Welcoming and Affirming – LGBTQ+ Resources

Adapted from “Welcoming and Affirming: A Guide to Supporting and Working with LGBTQ+ Christian Youth” by Leigh Finke – Broadleaf Books

General LGBTQ+ Organizations and Resources

Church Life and Clergy Life

  • Our Strangely Warmed Hearts: Coming Out into God’s Call  Karen Oliveto (2018)
  • A Gracious Heresy: The Queer Calling of an Unlikely Prophet  Connie Tuttle (2018)
  • Being Called, Being Gay: Discernment for Ministry in the Episcopal Church  Gregory Milliking (2018)
  • Solus Jesus: A Theology of Resistance  Emily Swan and Ken Wilson (2018)
  • queering lent slats (2017)
  • Struggling in Good Faith: LGBTQI Inclusions from 13 American Religious Perspectives Mychal Copeland, D’vorah Rose, Ani Zonneveld (2016)
  • Reforming Sodom: Protestants and the Rise of Gay Rights  Heather Rachelle White (2015)
  • A Disreputable Priest: Being Gay in Anti-Gay Cultures  Ian Corbett (2015)
  • Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America  Jeff Chu (2014)
  • Peculiar Faith:Queer Theology for Christian Witness  Jay Emerson Johnson (2014)
  • Queer Clergy: A History of Gay and Lesbian Ministry in American Protestantism R. W. Holmen (2014)
  • Queering Christianity:Finding a Place at the Table for LGBTQI Christians  Robert S. Cheng, Ramona Faye West (2013)

Local LGBTQ+ Communities

Memoir, Biographies, and Community Stories

  • One Coin Found: How God’s Love Stretches to the Margins  Emmy Kegler (2019)
  • Refocusing My Family: Coming Out, Being Cast Out, and Discovering the True Love of God  Amber Cantorna (2019)
  • Undivided: Coming Out, Becoming Whole, and Living Free from Shame  Vicky Beeching (2018)
  • Given Up for You : A Memoir of Love, Belonging and Belief  Erin White (2018)
  • Refocusing My Family: Coming Out, Being Cast Out, and Discovering the True Love of God  Amber Cantorna (2017)
  • Our Witness: The Unheard Stories of LGBT+ Christians  Brandon Robertson (November 2017)
  • Space at the Table: Conversations between an Evangelical Theologian and His Gay Son  Brad and Drew Harper (2016)
  • Facing the Music: My Story  Jennifer Knapp (2014)
  • Loves God Likes Girls: A Memoir  Sally Gary (2013)
  • Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate  Justin Lee (2013)
  • Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Spiritual Memoir – by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew
  • Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America – by Mel White

National LGBTQ Communities

For Teens

  • The Trevor Project: Leading national organization in crisis intervention, suicide prevention, resources, and support systems for LGBTQ youth
  • It Gets Better Project: itgetsbetter.org. Inspiring stories from LGBTQ youth and adults
  • The Tribe Wellness Community: support.therapytribe.com/lgbt-support-group/ LGBTribe Members: Peer-to-peer support group for LGBTQ individuals dealing with mental health issues
  • Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN): Find your local chapter or take a dive through their wonderful online resources
  • LGBTQ Student Resources and Support resources page on accreditedschoolsonline.org
  • Point Foundation: pointfoundation.org  The national LGBTQ scholarship fund. Resources for rising college students
  • Safe Schools Coalition: safeschoolscoalition.org  A public-private partnership to support LGBTQ youth
  • National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)    Resources, self-help guides, info about transgender people, and more. https://transequality.org/ https://www.facebook.com/TransEqualityNow/ @TransEquality 
  • Sylvia Rivera Law Project: srlp.org  legal organization that fights discrimination based on sexuality, gender expression, race, income etc.
  • BiNet USA:  American’s oldest advocacy organization for bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer-identified, and unlabeled people. http://www.binetusa.org/ 
  • The Asexual Visibility & Education Network: asexuality.org  An online community and archive of resources on asexuality

For the Politically Passionate

  • Human Rights Campaign (HRC): Latest news, research, and resources on LGBTQ rights and activism
  • Equality Federation: equalityfederation.org  An organization that partners with state-based organizations that advocate for LGBTQ people.
  • National LGBTQ Task Force: thetaskforce.org  Advocacy opportunities, news, conference updates, and more on LGBTQ rights.

