Keeping the Faith

Stacie Cohen attended an LGBT Interfaith event last year organised by Liverpool's Spectrum of Spirituality and it started her thinking 'why can't there be something like this in Manchester'?

"I felt it was an important event that brought together gay (and gay friendly) people of all faiths, to celebrate together and share an aspect of their faith in an atmosphere of respect and diversity", says Stacie of the event that was held just ahead of Liverpool Pride 2010.

"This idea led to meeting with The Lesbian & Gay Foundation around an informal event which would start to open up discussion around having a faith and being gay, and hopefully attract people who are struggling with bringing together both of these aspects of their life.

This has now resulted in holding an initial event to raise awareness of 'Faithbook'; a new resource guide from LGF to celebrate faith and sexual orientation for LGB&T people and combine this with 'launching' the idea of a social /support group for people to discuss the similarities and differences between their faiths, and most importantly the common issue of dealing with being both gay and having a faith that we want to continue to practice in our lives.

The kind of issues to be faced and the journey you have to go on, to reconcile your faith with your sexuality is a common thread. Being able to share the experience helps you to come to terms with who you are and to feel accepted by other people who are like-minded.

There are also many gay people who reject their faiths totally, as they feel they would not be accepted as a gay person. Gay people who want to practice their faith may also feel ostracized by other gay people who do not feel this way.

People who come from faith backgrounds most probably would not go into the Village or approach organisations like The Lesbian & Gay Foundation for help initially, as this can be risky in terms of 'being seen' by someone from their own community and being ostracized before they are ready to accept their sexuality themselves.

Although all religions and faiths are different, the feelings, issues and the journey that people who are gay have to go on, all have to be equally faced. I feel that by having a space to meet others, whatever their faith, to discuss these issues will be really valuable and be a place where hopefully people with faiths can find peace within themselves and be able to feel comfortable being everything that they are."
 
Faithbook is out now: http://www.lgf.org.uk/faithbook/

The Keeping The Faith event is to be held at Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL on Sunday 19 June at 2pm. For more information e-mail: andrew.gilliver@lgf.org.uk

Published: 15-Jun-2011: (583)