Being Queer and Christian Actually Go Hand in Hand
One of the most common questions I get is, “How do you reconcile your queerness with your Christianity?” And I love this question so much, because the surprise answer is that there’s no need to reconcile them at all; they already go hand in hand.
The Jesus I follow never married, and certainly not a woman (though he absolutely revered and learned from and totally relied upon some verrrrry fierce ladies). He hung out with twelve man pals who were all a little queer. These men were either already wanderers, or outsiders, or left respectable and lucrative jobs to follow a homeless guy whose primary employment was healing lepers and hanging with disreputable ladies down at the town well. I mean, these guys were serial wedding crashers, fer crissakes. Or at the very least, a good rich man’s banquet.
Jesus also disavowed his own birth family at one point, making the point that chosen family are the family of God. Not to say his family were bad folks - they were probably just hoping to let him know they loved him and missed him - but more that chosen family really matter and are very sacred. Any queer person knows what that’s about.
I’m also always totally interested in a guy who says that taking bread which becomes body and wine which becomes body fluid into our own bodies in rememberance of him and calling that holy… well, that just seems kind of queer and definitely super sexy to me. Not to mention, the Catholic church, among others, has taken it a few steps further and actually has folks get on their knees and makes wafers that dissolve on your tongue so the host’s ‘body’ doesn’t touch your teeth while you’re receiving your Lord into yourself. I mean, c’mon, that’s queer as hell!
So yeah, I’m queer. And I’m Christian. I love a good party just like Jesus and no one throws a better party than queer people. My pals are all in various kinds of gender-blended families and relationships. Yes, even the ‘straight’ ones. My chosen family - full of Fierce Femmes - means everything to me. And that communion stuff? Let’s just say I’m into it, especially when someone undercooks the bread and it’s more than a little soft and moist.
So I love when someone asks me how do I reconcile queerness and Christianity. Because I get to say, they’re already there at the party together, at the altar together, on the road together. And they love the shit out of each other. And it’s all right there in the scripture. You don’t even have to make it up.
So, many blessings queer Christians. You’ve got the right idea.
Had a great conversation with Elise Matatall on OutSoursces which is “A weekly KGNU program that provides you with content related to queer communities in Colorado.” I loved Elise’s presence, curiosities, and questions especially the ones about queerness and Christianity! It’s a sweet little 27 minute listen where I talk about my practice, spiritual counseling sessions, rituals, and my teachers to whom I’m greatly indebted.
Give a listen here and check out their other fantastic interviews as well: https://news.kgnu.org/2021/06/outsources-queering-spirituality-with-the-reverend-cindy-pincus/
