November Vol.2 Issue 23
News & Views
The Monthly Newsletter of PFLAG Beaumont
Insights Anecdotes and Opinions
By Jacqueline Hays PFLAG Beaumont President
From time to time, the PFLAG Beaumont board, subcommittee and volunteers may get a bit discouraged our message of inclusion is not being heard or practiced. We, like other like-minded individuals, can occasionally get bogged down when we advocate day after day and then another hate monger pops up on our television or at our grocery store. A few mornings ago, while I was a bit bogged down after my news radio program informed me of the potential of an exclusionary bill being passed, I received an unexpected pick-me-up. A friend, who happens to be an older, gay man stopped to greet me with a brief hello while we were both waiting for coffee at a local shop. After we exchanged pleasantries, he shared with me a moment he experienced during his recent travels. My friend and fellow PFLAGer explained he had recently visited the Deep South. While attending a church service, he could clearly hear several parisheners speaking negatively about one other parishioner. My friend didn’t explain the context, but he did describe his actions. Our neighbor, while visiting a different state, simply took a seat beside the woman about who everyone was gossiping. He introduced himself
______________Insights Cont. Page 2
Bob’s Blurbs
Annual Confrence Workshop highlights Transgender in the Bible
By Bob Meier PFLAG Beaumont Hospitality Chair
I attended Gender Infinity in Houston this
past weekend. Every hour there were 7-8
presentations to choose from for two days. I chose this one dealing with how the Bible
explains Gender Identity and learned a lot. I’ll pull a few quotes from the document
“Transgender in the Scriptures partner and her partner’s relationship with her friend.”
that I’ll share with you. Let me start with a bit of humor used by the author.
JESUS:Lord, why do you pile all these troubles upon
us? It’s because of the gays, G-D:Yes, it is.
JESUS: I knew it. You’re punishing us for their abominations!
G-D: Oh, no no no. I’m punishing you for the shitty way you treat them.
Importnat Takaways:
The US Constitution was written in English
only 230 years ago, in 1789. Despite the fact that it was written in English, we still don’t all agree on
female. (King James Version) The AND represents a spectrum, not a binary. Scriptures often uses a
combination of two contrasting words, to refer to an entirety.
Genesis 1:13 “And the evening AND the morning
were the third day. This means that God didn’t create only mornings and evenings, but also the things in
between, like dawn and dusk, and all the times of day. When he created Male AND Female, this means that he created a SPECTRUM, from one end to the other and everything in-between.
Biological and genetic diversity was present from the moment life started on this planet.
Biblical scholars have identified six different genders in the scriptures: Zachar, Nekevah, Androgynos, Tumtum, Aylonit, and Saris.
Zacharrefers to a phallus and is usually
translated as “male” in English. Nekevahis Hebrew
for crevice and is translated “female”. Androgynosis a person with both “male” and “female” sexual characteristics.
Tumtum is a person whose sexual characteristics
what it says. There are hundreds of different
are indeterminate or obscured. Alonitis a person who is
which is the most accurate. What gives people the right
characteristics at puberty. Sarisis a person identified as
translations available. There is no Bible translation,
to definitively say what Scriptures says about LGBT people?
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male AND
identified as “female” at birth but develops “male”
male at birth but develops “female” characteristics at puberty and/or is lacking a penis. A person can be
“naturally” a saris (referred to a “saris chamah”) or can become one through human intervention (“saris adam”).
American Indians believed that there are five
genders.
Excerpts from Masha Leah Dina.
Inside __________Insights Cont.
and ask permission to share the space on the pew. The lady who was the topic of the morning’s negatively simply asked if it would be better if she left the service. Our local PFLAGer explained that he was from out of town, and many churches, including the one they were attending, may not be welcoming to him either. He shared his thoughts with with the “unwlecome” woman. My friend told her that church should be a place of love and acceptance and we he would very much like to
share the pew during the service. Our Beaumont hero was sure to converse in a manner in which the other parishioners could here. What was even more heart warming, was that when he recounted these events to me, he explained that PFLAG Beaumont had helped him understand how to lend a voice and support to others. That his subtle actions, which this ostracized stranger greatly appreciated, were the result of PFLAG Beaumont’s mission to educate, advocate and support. Our friend traveling across the South didn’t hold a placard condemning an unjust policy, he
didn’t travel to Austin to lobby our state legislature for equal rights, he did not have a great big PFLAG button pinned to his shirt, nor did he evendirectly chastise the members of the church who were condemning a fellow congregant. Our PFLAGer simply sated his acceptance, and shared a space with the woman. It is humbling to know that even if PFLAG Beaumont isn’t having a social event every week, or our members are too busy to come to Education and Support, that our message is still being heard and practiced. Education, advocacy and sup-
port comes in all shapes and sizes and our Beaumont PFLAger wrapped in all three with one simple act.
