The I's have it
Dear Editor,
At one time we were described simply as the gay community. Then we were the lesbian and gay community. Next, the "B" for bisexuals and "T" for transgender were added. Sometimes, an "A" for allies was used.
In Windy City Times' July 30 Viewpoint column, Farah Salim wrote about the LGBTI community. "I"? She never tells us what this "I" stands for. [Editor's note: "I" stands for "intersex."] Have we added yet another letter to this alphabet soup?
I think this confuses people. Can't we just go back to being the "gay community?"
Brian Treglown
Chicago
A matter of bias
It is a sad day when discrimination can be practiced in the name of religious liberty. This only points to the fact that religious liberty will always trump gay rights. This is also a reason why the current ENDA legislation before Congress has become useless for most working-class and poor LGBT peoplebecause of religious exceptions that allow for discrimination. Either we believe in equality or we don't.
Recently, Cardinal Francis George Archbishop of Chicago instructed that the music director of Holy Family Church in Inverness be fired by the pastor for announcing that he's marrying his partner of five years.
The Archdiocese of Chicago released a statement stating, "Worship ministers are expected to conform their lives publicly with the teachings of the church." While Pope Francis calls for a more inclusive Church to include LGBT people of faith Cardinal George promotes a different view one in which people can be fired from their job in the name of religious liberty.
Now-former Holy Family music director Colin Collette told the Chicago Sun-Times someone sent to George a Facebook image featuring the couple after their engagement. The cardinal then sent the church's pastor an email calling for Collette's resignation, he said. When he refused to resign, he was fired.
In this past year I have noticed a disturbing trend within Catholic institutions who are terminating individuals' employment because of issues related to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Most of these terminations were aimed at LGBT Catholics who were in loving and monogamous relationships.
The following examples of discrimination are only the top of the iceberg. A transgender woman was fired from a Catholic high school at the time of her gender transition. In another case, a job offer was rescinded because the employer suspected the potential employee was gay. Another case involved a parish volunteer who was fired because of his civil marriage to man. Perhaps the most outstanding example that made national news was that of Mark Zmuda, who was fired from his job at Eastside Catholic High School, near Seattle, for marrying a man. This was done in the name of religious liberty.
As a Roman Catholic, I do not believe we are put on earth to tell others when to have children, whom to marry, what medicine to take or what insurance plan to buy.
I would remind Georgewho feels quite comfortable practicing discrimination based on sexual orientationthat this is inconsistent with Catholic tradition. That tradition allows for willingness not only to argue that my conscience should trump yours if you work for me.
Further, an institutionwhether a hospital, a church, a school or a Taco Bellcannot be justified by current Catholic theology, or even by the Catholic catechism.
George is doing gymnastics with Catholic moral theology to claim that he has not only a religious right, but also a constitutional right to discriminate in employment against LGBT people which begs the question where will it all end? Will the Catholic bishops try to stop everybody from buying meat during Lent? The Church has found a middle way with divorce and remarried Catholics; the same can be done with LGBT people.
I agree with George when he says in his recent column in the Catholic New World that "joy cannot be found in falsehood."
Joe Murray
Executive Director
Rainbow Sash Movement
Tunney business
I think this year's Pride Parade had a larger attendance than last year, and appeared to be a lot more controlled equaling a safer environment.
Yet, there is something very troubling to me about who is making decisions for the Pride Parade as was indicated by 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney's recent comments concerning if the Pride Parade should be kept in Lake View.
The Pride Parade brings much-needed revenuenot only to the Lake View LGBT community, but also to parts of the 46th Ward and both wards' business communities. What's nextpetty bickering between [Tunney and 46th Ward Ald. James Cappleman] over control?
Tunney seems to think the parade is a neighborhood event, which it is not. It is no more a neighborhood event than Chicago's Air and Water Show. Like the Pride Parade, the Air and Water Show is independent of any aldermanic control. Why should the Pride Parade be any different?
The other problem aggravating the situation is the lack of organization of the Pride Committee. Chicago deserves to have a fully functional LGBT Pride Committee, to include full financial accountability.
I am not saying the alderman should not have input. That is a givenas he has every right to have input like everyone elsebut control of the Pride organization should not rest with a ward organization. The shoe should be on the other foot; the ward organizations should have representatives from the Pride Committee sitting on the ward subcommittees for good communication. The Pride Committee should have independence to reflect the LGBT communities without patrician political involvement.
Joe Murray
Chicago