DOCSLIB.ORG

Bisexual Christians & Mental Health: Why the Church Needs to Be More

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Bisexual Christians & Mental Health: Why the Church Needs to Be More THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER Faculty of Business, Law and Sport Bisexual Christians & Mental Health: Why the Church needs to be more welcoming Carol Anne Shepherd Doctor of Philosophy May 2017 This thesis has been completed as a requirement for a postgraduate research degree of the University of Winchester. Please select ONE of the following six statements: (by placing an X in the box) 1. The thesis is to be made available from the moment the deposit has been approved by the University of Winchester. 2. In order to facilitate commercial publication I request an embargo period of 1 year* 3. In order to facilitate commercial publication I request an embargo period of 2 years* X 4. In order to facilitate commercial publication I request an exceptional embargo period of 3 years* Approval from the Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange (DRKE) is required for a 3 year embargo. Signature of DRKE: N.B. under Research Council UK (RCUK) rules and regulations, students who have received RCUK funding may apply for access to their thesis to be withheld for no more than 12 months. *Please provide an explanation for the length of the embargo period and information about the proposed publication arrangements. The date of the embargo period will commence from the date of the Award Letter sent from the Director of Postgraduate Research Students. I wish to publish my doctoral research as a monograph and have already received interest from publishers in the UK and USA. I do not want to jeopardise publication through making material freely available too soon. 5. The title, abstract and keywords may be published, but the thesis may not be published In the data repository because it contains commercially sensitive data.^ ^Please identify the commercially sensitive data. 6. The title, abstract and keywords may be published, but the thesis may not be published because my sponsors/funders own the rights to it. # #Please identify the funder/sponsor and the contract information. Please tick if you agree to the following TWO statements : (by placing an X in the box) 1. I agree that my thesis may be copied on demand by individuals or libraries and that the copy of my thesis contains the following statement: Copyright © Author (year of submission] ‘Full thesis title’, University of Winchester, PhD Thesis, pagination, ORCID [number]. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. Copies (by any process) either in full, or of extracts, may be made only in accordance with instructions given by the author. Details may be obtained from the RKE Centre, University of Winchester. This page must form part of any such copies made. Further copies (by any process) of copies made in accordance with such instructions may not be made without the permission (in writing) of the author. No profit may be made from selling, copying or licensing the author’s work without further agreement. 2. I agree that my obligation is to notify the University of Winchester of any change of address in order to facilitate any future requests for licensing. X Author’s Name: Carol A Shepherd Author’s Signature: Date: 27 August 2017 Metadata: Title: Bisexual Christians and Mental Health: Why the Church needs to be more welcoming Author: Carol A Shepherd Supervisors: Professor Eric Anderson & Dr Hazel Brown Key words: Bisexuality; Christianity; mental health; church; depression; suicide; intersectionality; sexuality; identity erasure; biphobia Declaration, Copyright Statement and Intellectual Property Rights No portion of the work referred to in the Thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. I confirm that this Thesis is entirely my own work. Copyright © Carol A Shepherd 2017. Bisexual Christians and Mental Health: Why the Church needs to be more welcoming, University of Winchester PhD Thesis. This copyright has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without the prior permission of the author nor proper acknowledgement. Copies (by any process), either in full, or of extracts, may be made only in accordance with instructions given by the author. Details may be obtained from the RKE Centre, University of Winchester. This page must form part of any such copies made. Further copies (by any process) of copies made in accordance with such instructions may not be made without the permission (in writing) of the author. No profit may be made from selling, copying, or licensing the author’s work without further agreement. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from this source may be published without the prior permission of the author or without proper acknowledgement. This Thesis remains at all times the Intellectual Property of the author. Abstract In 1978, Fritz Klein, author of The Bisexual Option, noted: ‘Bisexuals are sociologically non- existent, invisible in church, society and science (F Klein, 1978).’ My aim in this research project was to examine whether bisexual people were still invisible within church communities, specifically within the Christian church in the UK and USA, and how this impacted on their wellbeing. This was with a view to addressing my central research question: is it possible to be bisexual and Christian and live holistically? I was keen to see whether bisexuality was invisible in real terms in the period 2014-2017, the time-frame for this research. To this end, I interviewed a total of 83 participants, divided up into four research cells: Bisexual Christians in the UK, Bisexual Christians in the USA, Pastors and Supporters of Bisexual Christians in the UK and Pastors and Supporters of Bisexual Christians in the USA. Interviews with pastors and leaders of LGBT faith organisations revealed a distinct lack of bisexual awareness, expressed through a dearth of bisexual pastoral resources and an almost total silence on bisexual issues in the public sphere. This was the case in both the UK and USA. Bisexual Christians themselves, meanwhile, reported an almost blanket silence on bisexuality within church environments and the Christian conference circuit, including, significantly, at LGBT-affirming services and events. These interviews confirmed the existence of bisexual erasure as a sociological phenomenon, flagged by academics and demonstrated by theologians at literature review stage. Yet, whilst erasure and stigmatisation were unambiguously reflected by bisexual Christians within this study, it was not possible to say with any degree of certainty that these stressors were solely behind the huge rates of depression and suicide ideation expressed by bisexual participants (89% UK and 100% US). Other factors, such as family break- up, childhood bullying, Seasonal Affective Disorder and autistic spectrum disorders were all reported as causational factors in poor mental health. Interviews with both pastors and congregants alike revealed that bisexual Christians thrived best within fully inclusive faith communities, where middle sexualities and non-monogamy were accepted without prejudice and certain ethical boundaries surrounding honesty and mutuality observed. Such congregations appeared to be far more prevalent in the USA than in the UK, though intolerance of LGBT Christians was significantly higher, too, than in the UK. Whilst the US church culture was far more polarised than that of the UK, both countries revealed a disparate bisexual community, suggesting that bisexual Christians perhaps needed to network and mobilise themselves at national level and beyond, in the same way that trans Christians have done in reaction to the recent spate of bathroom bills. To summarise, this research confirmed that bisexual Christians still appeared to be ‘sociologically non-existent’ (Klein, 1978) within church environments and church resources in the UK and USA, despite progress in acceptance of lesbian and gay Christians (and to a lesser extent, transgender Christians) within these same communities. 5 6 Acknowledgements This PhD was completed during a tumultuous year in my personal life. There are therefore many friends and supporters to which I owe an enormous debt of gratitude. To John Shepherd, for being the most amazing friend, partner and supporter of all that I do for the last twenty seven years, and to our gorgeous children, Jaden, Alex and Matt, for being so accepting. To Eric Anderson, for being the most supportive DOS any ‘grad stoodent’ could hope to have. Our eyes met across a crowded Postgrad Symposium room and you hollered loudly that you had to work with me. I made your dream come true, Eric. You owe me bigtime. To Hazel Brown, my second supervisor, for helping me hold it together all those times I threatened to unravel. It could have been way messier without you. To the American Institute of Bisexuality, who generously funded the US leg of my qualitative interviews. To all my amazing participants, both sides of the pond. I have made some wonderful friends from this research project. We have laughed together, cried together, shared together. Particular thanks go to the naked room-mate who flitted across my Skype call to Liz in Tennessee! Best quote award goes to Jain in the US (see p.283) and Leonora in the UK (p.139). Special thanks are extended to the Bisexual Resource Center (Boston), the Cathedral of Hope (Dallas) and the Religious Institute (Westport), who were particularly welcoming and supportive of my research. To Chris Day, for all the prayers and hugs and wise words and encouragement and for being totally and utterly human. I wish all priests were like you, so we didn’t need to write theses about sexuality, faith and mental health. To Prof. Lisa Isherwood and Prof.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Allies (Like You!) Are a Vital Believe That We Exist
