Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 16:56:08 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 1/27/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. Text of gay-positive declaration signed by 850 religious leaders 2. UK: Yet more articles on the Clause 28 flap posted to web site 3. MI: Commentary from both sides of gay history display controversy ======================================================================= SIECUS, January 18, 2000 Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States http://www.siecus.org/media/press/press0008.html Religious Declaration on Sexuality, Morality, Justice, and Healing Sexuality is God's life-giving and life-fulfilling gift. We come from diverse religious communities to recognize sexuality as central to our humanity and as integral to our spirituality. We are speaking out against the pain, brokenness, oppression, and loss of meaning that many experience about their sexuality. Our faith traditions celebrate the goodness of creation, including our bodies and our sexuality. We sin when this sacred gift is abused or exploited. However, the great promise of our traditions is love, healing, and restored relationships. Our culture needs a sexuality ethic focused on personal relationships and social justice rather than particular sexual acts. All persons have the right and the responsibility to lead sexual lives that express love, justice, mutuality, commitment, consent, and pleasure. Grounded in respect for the body and for the vulnerability that intimacy brings, this ethic fosters physical, emotional, and spiritual health. It accepts no double standards and applies to all persons, without regard to sex, gender, color, age, bodily condition, marital status, or sexual orientation. God hears the cries of those who suffer from the failure of religious communities to address sexuality. We are called today to see, hear, and respond to the suffering caused by violence against women and sexual minorities, the HIV pandemic, unsustainable population growth and over-consumption, and the commercial exploitation of sexuality. Faith communities must therefore be truth seeking, courageous, and just. We call for: * Theological reflection that integrates the wisdom of excluded, often silenced peoples, and insights about sexuality from medicine, social science, the arts, and the humanities. * Full inclusion of women and sexual minorities in congregational life, including their ordination and the blessing of same sex unions. * Sexuality counseling and education throughout the lifespan from trained religious leaders. * Support for those who challenge sexual oppression and who work for justice within their congregations and denominations. * Faith communities must also advocate for sexual and spiritual wholeness in society. We call for: * Lifelong, age appropriate sexuality education in schools, seminaries, and community settings. * A faith-based commitment to sexual and reproductive rights, including access to voluntary contraception, abortion, and HIV/STD prevention and treatment. * Religious leadership in movements to end sexual and social injustice. God rejoices when we celebrate our sexuality with holiness and integrity. We, the undersigned, invite our colleagues and faith communities to join us in promoting sexuality morality, justice, and healing. ­ Signed by over 850 religious leaders * Founded in 1964, SIECUS is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to affirm that sexuality is a natural and healthy part of living; to develop, collect, and disseminate information; to promote comprehensive education about sexuality; and to advocate the right of individuals to make responsible sexual choices. SIECUS has offices in New York and Washington, DC. =============================================================================== I've posted another big bunch of news articles on the controversy over Clause 28 in Scotland to our web site at URL: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/Alerts/International/28-2.html At over 40K it's too big to post here, but if you can't access the web and would like to see them, please email me. =============================================================================== Detroit Free Press, January 24, 2000 321 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI, 48231 (Fax 313-222-6774 ) (E-MAIL: editpg@freepress.com ) ( http://www.freep.com/ ) LOCAL COMMENT A mediator is expected to rule this week on a grievance filed by the teacher's union in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools. The union objects to the district's removal of "gay pride" bulletin board displays put up by teachers at West Middle School and Salem High School. Here are two views of the issue, from the middle school teacher involved and from a parent who objects to the material. Column: Fight fear, hate with information BY MIKE CHIUMENTO Since October, the Plymouth-Canton Community School District and the community have been debating the issue of gays and lesbians in the educational setting. The discussion has been impassioned, sometimes heated. If anything positive has resulted, it is that such a discussion has gone on at all. A topic that was once taboo even to mention is now talked about openly at school parent meetings, in social studies classes, in the teachers' lounge and, most importantly, at home. With this discussion comes reflection and an opportunity to address our fears, stereotypes and misconceptions. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] * ELAINE JERIS is a parent and taxpayer in the Plymouth-Canton school district. ================================================================================ Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) These messages are archived by state on our information-loaded free web site: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/