“Remaining Home in Faith”: Finding Resilience and Faith in Times of Uncertainty

On Saturday evening, HRC hosted a virtual interfaith service, titled “Remaining Home in Faith: An Interfaith Prayer Service,” as a part of its “Coming Home to Faith: A Search for Common Ground” tour. The tour aims to work to establish common ground with prominent houses of worship and faith traditions across the country. 

The current and necessary practice of social distancing during the COVID-19 global health crisis is difficult for many people, but can be especially hard for the LGBTQ community. Many of us are facing this crisis while also grappling with other incredible hardships, from being isolated from chosen family and friends who acknowledge and affirm our identities, to facing the loss of income, jobs, housing and other living necessities. Faith can be a source of comfort for many during difficult times, and as people are no longer able to visit their places of worship in person, this virtual service was a time for LGBTQ people of faith and allies to come together and find community in a welcoming setting. 

Faith and community leaders from many different religious traditions and backgrounds came together for the virtual service, including HRC President Alphonso David; Senior Minister Carmarion Anderson; Ret. Bishop Gene Robinson; Rabbi Denise Eger; Rev. Michelle Higgins; Pastor Josh Scott; Imam Abdullah Antepli; Candidate for Ordination J.J. Warren; and HRC Foundation Religion & Faith Program Director Michael Vazquez. 

The words of faith and community leaders such as Toni Morrison, Howard Thurman, Rev. Pauli Murray, Maya Angelou and Thomas Merton were also featured prominently in the service, as were passages from scripture. Speakers also discussed themes such as water and the washing of hands, cultivating resilience and perseverance during times of adversity, finding hope through relationships with faith, friends and family and recognizing the power and dignity of the LGBTQ community. 

The virtual service was grounded in the reminder that we are not alone, and that we can find strength, resilience and hope during this difficult time both through our faith and in the knowledge that the LGBTQ giants who have come before us have shown us a way forward. 

During the service, HRC President Alphonso David said: 

“I look at the giants who came before us — footsoldiers for justice like Harvey Milk, Bayard Rustin, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and countless others — who wrestled with discrimination and oppression, and a government who did not care about their lives or our lives. These leaders drew strength from each other in the face of incredible obstacles and went on to elevate and validate our communities, and built a framework for a more equal nation. 

“Their practice was justice. Their practice was resilience. Their practice was love. Every day, they decided to start again; every day, they made their communities and the world a little better, more joyful, and more free. It is this practice that I call on all of us to embrace anew.” 

During this difficult time, HRC is dedicated to providing resources to the LGBTQ community, and creating spaces where the LGBTQ community can come together and support each other. For more of what HRC is doing around this crisis, click here. 

www.hrc.org/blog/remaining-home-in-faith-finding-resilience-faith-in-times-of-uncertainty?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Turn to these GLAAD Media Institute alumni for updates and information about coronavirus

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Antigay Cardinal: Attend Mass in Person to Fight ‘Gender Theory’

Raymond Burke says Catholics should attend in person despite COVID-19 to combat “the pervasive attack upon the integrity of human sexuality.”

www.advocate.com/religion/2020/3/23/antigay-cardinal-attend-mass-person-fight-gender-theory

Nashom Wooden, aka drag star Mona Foot, dies from COVID-19

According to credible reports on social media, Nashom Wooden, aka Mona Foot, has died at the age of 50.

Several people also claim the cause of death was COVID-19.

Project Runway designer Geoffrey Mac was a good friend of Wooden’s. Mac uploaded a video to Instagram to share the sad news.

“I just want to make sure that everyone out there is healthy and takes care of each other,” Mac said. “The virus is really real and I’m just so sorry.”

Wooden found fame in the pre-Drag Race NYC club scene of the early ’90s, earning a reputation for slaying Aretha Franklin lip syncs. Mona was also known for dressing as Wonder Woman.

“I could see the power of it. No one saw that coming. To be not only a superhero, to be black and a man. I didn’t realize at the time I was feminine. The message was so powerful, performing ’I’m Every Woman’ as Wonder Woman,” Wooden told Michael Musto in 2017.

Over the years, Wooden slowly stepped back from their drag persona, before hanging up the heels for good.

In the late ’90s, Wooden became a singer in the dance-pop trio the Ones, appeared alongside Robert De Niro in the movie Flawless, and worked at the NYC nightclub The Cock.

Friends have been sharing their grief and love:

www.queerty.com/nashom-wooden-aka-drag-star-mona-foot-dies-covid-19-20200323?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Tokyo 2020, Niall Horan, Dua Lipa, Meghan McCain, Harvey Weinstein, Andrew Sullivan, Poland, Dita Von Teese: HOT LINKS

THE COMING BATTLE. Trump is tiring of the doctors’ orders: “Taken together, Trump’s tweet and Pence’s comment supply the strongest public signals we’ve seen that the administration is looking for ways to get people out in the world again to fire up the economy — perhaps much sooner than Dr. Fauci would like. … At the end of the 15-day period, there will likely be a serious clash between the public health experts — who will almost certainly favor a longer period of nationwide social distancing and quarantining — versus the president and his economic and political aides, who are anxious to restart the economy.”

