And now for our weekly roundup of recent LGBT news.
First up: Prelates of the Anglican Communion suspended the US Episcopal Church for three years because of its support for marriage equality, calling it a “fundamental departure from [the church’s] faith and teaching.” Chris Bryant, an out gay British Member of Parliament and former Anglican priest, wasn’t happy. “I’ve finally given up on Anglican church today after its love-empty decision on sexuality,” he tweeted. “One day it will seem wrong as supporting slavery.” Amen Chris Bryant.
In more upbeat news, Illinois Rep. Bob Dold, became the first Republican member of Congress to co-sponsor the Equality Act, which would provide basic federal protections for LGBT people. Dold joins 212 Democratic and Independent members of Congress, as well as companies like Apple, Orbitz, and Target. Who’s next? Ted Cruz? The Trump Organization LLC? I don’t think so.
Of course the biggest queer news this week goes to the passing of our beloved David Bowie. So how queer was Bowie? In 1970, he married Angie Bowie. In 1972, he declared “I’m gay.” And in 1983, he said that announcement “was the biggest mistake I ever made.” A New York Times headline perhaps played it best asking and answering: “Was He Gay, Bisexual or Bowie? Yes.”
Perhaps the most unusual eulogy for Bowie came from the Vatican’s cultural minister, who wrote: Bowie “wore for many years a small silver crucifix. His was a search, a questioning, that went to a greater height and plumbed a deeper mystery than any answers or responses were able to reach.”
Wow!
The Vatican and David Bowie: “Turn and face the strange,” indeed. “Ch-ch-ch-changes.”
And that’s a very queer wrap for this week.
