Gay In Augusta

The Unitarian Universalist Church has long been an LGBT ally, but this Sunday a local church is leaving no doubt that there are indeed allies in the CSRA. On Sunday, October 11th (National Coming Out Day), the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta will focus their church service on the importance of this day.

“Come Out, Come Out Whoever You Are” The Reverend Margaret L. Beard

October 11th is “National Coming Out Day” which is an internationally-observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues. Find out more about the history of this day, the national and local situation and why “fullness of being” and full equality are religious issues.

Service is at 11:00am

For directions and contact information, visit uuaugusta.org.

I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw this interview with Reverend Joseph Lowery on WRDW News 12 in Augusta. Reverend Lowery will give the benediction at the inauguration next week, and sat down with him to discuss some of his history with the civil rights movement as well as the inauguration next week.  When the interviewer brought up the Rick Warren issue, he had this to say:

“I think it’s disgusting some of the profane things he has said about gay people…equating homosexuality with pedophilia,” said Rev. Lowery. “I condemn that kind of demeaning of gay people. I think that all God’s children got shoes, and I think it’s beneath Brother Warren’s status as a Christian pastor to demean people with that kind of profane language.”

Very well said. I, for one, can’t wait to hear a little more from Reverend Lowery next Tuesday.

To watch the (short) interview, go to http://www.wrdw.com/politics/headlines/37739369.html

via SmartBrief.com and music.gay.com

Despite asking Rick Warren to give the invocation at next Tuesday’s inauguration, Obama is making the day look a little brighter for the gay community. First, the invocation for the first inaugural event on Sunday will be given by out Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson. Obama has also named out appointee Nancy Sutley to a key environmental post and will include a lesbian couple in a pre-inaugural train trip. To top it off, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington will perform at Sunday’s event at the Lincoln Memorial.

Oh wait…there’s one more… for the first time in American history, openly gay musicians and performers, from Lesbian and Gay Band Association, will march in an inauguration parade.

Sounds like it’s shaping up to be an pretty gay week.

What other events will be happening next week for the inauguration?

This is an historic election for so many reasons. Immediately terrifying to me, the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate supports a federal ban on same sex marriage and the next President may very well have the opportunity to appoint two or more justices to the Supreme Court. Think about who you want making those appointments.

Please remember to vote November 4th or vote early if you can.

from the Southern Voice

Keisha Waites fell short of her history-making aspirations when she lost her race for state House District 61 to Ralph Long III in the Aug. 5 primary runoff.

Waites, who would have been the first openly gay African-American woman elected to a state legislature in the country, garnered 986 votes to Long’s 1,357 votes. The seat was left open when Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) announced his retirement earlier this year.

One day openly gay polital candidates will run in the CSRA. Hey – it can happen. It will happen.