Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, spoke to audiences about the importance of religion in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community. The N.C. State GLBT Center hosted Robinson in Witherspoon’s Campus Cinema on Monday for a presentation called God Believes in Love, Straight Talk about Gay Marriage.
Robinson is an active member of the GLBT community. Upon introduction to his audience, N.C. State’s Center for Leadership, Ethics and Public Service awarded Robinoson its honorary Role Model Leader Award.
Dani Lechner, vice president of the GLBT Community Alliance at N.C. State, announced the award, and referenced some of its former recipients, such as Maya Angelou and Coach Kay Yow.
Lechner said Robinson exemplified and shared many of the traits that qualified him for this award.
“Bishop Robinson has shown love in the face of fear and hate,” Lechner said.
Lechner said that as a prominent figure in the GLBT community, Robinson has proven to take on the roles of a teacher and a leader.
Darren Lipman, secretary of the GLBT Community Alliance, said he advocates for many of these ideals that Robinson shares.
“This is to show that religion is compatible with sexuality. There is a place for those who are religious and belong to the LGBT community,” Lipman said.
In his speech, Robinson said he acknowledges a period of time when the power of the GLBT community was inexistent.
“Thirty years ago, most Americans would have told you that they didn’t know anyone who was gay,” Robinson said. “And now, there isn’t a family left in America who doesn’t know one family member, one coworker or one classmate who isn’t LGBT.”
Lipman said this radical change and works with the GLBT on campus to give support to those who feel as though society is not acceptant of their sexuality.
“There are definitely a number of students who are going through that struggle right now. I know I have gone through that period of not knowing where I fit in with my religion,” Lipman said.
Robinson said that as society has moved and evolved, the presence of the GLBT community has become more accepted in everyday life.
“At the Episcopal Diocese general convention last summer, we welcomed transgendered people. In 2003, if that had happened, you would have thought the world had ended,” Robinson said. “Now, ten years later, it is hardly a problem.”
However, Robinson said elements of religion still do place pressure on the LGBT community.
Cathy Marshall, a member of the Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh, attended the seminar to stand against many of these discriminatory churches.
“As members of the Open and Affirming Task Force, we are always looking for opportunities to support the LGBT community through our faith and through our church,” Marshall said.
In contrast to Open and Affirming churches, many churches continue to fight against GLBT rights.
Robinson said he continues to preach that even though the Bible and religion are often used to incriminate members of the GLBT community, they can also be used for support.
“You can’t pretend to know what the Bible says or means unless you know the context,” Robinson said.
Robinson said religion can become an integral part of the GLBT community. During the question and answer session of the seminar, some GLBT members also mentioned the importance of religion.
“Religion should be personal and you should not be excluded for being essentially who God made you to be,” Lipman said. “To have someone of such recognition—to make that statement on our campus—it’s phenomenal.”
