Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer (LGBTQ) Family Advocates Offer Educational Tool to Catholic School

Colorado Catholic school denies enrollment to child with lesbian moms.
COLAGE, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources, and the Family Equality Council express their disappointment with the decision of the Archdiocese of Denver to deny re-enrollment of a preschooler at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School in Boulder, Boulder Colorado citing their discriminatory policy to exclude children with gay or lesbian parents.
“This is yet another example of how growing up with a lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) parent can be extraordinarily isolating,” said Carlos Uribe of COLAGE. “COLAGE and our partner organizations are here to provide resources and community to youth and families so that they can connect with their peers and feel proud of who they are.”
Kate Ronsan-Waslh, who has a gay dad sympathized with the family. “Growing up I constantly tried to reconcile the institution of the Church with the realities of my family,” she said. “It’s disappointing that the Archdiocese of Denver chose to force the school to discriminate instead of allowing them to act in the spirit of inclusion, which to me is more in line with Catholic theology.”
“To show our support COLAGE will send the school a resource called “All in God’s Family,” added Carlos Uribe.
All in God’s Family offers concrete tools for congregations and communities where families with LGBTQ parents can thrive including a step-by step guide to supporting LGBTQ families of faith and tools for facilitating group learning, community dialogue, and Bible study. Additionally, the curriculum includes Families Like Mine, a book about adults with LGBT parents written by Abigail Garner, whose father is gay; and two COLAGE visibility resources – the youth-produced documentary In My Shoes: Stores of Youth with LGBT Parents and a CD containing the photo-text exhibit “That’s So Gay: Portraits of Youth with LGBT Parents.”
All in God’s Family: Creating Allies for our LGBT Families can be acquired for a suggested donation of $50 at www.welcomingresources.org. It is a multi-media curriculum that was launched as a joint project of COLAGE, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources, and Family Equality Council. COLAGE is currently continuing this collaboration and working with Jewish Mosaic to adapt the curriculum for Jewish audiences.
About COLAGE:
COLAGE is the only national youth-driven network of people with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer parents. Living in a world that treats our families differently can be isolating or challenging. By connecting us with peers who share our experience, COLAGE helps us become strong advocates for ourselves and our families. www.colage.org
About National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources:
A project of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Institute for Welcoming Resources creates resources that support the unconditional welcome of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities and their families in the church home of their choice. www.welcomingresources.org
About Family Equality Council:
The Family Equality Council works to ensure equality for LGBT families by building community, changing hearts and minds, and advancing social justice for all families. www.familyeqaulity.org

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