Susan Cottrell's Blog, page 16

“She’s Gone to Her Sister’s” – How Family Should Love Each Other

Do you have family issues that seem to hurt a little more during the holidays? Yep, me too. Why is it that the love and acceptance of family seems so conditional? It sure wasn’t conditional for Mary’s family. Mary and Joseph were scandalized when Mary turned up single and pregnant. “The Holy Spirit did it!” [Read More...]

Christians… Happy Holidays & Merry Xmas!

Christmastime is here again, marked by the crisp cold air, the decorated trees popping up, and the endless fight over Xmas, Happy Holidays and the red Starbucks cup. Oh, the things we dream up to fight about. You know Christians… and I really mean fundamental, behavior-focused exclusionary Christians… you could have taken a completely different [Read More...]

What is Sin? The Word Just Drips With Shame.

Sin. Just the word is heavy. Like a brick. Especially when someone throws it at your head. Have you been told you’re a sinner going to hell (by self-appointed sin police)? If you are in the LGBTQ community, I hardly even have to ask. Just the word sin can trigger fear and shame. People who use sin as a trump [Read More...]

The Inclusive Explanation of Marriage

“Whoever says God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, has never been in Steve’s shoes.” – Hannah Cottrell I saw this “Best Explanation of Marriage” meme being shared around social media by Christians who are anti-LGBTQ and, well… I just couldn’t help myself! I hope you like my corrections. I’m worn out hearing [Read More...]

Transgender Murder, Suicide – “We Are in a State of Emergency.”

Yesterday was Transgender Day of Remembrance. Rob and I spent the evening with some 200 people, most of them trans, many of them family and friends, at a gathering on the steps of Austin City Hall. Together we remembered transgender people who have been murdered this past year, and we celebrated transgender people who are [Read More...]

A Journey of Transparent Truth

Autymn was just transitioning from male to female when we met her. Rob and I sat in her apartment, as she described the steps of her journey, scariness with job situations, and coming out to people who had known her as Nathan. Oh, and the time some guys nearly beat her up for daring to [Read More...]

Houston, You Have a Problem… Lies, Power & Transgender Hate

I am still just sick about the new lows those Houston anti-gay, unChristlike pastors stooped to, to allow people, who just happen to be LGBTQ, to be stripped of their basic human rights. You know, equal housing, jobs, protection from being targeted and beaten up on the streets. Sickening in the extreme. This ad depicts [Read More...]

The Collective Trauma of Terror: Paris, Beirut, Egypt…

What time is it? Different times elicit different reactions from us. Time holds different meaning for us, depending on a number of factors. I, for instance, don’t know what this time means for you, what each one of you might be going through. We cannot know exactly what it’s like right now for the students [Read More...]

Growing Up Different, and Finding Where You Belong

There are inherent challenges of growing up different, not only for the different one but for the family they grew up in—the challenge of a different child is its own payback! In Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Women Archetype, author Clarissa Pinkola Estes speaks to that. She is [Read More...]

7 Ways Christians Can Honor God, Even While Using a Red Starbucks Cup

“Being a Christian does NOT mean giving the middle finger to those who disagree with you.” Let me tell you, all you Christians who are listening, we have a real problem here. A lot of people think Christians are jerks, because a lot of Christians have been acting like jerks. We need to lay down [Read More...]