    how to be an Learn More What is Bi+? Bisexual Resource Center The BRC uses “bisexual” and “bi+” as umbrella terms for people who recognize and honor their Brochures, handouts, links to research, find bi+ potential for sexual and emotional attraction groups: to more than one gender (pansexual, fluid, www.biresource.org omnisexual, queer, and all other free-identifiers). We celebrate and affirm the diversity of identity Bisexual Health Awareness Month and expression regardless of labels. to a bi+ person Learn about bi+ health disparities at www.bihealthmonth.org Our Vision The Bisexual Resource Center envisions a world Bi Women Quarterly where love is celebrated, regardless of sexual Read essays, fiction, poems, and see visual art from orientation or gender expression. Because bisexuals bi+ women around the world: today are still misunderstood, marginalized and www.biwomenboston.org/newsletter discriminated against, the BRC is committed to providing support to the bisexual community and Still Bisexual raising public awareness about bisexuality and Watch videos of people telling their own bi+ bisexual people. stories: www.stillbisexual.com How to Support Us The BiCast A bi+ podcast: www.thebicast.org The BRC is primarily funded through the generosity of our donors. There are many ways you can give. BiNet USA Website: www.biresource.org/donate Learn more about this national bi+ organization: Paypal: [email protected] www.binetusa.org Venmo: @bisexualresourcecenter Bisexual Organizing Project Want to volunteer your time? Email us at Hosts the BECAUSE conference and hosts groups [email protected] in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: www.bisexualorganizingproject.org © 2018 Bisexual Resource Center PO Box 170796 Boston, MA 02117 American Institute of Bisexuality 617.424.9595 | www.biresource.org www.americaninstituteofbisexuality.org The Bisexual Resource Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
    [Show full text]
  • Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochismus (DACHS)
    1 Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochismus (DACHS) English version This version created: 17. Juli 2003 DACHS Introduction This is the PDF version of the „Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochism (DACHS)“. You’ll find DACHS online at http://www.datenschlag.org/dachs/. This chronicle was compiled by Kathrin Passig and Wolf Deunan. We thank the Schlagzeilen magazine, the former AG S/MÖFF and the former „S/M-Szene Intern,“ the Leather History TimeLine (Anthony F. DeBlase and The Leather Archieves & Museum, Inc., Chicago), Joseph W. Bean, the Schlagworte mailing list and all of the groups and organizations that have contributed information as well as Christoph and Marko from Smart Rhein-Ruhr e.V., Gerd in Saarbrücken, Sabine in Berlin, Markus in Berlin, Rüdiger Happ from Marterpfahl Verlag, Andre Ay, Thomas Witzke and one anonymous contributer. The Chronicle is incomplete and certainly contains mistakes. Please email corrections and additions to [email protected] along with appropriate source infor- mation. We ask you to give DACHS as source if you use the material collected here and especi- ally not to copy the online version into other web projects. You can quote the DACHS as follows: Datenschlag: „Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochismus (DACHS)“, English version created (insert date), www.datenschlag.org/ dachs/english/. 1. Notes on the English translation This version is a translation of an unfortunately very small part of the German DACHS version (the German version has currently about 1000 entries). The translation was done by Birgit Grossmann of SMart Bremen-Oldenburg, Niko- laas Boden of BDSM Berlin, Stefan of The Eulenspiegel Society, New York and Marianne Bowen of Black Rose, Chicago.
    [Show full text]
  • TWO CASES of CHINESE INTERNET STUDIES a Thesis
    TWO CASES OF CHINESE INTERNET STUDIES A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Yuan Liang August 2019 © 2019 Yuan Liang ABSTRACT This thesis consists of two parts. Chapter 1 concentrates on one genre of Chinese online literature and its relationship with gender and sexuality. It aims at exploring the diversity of Chinese danmei fiction and relating it to the gendered self- identifications of young and educated women in contemporary China. It argues that while danmei fiction in China creates a channel of gender and sexual expressions, it also reflects the difficulties and contradictions that women encounter and experience when they try to place themselves into the current social and economic structure. Chapter 2 studies Chris Marker’s documentary Sunday in Peking and its reception in contemporary China. It closely examines the internet reviews on a Chinese website from the perspectives of idealization and exoticization, and contends that both the filmmaker and his Chinese audiences are under the influences of stereotypes that their society, culture or ideology impose on them. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Yuan Liang was born and raised in Chengdu, China. She started her undergraduate studies at Beijing Normal University in 2013 and earned her bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language and Literature in 2017. In the same year, she joined the M.A. program in Asian Studies at Cornell University. She is expected to receive her master’s degree in August 2019. After graduation, she will become a Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • The Color Purple: Shug Avery and Bisexuality
