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Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

For many queer and questioning people of faith, having pride can be complicated.

Many don't know if they're "allowed" to be themselves or love who they love.

Many feel their faith and identity can't reconcile.

Most are told their gender and/or orientation are an abomination to God.

Some may feel their queerness and religion blend nicely, but aren't sure how to talk about it or find community.

Maybe you're not LGBTQ at all, but feel compelled to begin an allyship with us, especially in a religious context.

This post goes out to those people. I used to be in those exact positions. I'm incredibly grateful to say I've grown and learnt so much about myself, my queerness, and my faith.

Below are a few resources that helped me and others I hope can help you.

✨This isn't by any means a full list of all the wonderful communities and resources and articles that could be helpful for you. If you know of an AFFIRMING resource for LGBTQ people of faith, please comment or reblog with it, especially for faiths I haven't listed!!✨

Remember, you are divinely made, and divinely loved. Love is a divine act. Stepping into who you were created to be is a divine act. For those who are struggling in their queer identity and faith, I wish you a happy, blessed, and hope-filled Pride month!

Christianity

The Reformation Project is a Bible-based, Christian organization that helps to promote inclusion of LGBTQ people and reform church teaching. Reformation Project YouTube Channel

Q Christian Fellowship is cultivating radical belonging for LGBTQ+ Christians and allies.

Justin Lee- gay Christian author and major geek: YouTube, blog

Austen Hartke- transgender Christian, author, and seminary graduate: YouTube

Transmission Ministry Collective is an online community dedicated to the spiritual care, faith formation, and leadership potential of transgender and gender-expansive Christians.

Catholicism

Vine & Fig seeks to elevate the lives of queer Catholics as we find beauty and power at the intersection of our faith, gender, and sexuality. YouTube

Outreach: an LGBTQ Catholic resource

Islam

Muslims for Progressive Values endorses the human and civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) individuals.

MASGD works to support, empower, and connect LGBTQ+ Muslims.

The UK's leading LGBTQ Muslim charity: Imaan

Judaism

Finding Keshet for the first time? Just came out? Finally bringing together your Jewish and LGBTQ+ selves? We are so glad you are here. Start here!

JQY (Jewish Queer Youth) is a nonprofit organization that supports and empowers LGBTQ Jewish youth with a special focus on teens and young adults from Orthodox, Chassidic, and Sephardi/Mizrahi communities.

Sikhi

Sarbat's vision is to create awareness, tackle homophobia/biphobia/transphobia and build bridges within and beyond our communities.

Hinduism

Hindu American: Hindu Teachings Inclusive of LGBT People

Gay & Lesbian Vaishnava Association: Information & Support for LGBTI Vaishnavas & Hindus

Buddhism

Buddha Weekly article on Tibetan views of LGBTQ folks

Lion's Roar article responds to a transgender Buddhist's concerns

Queer Plus Lotus

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I don't know who needs to hear this but anyone saying "Just stop- You sound like Trump voters after he lost in 2020" in regards to those considering asking for a recount are either psyops or woefully ignorant of the situation.

You don't sound like a sore loser for taking note of the well documented cases of burned ballot boxes in at least three states, and multiple bomb threats to polling places in heavily democrat-populated areas in swing states, which shut them down for hours on election day.

Or taking note of other alleged voting interferences such as mail-in ballot tampering, or the case where a mail carrier has been arrested for stealing and forging mail-in ballots in Colorado.

Or for taking note of the fact that Trump constantly told us he "had a secret plan" to win the election on election day.

Or the fact that conservatives (and Trump) have a long history of cheating, and the fact that there's literally evidence that they meddled in at least the last two elections.

And no, I won't be linking sources, because I want you to look this up yourself instead of just taking my word for it.

My point is that it's reasonable to be suspicious and want to double check, especially given all that I listed above.

The reason we called Trump voters sore losers wasn't because they asked for a recount- they had every right to do so, just as we do now.

They were called sore losers because not only had there been no evidence of tampering or fraud (unlike this election), they didn't stop at asking for a recount- they got violent and started not only multiple riots, but also an attempted fucking coup where they stormed the capitol and chanted that they were going to hang Mike Pence because he refused to overturn the election.

Ask for the damn recounts if you want them. Every party has the right to ask for a recount.

Is there a good chance it changes nothing? Of course!

The worst that might happen when asking for a recount is just finding out that the count was accurate and needing to accept that and move forward.

But that still doesn't make it stupid for someone to ask for one given the fact we saw in real time several reports of election tampering. Besides, even if it doesn't change the outcome of the presidential election there's still a chance it might influence the outcome of the local elections, which are also very important!

This obsession with the left needing to appear constantly stoic and poised and unbothered, to the point of being too embarrassed to stand up for ourselves or even ask questions in fear of "looking as bad as them" is going to be the death of all of us.

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please pray for greece, for another year the wildfires are burning our forests and homes, both animals and humans are suffering and losing their lives. it's getting hotter and harder to breathe every day, our government isn't doing anything. please pray for us, please father zeus bless us w healing rains

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please i hate going to helpol blogs, only to see random queerphobic sentiment of any kind.

please reblog if;

you love your trans brothers, sisters, and siblings

you support aces and aros

you support 'weird' and 'contradictory' labels [i.e. lesboy/turigirl/etc]

you support mspec lesbians and gays

you support multigender folks

you support agender folks

you support all nonbinary & genderqueer identities

you support neopronouns and xenogenders

you support microlabels

i don't like to talk about my specific identity, but i personally use contradictory labels! i contain multitudes and that's wonderful!

we don't gatekeep the queers here.

unfollow if you feel differently

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This random tweet from an Israeli came up on my feed so I scrolled down further and holy shit imagine making this your tinder profile picture. These people are actually not one bit remorseful but actively relish in the death and destruction they bring upon Gaza.

