Happy Thanksgiving! We here at State of Belief are thankful for all of you, our loyal listeners. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll talk about the immense progress of LGBTQ rights and take some time to reflect on what we’re thankful for in 2018.
In 1989, Lesléa Newman first released her book Heather Has Two Mommies. The children’s book about a little girl and her two mothers simultaneously helped give birth to a new literary genre and caused an uproar among the political religious right. The American Library Association ranked it as the 11th most challenged book in the 1990s. More importantly, the book provided desperately-needed validation and affirmation of same-sex families. Welton will sit with Lesléa Newman to discuss the book, its legacy, and the fight for LGBTQ equality, as a part of our Whosoever You Love, our semi-monthly series affirming the worth and full value of LGBTQ persons within and beyond religion. Whosoever You Love is supported by the Arcus Foundation, which is dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. Learn more about Arcus and its partners at ArcusFoundation.org.
For nearly 25 years, Interfaith Alliance has been a constant guard at the intersection of religion and politics. While our current political climate continues to blur the lines between those two, Interfaith Alliance has been instrumental in preserving the boundaries between religion and government while reminding our leaders that such a separation is not only constitutionally required, but also vital to a functioning democracy. This week, ahead of Giving Tuesday, Welton will speak with Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, about the progress made in 2018 and the challenges ahead in 2019 as a new Congress is sworn into office.