    Reading Bisexually Acknowledging a Bisexual Perspective in Giovanni’s Room, The Color Purple, and Brokeback Mountain Maiken Solli A Thesis Presented to The Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master’s Degree UNIVERSITY OF OSLO Spring Term 2012 II Reading Bisexually: Acknowledging a Bisexual Perspective in Giovanni’s Room, The Color Purple, and Brokeback Mountain By Maiken Solli A Thesis Presented to The Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master’s Degree Supervisor: Rebecca Scherr UNIVERSITY OF OSLO Spring Term 2012 III IV © Maiken Solli 2012 Reading Bisexually: The Importance and Significance of Acknowledging a Bisexual Perspective in Fictional Literature Maiken Solli Supervisor: Rebecca Scherr http://www.duo.uio.no/ Trykk: Reprosentralen, Universitetet i Oslo V Abstract In literary theory, literary criticism and in the Western literary canon there is evidence of an exclusion or erasure of a bisexual perspective, and this has also been the case within much of the written history of sexuality and theory, relating to gender, sexuality and identity. This thesis examines and analyses three literary classics; ‘Giovanni’s Room’ by James Baldwin, Alice Walker’s ‘The Color Purple,’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’ by Annie Proulx, from a bisexual perspective. I have sought out to reveal, emphasize, and analyze bisexual elements present in the respective texts from a bisexual literary standpoint. This aspect of the texts has been ignored by most critics, and I believe it is paramount to begin to acknowledge the importance and significance of reading bisexually.
    [Show full text]
  • Boys' Love, Byte-Sized
    School of Sociology and Social Policy Boys’ Love, Byte-sized: A Qualitative Exploration of Queer- themed Microfiction in Chinese Cyberspace Gareth Shaw B.A. (Hons), M.A. Thesis submitted to the University of Nottingham for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy January 2017 Acknowledgements I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to my supervisors, Dr Xiaoling Zhang, Professor Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip, and Dr Jeremy Taylor, for their constant support and faith in my research. This project would not have been possible without them. I also wish to convey my sincerest thanks to my examiners, Professor Sally Munt and Dr Sarah Dauncey, for their very insightful comments and suggestions, which have been invaluable to this project’s completion. I am grateful to the Economic and Social Research Council for funding this research (Award number: 1228555). I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has participated in this project, particularly to the interview respondents, who gave so freely of their time. I am especially thankful to Huang Guan, Zhai Shunyi and Wei Ye for assisting me with some of the (often quite esoteric) Chinese to English translations. To my family, friends and colleagues, I thank you for being a constant source of comfort and advice when the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to have vanished. Special thanks go to Laura and Céline, for their support and encouragement during the long writing hours. Finally, to Juan and Mani, whose love and support means the world to me, I am eternally grateful to have had you both by my side on this journey.
    [Show full text]
  • From Criminal to Citizen: How the Evolution of Public Opinion Won Gay Marriage in the Courtroom
    From Criminal to Citizen: How The Evolution of Public Opinion Won Gay Marriage In The Courtroom Sabrina Singer Senior Thesis Department of History Barnard College, Columbia University Advisor: Robert McCaughey Singer 1 Prologue A warm tropical breeze brushed my face as I stood in the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens waiting for the mayor to begin. The crowd murmured with excitement, looking around at each other with anticipation as the sun set behind the palm trees. I glanced over at the couple I had met earlier in the evening. They were dressed in matching tuxedos, holding hands, waiting. The drag queen next to me shifted her weight back and forth, impatient. Then, finally, the speeches were over and the ceremonies could begin. The judge had only lifted the stay on gay marriage in the early hours of the morning, yet hundreds of gay couples lined-up to walk down the makeshift aisle to the hastily constructed altar to be married by the mayor. Dressed in suits, biking clothes, jean shorts, and bathing suits, couple after couple affirmed their love and commitment. Same-sex marriage had come to Florida. I had witnessed similar jubilation in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building two summers prior when the Court issued its momentous ruling in United States vs. Windsor, overturning the Defense of Marriage Act that had prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage. Beholding the relief and joy on the faces of the people swarming the steps of the Supreme Court building, I knew that I had chosen the right issue to believe in.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Opinion and Discourse on the Intersection of LGBT Issues and Race the Opportunity Agenda
