Church work with gays--Catholic Church

Gays and Grays tells the story of a unique Catholic parish. Most Holy Redeemer Parish in San Francisco is in the center of the world's first gay neighborhood, The Castro. This parish was the center of the hostility to the arriving gay population in the 1970s; but paradoxically was itself transformed into a welcoming parish. The old time parishioners,'the gray,'bonded with the new comers,'the gay,'particularly in a joint compassionate response to the crisis of AIDS. A charismatic pastor, FR Tony McGuire also played a key role in the transformation of this interesting parish. Most Holy Redeemer was changed from a dying parish to a vital place where gay and straight people together created something new. Father Donal Godfrey shows how this parish became prophetic and compassionate, through conflict and compromise at times; despite opposition from many sources, including the institutionalized homophobia of the church and society. Rather than becoming embittered, the parish opened up to be a place of healing and indeed sanctuary for many. This book tells this fascinating story and why it is significant beyond the scope of San Francisco. Most Holy Redeemer is a place which has remained within the institution while at the same time challenging it with grace and humor. This accessible and moving book is appropriate for all levels of students of congregational studies, Sociology of Religion, Gay or Queer Studies and Religion courses.

Discrimination--United States, Gay parents--United States, Gay couples--United States, and Homophobia--United States

This book recognizes that intense public battles are being waged in the U.S. over the rights of LGB people to form legally and culturally recognized families. Their families are under a kind of sociopolitical scrutiny at this historical moment that compels us all to take stock of our strategies of family-building and, more broadly, the meaning of family in the U.S. today. Through in-depth, open-ended, qualitative interviews with 61 self-identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual people regarding how they came to have children or remain childless/childfree, this book reveals the challenges posed by homophobia and discrimination and showcases the creative strategies, resilience, and resourcefulness of lesbians, bisexuals, and gays as they build families (with or without children) after coming out. From descriptions of how the early process of coming out affected the desire to parent or remain childfree, to stories about the impact of homophobia and discrimination on the decision-making process, to the dynamics within couples that lead to becoming parents or remaining childfree, to examining how cultural notions of the strength of biology are employed when having children, to accounts of how the closet can be used strategically when bringing children into a family, their voices form the heart of this book. In a sociopolitical context in which gay, lesbian, and bisexual people often have to struggle to access the array of rights and opportunities that are afforded to most heterosexual people without question, addressing the questions raised in this book is an urgent and necessary endeavor.

Gay military personnel--Interviews

Gays in the Military sheds light on the struggles of gay and lesbian men and women in the US Military.