Maryland

From March 15 through 17, 2012, LGBT-affirming Catholic organization New Ways Ministry will hold their seventh annual symposium, this year titled “From Water to Wine: Lesbian/Gay Catholics and Relationships.”

Arguing that both African Americans and LGBT people have been targets of violence and discrimination because of who they are, Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart in his most recent column spotlights the shared struggles between both groups--including those who are at the intersection of the two communities, i.e, Black LGBT people and their families.

In recent years, the Roman Catholic Church has seen the divide grow between the actions of church leadership and what’s in the hearts of the people they are supposed to represent.

With the recent passage of marriage equality in Maryland, the media has begun to focus again on the supposed conflict between LGBT equality and the African American community.

GLAAD commends the Washington post for profiling Pastor Coates and the important stand he has taken in support of LGBT equality.

As state legislatures in New Jersey, Maryland, and Washington are moving closer to approving marriage equality legislation, religious voices are speaking out in support of equality.