    Opinion Research & Media Content Analysis Public Opinion and Discourse on the Intersection of LGBT Issues and Race The Opportunity Agenda Acknowledgments This research was conducted by Loren Siegel (Executive Summary, What Americans Think about LGBT People, Rights and Issues: A Meta-Analysis of Recent Public Opinion, and Coverage of LGBT Issues in African American Print and Online News Media: An Analysis of Media Content); Elena Shore, Editor/Latino Media Monitor of New America Media (Coverage of LGBT Issues in Latino Print and Online News Media: An Analysis of Media Content); and Cheryl Contee, Austen Levihn- Coon, Kelly Rand, Adriana Dakin, and Catherine Saddlemire of Fission Strategy (Online Discourse about LGBT Issues in African American and Latino Communities: An Analysis of Web 2.0 Content). Loren Siegel acted as Editor-at-Large of the report, with assistance from staff of The Opportunity Agenda. Christopher Moore designed the report. The Opportunity Agenda’s research on the intersection of LGBT rights and racial justice is funded by the Arcus Foundation. The statements made and views expressed are those of The Opportunity Agenda. Special thanks to those who contributed to this project, including Sharda Sekaran, Shareeza Bhola, Rashad Robinson, Kenyon Farrow, Juan Battle, Sharon Lettman, Donna Payne, and Urvashi Vaid. About The Opportunity Agenda The Opportunity Agenda was founded in 2004 with the mission of building the national will to expand opportunity in America. Focused on moving hearts, minds, and policy over time, the organization works with social justice groups, leaders, and movements to advance solutions that expand opportunity for everyone. Through active partnerships, The Opportunity Agenda synthesizes and translates research on barriers to opportunity and corresponding solutions; uses communications and media to understand and influence public opinion; and identifies and advocates for policies that improve people’s lives.
    [Show full text]
  • Final Version
    The LGBT Guide to Study Abroad Distributed by Programs Abroad Chile 3 China 3 Ghana 4 Hong Kong 4 Japan 5 London; Oxford 5 Madrid 6 Paris 6 Tübingen 7 Citations 7 Dear Student, The Pew Research Center conducted a world-wide survey between March and May of 2013 on the subject of homo- sexuality. They asked 37,653 participants in 39 countries, “Should society accept homosexuality?” The results, summariZed in this graphic, are revealing. There is a huge variance by region; some countries are extremely divided on the issue. Others have been, and continue to be, widely accepting of homosexuality. This information is relevant not only to residents of these countries, but to travelers and students who will be studying abroad. Students going abroad should be prepared for noted differences in attitudes toward individuals. Before depar- ture, it can be helpful for LGBT students to research cur- rent events pertaining to LGBT rights, general tolerance of LGBT persons, legal protection of LGBT individuals, LGBT organizations and support systems, and norms in the host culture’s dating scene. We hope that the following summaries will provide a starting point for the LGBT student’s exploration of their destination’s culture. If students are in homestay situations, they should consider the implications of coming out to their host family. Students may choose to conceal their sexual orientation to avoid tension in the student-host family relationship. Other times, students have used their time away from their home culture as an opportunity to come out. Some students have even described coming out overseas as a liberating experience, akin to a “second” coming out.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Reserve Flying Rainbow Flag
    Facebook http://www.facebook.com/plugins/comments.php... 91 comments Add a comment David L Lamon · Top Commenter Straight Talk Mr. Lane you can call me anything you want but you liberal hacks don't bother me in the least. This is what people given to sin against God do because they can't defend their sinful actions so name calling is their trump card but we true conservatives stand on the word of God and as the saying "sticks and stones" goes so do we stand firm against you and the sin you are attempting to propagate on American society and especially our very young. Homosexuality is a sin against God and he said in his word homosexuals are going to burn in the lake of fire that burns forever but prior to this happening he turns those given to this deviant sexual lifestyle over to a reprobate mind. Keep in mind this is not me judging you but God himself. Romans 1:27-28 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Know yes not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.
