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Family of Origin, Family of Choice

Stories of Queer Christians

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

First-person testimonies from LGBTQ+ Christians about coming out and navigating their family dynamics

What happens in a family when one member comes out? How does LGBTQ+ identity affect relationships with parents and grandparents, siblings and cousins? What does Christian love require and make possible for families moving forward together?
A social scientist and a pastor, both from Galileo Church on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas, asked their LGBTQ+ friends from church to help them understand how they navigate relationships with their affirming, non-affirming, and affirming-ish families of origin, even as they also find belonging in other families of choice. The resulting stories, crafted from interviews with fifteen queer Christians and family members, kept anonymous at their request, are as varied as the colors of the rainbow. Over the years, some grew closer to their families of origin; others grew more distant. Some were surprised by the hardness of heart they encountered; others were amazed by the breadth of their family’s love. Most all describe a trajectory, a journey, from the coming-out moment till now and beyond, as their families of origin, like all families, remain a work in progress.

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    • Library Journal

      April 1, 2021

      Some people assume that being LGBTQ+ and Christian are incompatible, but in fact there are many who seek to reconcile those identities, and many communities that support them. One such community is Galileo Church outside of Fort Worth. This book is the product of Galileo Church pastor Hays and social scientist Chasson. Its 15 stories reflect a variety of experiences of queer people, regarding family and Christianity; these evolve, not necessarily into resolutions, but into different understandings of relationships with others and with belief. The book's strength lies in the range of its storytellers, including people who come out to parents and siblings and are welcomed, and others who navigate being rejected by their family of origin and finding chosen family along the way. Each chapter begins with background information on its narrators, who then proceed to tell their stories in their own words. One poignant chapter recalls the emotional burden of continually coming out to one family member after another. VERDICT These moving narratives, offering firsthand perspectives from a racially diverse group of LGBTQ Christians and their families, will resonate with many.--David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia

      Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      March 15, 2021
      In their essential new book, Hays, Founder and Lead Evangelist of Ft. Worth's Galileo Church, and Chiasson, a social scientist, have gathered the latter's insightful interviews with fifteen queer members of Galileo and their families. In her interviews Chiasson asked each respondent the same questions--such as "What was it like coming out to your family of origin?" "What were their reactions? How did you handle them?" and so forth. Each answer is offered in the transcribed words of the respondents, who range in age from their early twenties to their late-fifties, are single and married, and identify as lesbian, gay, trans, gender fluid, and gender queer. The answers are uniformly illuminating exercises in empathy (keep a box of tissues handy), invaluable for their insights into the widely varying conditions of being queer or queer friendly. Family remains the focus of the book, which is sure to make a positive difference in the lives of its readers, queer or straight.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Languages

  • English

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