Pioneers of the LGBTQ Religious Community
When we mention the word 'pioneer', we immediately think of the notion of an individual who either created something completely new, or was the first person to embark on such a mission. That is what we have collected here - a group of individuals in the religious community who were first in their endeavors and accomplishments.
Religious organizations, of course, have generally been hostile to the LGBTQ community as a whole, though there has been significant progress to and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals and leaders in the religious community in developed countries. Much of this has been accomplished by the individuals highlighted below, while much of the work continues to be carried forward by many other religious individuals listed in QueerBio.Com.
The religious community includes a broad range of religions, and in our efforts to uncover the LGBTQ pioneers of the religious community we have managed to find individuals of many faiths - Jewish, Christian (Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopalian, etc.), Muslim, and others.
The Religious Archives Network (RAN) catalogues a large number of LGBTQ religious participants and helps to support the archiving and presentation of the history of this community. The Pacific School of Religion in the United States has its Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry.
Do you know:
- who was the first openly gay Imam of the Muslim faith?
- who founded the first LGBTQ church for homosexuals in France?
- who was the world's first transgender priest?
Read on to find the answers to these questions, and to be introduced to a fascinating group of individuals:
- Ellen Barrett, United States - first lesbian ordained priest, Episcopalian
- Lionel Blue, Great Britain - first rabbi to come out as gay
- Malcolm Boyd, United States - first openly gay Episcopalian priest
- Carl Bran, United States - founder, Unity Fellowship Church
- Deborah Brin, United States - first openly gay rabbi in Judaism
- Joseph Douce, France - founder of the 1st LGBTQ Church in France
- Guy Erwin, United States - first LGBTQ Lutheran Bishop
- Sharon Ferguson, Great Britain - CEO, Lesbian & Gay Christian Movement
- Muhsin Hendricks, South Africa - first openly gay Imam
- Cindi Love, United States - former Executive Director, Metropolitan Community Church
- Jose Mantero, Spain - first openly gay Catholic priest in Spain
- Gary Paterson, Canada - first openly gay moderator, United Church of Canada
- Reverend Troy Perry, United States - founder, Metropolitan Community Church
- Bishop Gene Robinson, United States - first openly gay Bishop of the Episcopalian church
- Carol Stone, Great Britain - world's first transgender priest, Anglican
- Ouyang Wen Feng, Malaysia - first gay pastor in Malaysia
Further Reading/Research
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/lgbt-religious-leaders/
- http://www.lgbtran.org/About.aspx
- http://www.clgs.org/about/history-mission
- http://www.glaad.org/programs/faith
- Ron Yosef, Israel - first orthodox Jew to come out as gay
