wave of discrimination towards LGBTQ+ folks" (4). Mr. Hobaugh has a point in saying that the discrimination has become worse because of new ways religious groups are finding different ways to help each other out and take a stand against the community. As seen through things such as the Title IX waivers not only is it the churches that are discriminating against them, but it is also President Obama who is allowing for this to happen. The dehumanization and thought that members of the LGBT+ community being nonhuman has placed a major obstacle in the way for their fight for freedom.
Section by: Emily Woodson
Sources
[1] Wormald, Benjamin. "Religious Landscape Study." Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. May 11, 2015. Accessed May 23, 2017. http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/views-about-homosexuality/.
[2] Carrasquillo, Gabriel. E-mail interview by Nicole Solarz. June 11, 2017.
[3]Gao, George. "Where Major Religions Stand on Same-Sex Marriage." Pew Research Center. July 02, 2015. Accessed June 2, 2017.
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/21/where-christian-churches-stand-on-gay-marriage/ft_15-07-01_religionsssm/
[4] Hobaugh, Elliot. E-mail interview by Samantha Manzzullo. June 12, 2017.
[5] Wagner, Todd. "Watermark church's 'loving correction' helps members deal with sin | Commentary." Dallas News. October 16, 2016. Accessed June 09, 2017. https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/10/16/watermark-churchs-loving-correction-helps-members-deal-sin.
[6] The Elders of Watermark Community Church to Jason Thomas. October 9, 2015. In Watermark church dismissed me for being gay. October 13, 2016. Accessed June 09, 2017. https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/10/13/watermark-asks-homosexual-member-leave-church.
[7] Birkey, Andy. "Dozens of Christian schools win Title IX waivers to ban LGBT students." The Column. December 01, 2015. Accessed June 07, 2017. http://thecolu.mn/21270/dozens-christian-schools-win-title-ix-waivers-ban-lgbt-students.