“Love might be love; but in GOD’S eyes this kind of love is a sin…only man could ever think this is a great thing…shame on all who are Christians who are congratulating her…” (one of many hurtful response to our engagement announcement on a website called “the taste of country”)
Dear LGBT Community and Allies,
Chely Wright with fiancé Lauren Blitzer
As I near the date of my one-year anniversary of coming out, my re-birth of sorts, I look back and reflect on the progress that has been made both personally and professionally as an LGBT advocate. I am proud to be engaged to the woman I love and to be planning a wedding for August in a state that will recognize our love. I am proud to be working as a spokesperson for GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network and a Board Member of the organization. I am proud to have founded my own non-profit, LikeMe, working to open the first LGBT center in Kansas City, and I am proud to be a dedicated board member of Faith in America, an organization fighting tirelessly to end religion-based bigotry towards LGBT people, particularly youth.
Coming out has made this advocacy work possible, it has enabled me to become an example for youth struggling for acceptance across the country and it has opened my own personal life up to experiences I never thought I would be able to have as a gay woman. I am so thankful for this year.
As you may know, several days ago, People magazine announced my engagement on their website. It is truly a wonderful thing for us to enjoy; that two women could happily wed and live the life all people deserve. As the hours went by we saw 60 articles come up on Google, then the next morning we saw 100, then 120. It just kept going and going. We were touched at the level of interest our engagement was receiving and happy to know that our wedding plans were being celebrated by so many.
Late last night, while looking at several of the websites that were sharing our big news, we started reading some comments that had been posted. Our friends and family, twitter friends and Facebookers were wishing us the best, sending love, acceptance and excitement through the world wide web – but the comments we were reading on sites like AOL, Yahoo and other National online media were not as friendly.
I knew when I decided to come out that I would be challenged with opposition, particularly from the cross section of people in the world who knew me best -the country music industry and country music fans. While I have had some support from people from my industry, it’s been largely through private communication- only a few people have had the inclination to publicly vocalize their support for me. Over the last year, I have tried to stay focused on emphasizing the progress that we are making, rather then the setbacks we continue to face. This letter is to make everyone aware that we still have a tremendous amount of work to do- so many hearts and minds to open and so many opinions to change.
In the words of Reverend Mark Tidd, from Denver, Colorado:
“Some straight people are comfortable not taking things in the bible literally that might apply to them (like plucking their eye out when they lust) but have no problem becoming literalists when it means telling gay people they are uniquely flawed and must not fall in love unless they change their whole orientation. It’s a cruel religion that would demand that people repent of something they can’t change.”
(Rev. Tidd is a straight evangelical preacher who recently “changed his mind” about LGBT issues in regards to biblical teachings. He leads Highlands Church that is entirely welcoming and affirming to LGBT people.)
I continue to read countless references to the Bible as a tool to attack my relationship and to attack my life. I want to encourage those who are able to help end this religion-based bigotry to make a donation by clicking here to Faith in America. Seeing my fiancee’s face turn from joy to sadness is not okay during a time that should be one of the happiest of our lives. Join me in supporting Faith in America and ending this type of bigotry today.
Thank you so much,
Chely Wright