AFFA Event To Help Reconcile Faith and LGBTQ Identity

The Alliance For Full Acceptance (AFFA) is hosting “Keeping the Faith: Reconciling Religion and LGBTQ Identity” on Tuesday, July 17th at Circular Congregational Church in downtown Charleston. The program will begin at 6:30 pm and a reception will follow.

“Keeping the Faith” will feature guest speaker and author of Refocusing My Family, Amber Cantorna. Amber is the daughter of an executive at Focus On the Family, one of the most anti-gay religious organizations still in existence today. She will share what it was like to be raised in a conservative Christian home and how coming out as gay shunned her from the family she loved and burdened her with a degree of devastation that nearly took her life. With grace and transparency, Amber sheds light on the harm that religious and family rejection reeks on the human soul, and offers to LGBTQ people and their religious families, a better way to love.

“Religion is so deeply connected to our culture here in the South, and for many LGBTQ folks, coming out and being their true selves also means experiencing shame, isolation and feelings of rejection in their places of worship. AFFA is working to help shift this narrative of guilt and despair to a story of hope—one where the LGBTQ community can find connection and acceptance within communities of faith. We are committed to advocating on behalf of our LGBTQ community within these religious spaces and educating the public through events like Keeping the Faith is an important part of that work,” said AFFA’s Executive Director, Chase Glenn.

AFFA is proud to bring together a strong coalition of welcoming faith communities for this program:  Circular Congregational Church, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Metropolitan Community Church of Charleston, Two Rivers United Methodist Church, Unity Church of Charleston, Unitarian Church in Charleston, Unity of Charleston, Saint Bonaventure Catholic Church, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Click here for more information. You can purchase the book here.

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ABOUT AFFA

Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) is a social justice organization that strives to achieve equality and acceptance for the Lowcountry area LGBTQ community, through support, advocacy and education in schools, businesses and government organizations. Established in 1998, AFFA has over 1600 donor/members and is headquartered in Charleston, SC. For more information visit: affa-sc.org.

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