Communities for Parents of LGBTQ Teens

Online LGBTQ+ Faith Communities

Pastoral Care

  • Beyond a Binary God: A Theology for Trans* Allies  Tara K Soughers (2018)
  • Ministry among God’s Queer Folk: LGBT Pastoral Care  David Kundtz (2007)

Queer Theology

  • Queer Theology: Beyond Apologetics  Linn Marie Tonstad (2018)
  • Outside the Lines  Mihee Kim-Kort (2018)
  • Queer Virtue: What LGBTQ People Know about Life and Love and How It Can Revitalize Christianity  Liz Edman (2017)
  • The Courage to Be Queer  Jeff Hood (2015)
  • That We Might Become God: The Queerness of Creedal Christianity  Andy Buechel (2015)
  • Queer Christianities: Lived Religion in Transgressive Forms  Kathleen T Talvacchia, Mark Larrimore, Michael F. Pettinger (2014)

Sexual Orientation and Scripture – By LGBTQ People

  • Gay & Christian, No Contradiction: A Brief Guide for Reconciling Christian Faith & LGBT+ Identity  Brandan Robertson (2017)
  • God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships  Matthew Vines (2015)
  • Quench! Refreshing Devotionals by Gay, Trans, and Affirming Christians  Rev. Keith J. Phillips (ed), (2009)
  • Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians  Candace Chellew-Hodge (2008)
  • Reconciling Journey: A Devotional Workbook for Lesbians and Gay Christians  Michal Anne Pepper (2003)
  • Blessed Bi Spirit: Bisexual People of Faith  Debra Kolodney (ed) (2000)
  • Clobber the Passages: Seven Deadly Verses – by Mel White

Sexual Orientation and Scripture – By Allies

  • UnClobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality  Colby Martin (2016)
  • The Bible’s Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An Evangelical’s Change of Heart  Mark Achtemeier
  • Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach between the Church and the LGBT Community  Kathy Baldock (2014)
  • Changing Our Mind: The Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBTQ Christians  David P. Gushee (2014)
  • The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scriptures Has Made Us Unable to Read It  Peter Enns (2014)
  • UNFAIR: Christians and the LGBT Question  John Shore (2013)
  • Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships  James Brownson (2013)
  • Sexuality in the New Testament: Understanding the Key Texts  William Loader (2010)
  • Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality, Revised and Expanded Edition: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church  Jack Rogers (2009)
  • Sex and the Single Savior: Gender and Sexuality in Biblical Interpretation  Dale Martin (2006)

Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Resources

Online Resources

Books

  • The Social Justice Advocate’s Handbook: A Guide to Gender   Sam Killerman (2013)
  • Stone Butch Blues  by Leslie Feinberg (1993, 2012)
  • Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.  Laura Erickson-Schroth (2014)
  • The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals  Stephanie A. Brill (2008)
  • Transgender History  Susan Stryker (2017)

Youth Specific

  • Where’s MY Book? A guide for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youth, Their Parents, & Everyone Else  Linda Gromko (2015)
  • Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen  Jazz Jennings (2017)
  • Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition  Katie Rain Hill (2015)
  • Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen  Arin Andrews (2015)
  • Tomboy: A Graphic Novel Memoir  Liz Prince (2014)
  • Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out  Susan Kuklin (2015)
  • Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me); 2nd edition  Cynthia L. Winfield (2019)
  • The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults Exploring Gender Identity  Testa, PhD; Coolhart PhD; Peta MA MS; Lev LCSW-R CASAC (2015)
  • Trans Love edited by Freiya Benson (2019)

Family Specific

  • Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children  Diane Ehrensaft, PhD (2011)
  • Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us  Kate Bornstein (2016)
  • Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son  Lori Duron (2013)
  • The Right to Be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America’s Public Schools  Stuart Biegel (2018)
  • Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders  Jennifer Finney (2014)
  • On the Couch with Dr. Angello: Raising & Supporting Transgender Youth  Dr. Michele Angello (2013)
  • Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy  Jennifer Levi & Elizabeth E. Monnin-Browder (2012)
  • Transitions of the Heart  Rachel Pepper. Written by and for mothers of trans/GNC children. (2012)
  • Two Spirits, One Heart: A Mother, Her Transgender Son, and Their Journey to Love and Acceptance  Marsha Aizumi (2013)
  • The Gender Creative Child: Pathways for Nurturing and Supporting Children Who Live Outside Gender Boxes  Diane Ehrensaft (2016)

Trans/GNC Identity and Faith

  • Transfigured: A 40-Day Journey through Scripture for Gender-Queer and Transgender People  Suzanne DeWitt Hall (2018)
  • Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians  Austen Hartke (2017)
  • This Is My Body: Hearing the Theology of Transgender Christians  Christina Beardsley (2017)
  • Shattering Masks: Affirming Identity. Transitioning Faith  Laura Beth Taylor (2016)
  • Transgender, Intersex, and Biblical Interpretation  Teresa J. Hornsby and Deryn Guest  (2016)
  • Sex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in the Image of God  Megan Defranza (2015)