lations Rainbo w Reve
pared percent increase com mber An unprecedented nu to 2016. e run of LGBTQ peo ple hav Q The nu mber of LGBT t the for office throughou jor ma ied wo men-i dentif – un2018 election cycle nomial ion party Congress ial for a leashing the potent per160 ed nees skyrocket Rainbow Wave of new r yea the cent since 2016, d offiopenly LGBTQ electe us vio pre which held the of govcials at every level record. ber. ernment come No vem A record seven known didates These high-level can for LGBTQ can didates ran than are among the more 18 20 governor during the ple 610 openly LGBTQ peo rer fou election cycle an d every who ran for office at inom ty ceived a major par this level of government h. hig nation – a historic openly cycle. At least 392 LGBTQ There is one known still LGBTQ can didates are inee Republican party nom appear in the race an d will elecs for U.S. Congress thi ballots on general election the tion cycle, however in No vember. onent in opp no d ha e ine nom dings Among the main fin the primary. 18 20 er mb fro m the Septe research brief: y-retrieve d fro m victor LGBTQ Twenty-two openly rg fun d.o cratic can didates won Demo or e nat Se primaries for U.S. a 29.4 U.S. Ho use in 2018,
PAID FOR BY TRIANGLE CAUCUS
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Monthly Book Pick: ‘The Tango of the Gods’
By Theresa Anderson Ener Contributor
Ever since I finished reading Tipping the Vel-
vet by Sarah Waters a couple of years ago (and totally fell in love with Kitty, one of the main
characters), I’ve been longing for more turn of the century literature that features a gender
ambiguous main character. When my LGBTQ book club started researching potential books
last year, we stumbled on The Gods of Tango
(2015) by Carolina de Robertis. I knew this
Dante could.
Lida’s gender transition originally comes
one could be a winner, for me anyway, because
about out of necessity. She wants to play the
book that left me so in awe of its ability to
So Lida takes on the role of Dante and begins
the storyline seems to parallel that of Tipping, a beautifully portray gender ambiguity.
De Robertis opens the book with “Dante
died a happy man, although a strange one…” and so it begins, the tale of Dante and Lida. The book starts in Italy then quickly jumps
across the Atlantic and settles in Buenes Aires,
tango; only men are allowed to play the tango. to build a rich life around the secret identity, one that affords her the opportunity to play
the tango deep into the night then court beau-
tiful women until dawn. Dante plays the role well.
But along the way, Lida discovers that her
a place where many Italians settled during the
transition is more than just a role. She feels
been aware of.
riences with women, initially a way to con-
early 1900s, something I hadn’t previously
My own Italian great grandparents—Sicil-
ians—settled in the New Orleans area along-
side the Creole French, so it’s fascinating to me
most alive when she is Dante. Her sexual expe-
vince others of her maleness, awaken in her a desire that she was never before able to ac-
knowledge. And it is Dante who falls in love
that other Italianos made their way much far-
with Cora.
tango is god, a place where a young Lida falls
ping, it beautifully reveals how some who expe-
be disappointed that her desire to play the
how they find their place in the world, a place
ther south of the border, to a place where the
in love with the music and the culture, only to
This book does not disappoint. Like Tip-
rience gender ambiguity come into their own,
tango, to be a part of that intoxicating passion,
where they finally feel comfortable in their
loose women—are, however, allowed to part-
when there was no real language or labels to
is not welcome. She is a woman. Women—
own skin. Both books are set in a time period
ner up with the men in the clubs and tango the
help them better understand what they were
male, and Lida would not be allowed to break
gendered existence. Dante just knew what felt
night away, but the musicians, they are all that barrier.
PFLAG Beaumont Education and Support Meetings Every Third Sunday 2 p.m. Moved To: 1495 North 7th Street
feeling and how they were experiencing their
right. And he died a happy man…
Vote Nov. 6
Monthly Call To Action:
What’s Happening ‘Love & Paint’ art opening Saturday, November 3 7-10 p.m.
Artists Mark Nesmith and Elizabeth Pearson share more than a passion for art — they have a passion for each other. And the couple will share their love of art and each other by getting married during the opening reception of their joint exhibition
Buy a Brick Yo ur N He am re e
Memorialize a loved one, advertise a business or honor a significant other while providing a base for the Maypole. For more info, email torchymaypolemoonandstars@yahoo.com
Rainy Kimbrough will provide live music during the reception. The Art Studio, Inc.
Band Nite at TASI Last Saturday of Every Month 420 Franklin
Presley Landry at High Street Gallery Saturday, November 17 7-11 p.m. 2110 Victoria
Final show at gallery
420 Franklin