ME ME ME. Trump devolves into self pity over coronavirus at Sunday presser.

HARVEY WEINSTEIN. Jailed entertainment mogul and sexual predator has tested positive for coronavirus.

DENIM ON DENIM. Justin Timberlake talks about the iconically awful matchy-matchy outfits he and Britney Spears wore to the AMAs.

HOPE. China reopens 500+ movie theaters: “As the number of new cases of the coronavirus shows signs of abating in China, a smattering of cinemas re-opened in a handful of provinces across the country this weekend. On Friday, there were 486 movie theaters back at work, while Saturday the total was upped to 507, local reports say. This reps just 4.5% of the Middle Kingdom exhibition infrastructure and brought in an estimated $4,355 on Saturday, per ticketing platform Maoyan.”

FUTURE NOSTALGIA. Dua Lipa announces her album’s release is coming this week, after weekend leak.

POLAND. App forces coronavirus patients to take regular selfies to ensure they haven’t left quarantine: “People who’ve downloaded the app register a selfie with the app, then periodically receive requests for geo-located selfies. If they fail to comply, the police will be alerted.”

COLTON UNDERWOOD. TV’s The Bachelor reveals coronavirus treatment:

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Hi, just wanted to give you a health update. The last few days were rougher than I expected. The most prominent symptoms are my cough, night sweats and shortness of breathe. Breathing is challenging, the best way to describe it is feeling like I only have access to 20% of my lungs. I can only imagine how people with pre-existing health conditions feel with this. I’ve been journaling throughout this and I’ll share some of those soon. I’m currently on hydroxychloroquine, Z-Pak and last night the doctor prescribed an inhaler, also. I’m hopeful that they are starting to work! This morning was the first time that I’ve felt any real type of improvement since the beginning of this. Im hopeful that I’ve turned the corner and will be back to 100% soon. We are very lucky that all of this was manageable at home after getting the proper medicine. I’m on the third story of the Randolph’s home, isolated from the rest of the family (The Health Department called and spoke to both Cassie’s mom and me to make sure we understood timing and what to do). When they make food they make an extra plate and drop it off and have been checking on me regularly to make sure I am comfortable and breathing! They have been amazing and have been taking great care of me. Stay positive people…We got this!

A post shared by Colton Underwood (@coltonunderwood) on Mar 23, 2020 at 11:41am PDT

COLOMBIA. 23 dead in jail riot over coronavirus: “A prison riot in Colombia’s capital Bogota late on Saturday left 23 prisoners dead and 83 injured, the justice minister said on Sunday, as detainees protested sanitary conditions amid the global outbreak of coronavirus. Thirty-two injured prisoners are hospitalised, Justice Minister Margarita Cabello said in a video, while seven prison guards were also injured. Two guards are in critical condition.”

TOKYO 2020. Olympics will be postponed due to coronavirus. “Veteran International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told USA TODAY Sports on Monday afternoon that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are going to be postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.”

WITH CHILD. Meghan McCain announces she is pregnant.

ANDREW SULLIVAN. How to survive a plague: “All plagues change society and culture, reversing some trends while accelerating others, shifting consciousness far and wide, with consequences we won’t discover for years or decades. The one thing we know about epidemics is that at some point they will end. The one thing we don’t know is who we will be then.”

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mood. #stillpositive #workout #motivation #stayhealthy #strong

A post shared by Aleksandar Rusić (@aleksandar_rusic) on Mar 21, 2020 at 10:15am PDT

MALE MODEL MONDAY. Nolan Darlin, Max Hamilton, Aleksander Rusić, Lucas Loyola and more HERE.

REAL ESTATE TOUR OF THE DAY. Dita Von Teese.

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY. Niall Horan “No Judgement”.

MUSIC VIDEO 2 OF THE DAY. The Killers “Caution”.

MUSIC VIDEO 3 OF THE DAY. The Weeknd “In Your Eyes”.

MONDAY MUSCLE. March 23 is National Puppy Day.

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The Biggest Nugget Ron is doing so much better! Almost fully recovered from a procedure on his eye to remove an ulcer, he seems to be back to his goofy self. He will have a slight haze over his eye from the treatment but its not causing him discomfort anymore. Thank you for everyones messages checking up on him over the last few weeks it means a lot

A post shared by David Marshall (@davemarshall89) on Mar 8, 2020 at 9:05pm PDT

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Tokyo 2020, Niall Horan, Dua Lipa, Meghan McCain, Harvey Weinstein, Andrew Sullivan, Poland, Dita Von Teese: HOT LINKS

Turn to these #glaadinstitute alumni for updates and information about coronavirus

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