    [Show full text]
  • S2-History Readings
    DOCUMENT 10-A “Life on the Sea Islands” Charlotte Forten Atlantic Monthly, (May 1864) ... Te school was opened in September. Many of the children had, however, received instruction during the summer. It was evident that they had made very rapid improvement, and we noticed with pleasure how bright and eager to learn many of them seemed... ... Te first day at school was rather trying. Most of my children were very small, and consequently restless. Some were too young to learn the alphabet. Tese little ones were brought to school because the older children — in whose care their parents leave them while at work — could not come without them. We were therefore willing to have them come, although they seemed to have discovered the secret of perpetual motion, and tried one’s patience sadly. But after some days of positive, though not severe treatment, order was brought out of chaos, and I found but little difficulty in managing and quieting the tiniest and most restless spirits. I never before saw children so eager to learn, although I had had several years’ experience in New England schools. Coming to school is a constant delight and recreation to them. Tey come here as other children go to play. Te older ones, during the summer, work in the fields from early morning until eleven or twelve o’clock, and then come into school, after their hard toil in the hot sun, as bright and as anxious to learn as ever. Of course there are some stupid ones, but these are the minority. Te majority learn with wonderful rapidity.
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II
    Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II Volume 25 Article 1 2020 Full Issue Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/historical-perspectives Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation (2020) "Full Issue," Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II: Vol. 25 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/historical-perspectives/vol25/iss1/1 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. et al.: Full Issue Historical Perspectives Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History December 2020 Series II, Volume XXV ΦΑΘ Published by Scholar Commons, 2020 1 Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II, Vol. 25 [2020], Art. 1 Cover image: A birds world Nr.5 by Helmut Grill https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/historical-perspectives/vol25/iss1/1 2 et al.: Full Issue The Historical Perspectives Peer Review Process Historical Perspectives is a peer-reviewed publication of the History Department at Santa Clara University. It showcases student work that is selected for innovative research, theoretical sophistication, and elegant writing. Consequently, the caliber of submissions must be high to qualify for publication. Each year, two student editors and two faculty advisors evaluate the submissions. Assessment is conducted in several stages. An initial reading of submissions by the four editors and advisors establishes a short-list of top papers.
    [Show full text]
  • Conference Program
    Page 1 2015 Mid‐Atlanc LGBTQA Conference Planning Commiee Timothy Oleksiak, Conference Chair M. Safa Saracoglu, Assistant Conference Chair Asa Kelley, Conference Operaons Coordinator Mahew Barcus, Coordinator of Sexual & Gender Diversity Dave Kube, Art Exhibion Curator Debra Chamberlain, Treasurer Karli Miller Emily Moscaritolo Gina Rodriguez Shavonne Shorter Craig Young The Commiee would like to thank the following for their valuable contribuons to the Conference: Bloomsburg University David L. Soltz, President Robert Wislock, Office of Social Equity & Accommodave Services LGBTQA Commission Equality Alliance LGBTQA Student Services Mulcultural Affairs Women’s Resource Center Center for Diversity and Inclusion Bloomsburg University College of Liberal Arts Department of Art & Art History Mary Prout, Facilies Scheduling Randall Presswood, Performing Arts Facilies ARAMARK at Bloomsburg University Bloomsburg University Police Save the date! The Ninth Annual Mid‐Atlanc LGBTQA Conference Navigang Interseconality: (De)Construcng Our Idenes November 4‐6, 2016 Bloomsburg University The Mid‐Atlanc LGBTQA Conference Planning Commiee would like to announce next year’s conference dates of November 4‐6, 2016. Please mark your calendars! The theme, Navigang Interseconality: (De)Construcng Our Idenes, will explore the countless factors that make us who we are. Be on the lookout for a Call for Proposals which will be circulated soon. Cover Image: Sanh Tran ‐ Bedroom Scene, No. 9 Page 2 About our Keynote Speaker—Robyn Ochs Robyn Ochs is an educator, speaker, award‐winning acvist, and editor of the Bi Women Quarterly, the 42‐country anthology, Geng Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World and the new anthology RECOGNIZE: The Voices of Bisexual Men. Her wrings have been published in numerous bi, women’s studies, mulcultural, and LGBT anthologies.
    [Show full text]