2008 Woodie Awards
Panel discusses God, the press and sexual orientation
Robert Balicki
Issue date: 4/24/06 Section: News
Sunday, June 11, 2006; Posted: 10:42 p.m. PDT
Being religious and homosexual is not inconsistent, a Christian told a panel discussion sponsored by Outlet Wednesday.
"[Homosexuality] exists throughout all of God's creation," said Michael Ellard, an openly gay pastor. "It's trying to deny that that's not natural," he said.
Ellard discussed sexual orientation, the press, God and adversity in Conference Rooms A and B as part of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer panel.
Transgender panelist and Christian Pamela Reed said that recent studies show that a person's sexual orientation is determined in the womb.
"God made us this way," she said. "Are we natural or not?" She said her penis was a "deformity" and having a sex change was just like having surgery to repair a cleft lip, the most common birth defect in the United States.
Ellard said that those who use the Bible to justify homophobia were taking the verses out of context. "They're being highly selective in a way they're using the Bible," he said.
He cited bible verses that forbid men from contacting women on their period.
Ellard said that the conflict between churchgoers and gay people was a product of a press looking for conflict.
"There is that battle that is sometimes fomented in the press, where it's the people of God versus the queers," he said.
"[The press] think that conflict sells papers and it will get you to watch the nightly news."
He said that many religious institutions, including his own Metropolitan Community Church, see it as part of their mission to fight for gay rights.
One transgender panelist said she had been raised extremely religiously. "I was even an altar boy. Now, I'm an altered boy," said Lannie Rose, author of "How to Change Your Sex: A Light-hearted Look at the Hardest Thing You'll Ever Do."
She said that despite being taught that what she was doing was wrong, she cross-dressed. "I became your average heterosexual cross-dresser," Rose said.
Being religious and homosexual is not inconsistent, a Christian told a panel discussion sponsored by Outlet Wednesday.
"[Homosexuality] exists throughout all of God's creation," said Michael Ellard, an openly gay pastor. "It's trying to deny that that's not natural," he said.
Ellard discussed sexual orientation, the press, God and adversity in Conference Rooms A and B as part of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer panel.
Transgender panelist and Christian Pamela Reed said that recent studies show that a person's sexual orientation is determined in the womb.
"God made us this way," she said. "Are we natural or not?" She said her penis was a "deformity" and having a sex change was just like having surgery to repair a cleft lip, the most common birth defect in the United States.
Ellard said that those who use the Bible to justify homophobia were taking the verses out of context. "They're being highly selective in a way they're using the Bible," he said.
He cited bible verses that forbid men from contacting women on their period.
Ellard said that the conflict between churchgoers and gay people was a product of a press looking for conflict.
"There is that battle that is sometimes fomented in the press, where it's the people of God versus the queers," he said.
"[The press] think that conflict sells papers and it will get you to watch the nightly news."
He said that many religious institutions, including his own Metropolitan Community Church, see it as part of their mission to fight for gay rights.
One transgender panelist said she had been raised extremely religiously. "I was even an altar boy. Now, I'm an altered boy," said Lannie Rose, author of "How to Change Your Sex: A Light-hearted Look at the Hardest Thing You'll Ever Do."
She said that despite being taught that what she was doing was wrong, she cross-dressed. "I became your average heterosexual cross-dresser," Rose said.
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