Susan Cottrell's Blog, page 12

Do Those on the Other Side Love Their Children Too?

Well here we are, caught in a maelstrom. The fear has never felt so intense, the fracture never so deep. Stephen Colbert said 50% of people on both sides feel terror of what the other side might do. Abject terror. Those who fervently voted for their candidate, and those who merely voted against the other [Read More...]

Post 11/9: The Election is Over. How Do We Move Forward?

Beloveds, it’s a strange day, isn’t it? I don’t even mean the outcome of the election, I mean the aftermath. Regardless of whether or not your candidate won, it is likely that the whole thing feels vaguely gross. Like waking up someplace you should never have been, and now you just want to get home [Read More...]

Are You the Parent of an LGBTQ Child? You Are Not Alone.

“Mom, I’m Gay!” You want to shove those words back in and put the lid on. But you can’t. Having a gay or trans child may may go against everything you’ve been taught. It was not what you had in mind, and you instantly wonder where you went wrong. When you become a parent, you [Read More...]

Coming Out to Christian Parents

If you are LGBTQI, coming out to your Christian parents and family can be overwhelming. You don’t know their response until you tell them… and then it’s too late. I hope this article, written with a gay friend, will help. Be honest This is the most fundamental piece of advice, and also the most important. It [Read More...]

My Daughter… the Wise, Wonderful Heretic!

“If the you of five years ago doesn’t consider the you of today a heretic, you are not growing spiritually.” — Thomas Merton My delightful daughter Hannah, whose AMAZING coming out post we ran last year, has written another great post on her Facebook page. She is always thought-provoking and I just had to share [Read More...]

Eat, Pray, Love Who You Love. Elizabeth Gilbert Comes Out!

I love how Elizabeth Gilbert – the bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love – came out today about her relationship with Rayya: she just came out. Not gigantic fanfare, just a Facebook post saying, this is our relationship. She came out now because Rayya has cancer, and they want to be able to walk in [Read More...]

Does Christian Scripture Really Condemn Homosexuality? (Hell No!)

Rejection, shunning, condemnation, ridicule, bullying, all in the name of God. If you are LGBTQ, or the parent of an LGBTQ child, or anyone who is affirming and including, you have likely been on the receiving end of this kind of treatment. And worse. Does such treatment have anything to do with God?  No, not [Read More...]

A Boy in a Tutu, a Mom, and the Scary Words of a Stranger

“My son wears tutus. It was fine… until yesterday!” This is the story of the innocence of a child, the love of a Mom, and the scary, hurtful words of a stranger. Unfortunately, it is a situation repeated on a tragically frequent basis. Is it hate? Ignorance? Misguided interference? You decide. I will let Jen, [Read More...]

As a Person of Faith, I Fully Accept & Affirm LGBTQ

“You’re a Christian! How can you support LGBTQ people and gay marriage? Don’t you realize you are condoning sin? You are leading people into hell!” This is Rob, Susan’s husband, and I have heard it all! Multiple times a day from strangers. Frequently from people who claim to be friends. And more than I ever [Read More...]

7 Reasons Christian Parents Who Reject Their Gay Children Are Being Arrogant

How Arrogant Must You Be to Reject Your LGBTQ Child? EXTREMELY. To stand at the door of your home, or of your church, and tell someone that they are not welcome is indefensible. But it happens every day to people who just happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning. And nothing hurts [Read More...]