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A number of men and boys have been kidnapped by the occupation from Kamal Adwan Hospital in besieged northern Gaza. Including seventeen-year-old journalist Aboud Batah

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The Mousai

After doing a lot of research, divining, and asking questions to everyone, I finally felt ready enough to reach forward to the Mousai!

Z20.2 PORTRAITS OF THE NINE MUSES The nine circles of this mosaic contain portraits of the nine Muses. The goddesses and their attributes from the top left to the bottom right are Calliope with a scroll, Euterpe with a flute, Thalia with a comic mask, Melpomene with a tragic mask, Terpsichore with a lyre, Erato with a cithara, Clio with a writing block, Urania with a globe, and Polyhymnia without an attribute.

I was definitely afraid that this was blaspheming God with this doing this. That this was the final nail in the coffin. I was agonizing forever on this one, even with reassurance from Lady Sophia and Our Holy Mother.

It wasn't until I cried out for a sign in my room that Big J himself said in my ear that no matter what he'd still love me. I actually cried then, scrunching up my covers and sobbing. My tears seemed to wash away my worries- or rather his words did. I told you all before how much of a Big Brother Lord Jesus is, but I never cried like that before him and felt his arms just circle me in an embrace like that.

It was such an amazing feeling! Which is why I'm feeling a lot more confident to put this down!

Now onto the Mousai below the cut!

The Mousai, more readily known as the Muses are the goddesses of music, poetry and inspiration in Hellenism. Led by Calliope, their role was expanded to encompass a variety of arts including rhetoric, philosophy, mathematics, geography, history and astronomy. They were also goddesses of knowledge, who remembered all things that had come to pass as daughters of Mnemosyne, who is the Titan Goddess of Memory and creator of language.

Numbered among them are:

Calliope: Goddess of Epic poetry and eloquence. The mother of the poet Orpheus and the leader of the Mousai. Her name means "Beautiful voiced" from the Greek words kallos and ops.

Clio: Goddess of History. Her name means "To make famous" or "celebrate." from the Greek verb kleô. As a history nerd, I thank her greatly.

Erato: Goddess of erotic poetry. Her name means "lovely" or "beloved" from the Greek word eratos.

Euterpe: Goddess of Lyric poetry. Her name was derived from the Greek words eu- and terpô, meaning "giver of much delight." She might explain where I get all my sudden bursts of inspiration for song lyrics throughout the day!

Polyhymnia: Goddess of Hymns. Her name was derived from the Greek words poly- "many" and hymnos "praise" or "hymn." Invoking her with my hymns and prayers helps me a lot! Same thing with making devotional playlists!

Urania: The Goddess of astronomy and astrology... and mathematics. Definitely mathematics! Praying to her and Lady Sophia for discernment has helped my Pre-Calc grade more than anything else! Her name means: ”Heavenly" or "of heaven".

Thalia: Goddess of Comedy. Her name was derived from the Greek word thaleia meaning "rich festivity" or "blooming." I see myself as a (hopefully) funny person so, I can thank her and My Heavenly Mother for that!

Melpomene: Goddess of Tragedy. Her name was derived from the Greek verb melpô or melpomai meaning "to celebrate with dance and song." She's also the mother of the Sirens! Definitely have been getting inspired by her with my track record for putting my darling ocs through the wringer. Suffering builds character I'm afraid.

Terpsichore: The Goddess of choral song and dance. Her name means "Delighting in Dance" from the Greek words terpsis "to delight" and khoros "dance". While I haven't sung in a choir in a while, I still appreciate how so many people coming together for a common goal can sound heavenly.

If I could describe what I think these Inspirers of Poetic Thought are in a few simple words, I would say that they are, like My Holy Mother and Lady Sophia and Jesus and the Archangels, are Emanations of a large deity- God, that is everything, everywhere all at once. They mix and intersect into each other's domains sometimes while still being their own individuals, but all come from the same source above all. The one that created and is the universe and all living things. The one who slumbers as creation. Our Heaven Father. Khaos. God. It's all the same at the end of the day to me at least. Divine offshoots created from a single unifying source.

I'll send more stuff in the future and try to update more often so don't be spooked if I pop up from time to time! Promise!

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Dudes healthcare is so fake. My ADHD meds are $940 without insurance. But they gave me a website of "coupons" which straight up looks like a scam website, and I got it today for $60! Just a coupon from a random website and it was $900 cheaper. America, I am confusion!! America explain!!

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I am all panic, and not at the disco

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Golden Girls providing love and open compassion for everyone ✨🐿️💞

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Different Stories Resonate with Different People

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I am consumed by fear that my mother might die in Gaza while I am far away, unable to help her. The thought of her suffering alone in such a dangerous place breaks my heart. I feel so helpless and terrified, knowing I can't be there to protect her or bring her to safety. Every day is filled with anxiety and dread, as I hope and pray for her survival amidst the chaos.

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Free Palestine 🇵🇸

Free Congo 🇨🇩

Free Sudan 🇸🇩

Free Armenia 🇦🇲

Free Haiti 🇭🇹

Free Ethiopia 🇪🇹

Free Syria 🇸🇾

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As pride month begins, let us not forget our Palestinian brothers and sisters.