Dan Savage appears to be a constant source of controversy in the LGBT community, and some recent comments he made may have been the last straw.
At a high school journalism convention recently, Savage told the audience there was “bullshit in the Bible” that needed to be ignored. Some people walked out, and Savage called them “pansy-assed,” for which he later apologized.
In this article, columnist Jay Michaelson argues that Savage’s comments were just as harmful to the LGBT community as they would have been if they were made by a super conservative a la Rick Santorum. It’s an unfortunately common misconception that people have to choose between religion and an LGBT identity, and Savage’s comments could certainly be taken as alienating to queer people of faith.
A select blurb:
It’s all well and good for a religious progressive to insist that the Bible be interpreted selectively. But where does that leave kids growing up in religious communities committed to a more conservative view? Must such communities abandon their faith and adopt Dan Savage’s theology in order to affirm and include their LGBT members? If that were the price of inclusion, I know many communities would refuse to pay it. But fortunately, it is not. Very traditional religious values, no theological salad bar required, support inclusion and affirmation of LGBT lives. No matter what Rick Santorum, and now Dan Savage, says.
A lot of you have very strong thoughts about Dan Savage and obviously about Rick Santorum. What do you think? Legitimate accusation?
If nothing else, a very provocative headline.
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