Gender & Sexuality
Archbishop defends decision by Colorado Catholic school to drop students whose parents are lesbian
Wed, 03/10/2010 - 10:12 — Dave Culver
In his written statement Tuesday (March 9), Archbishop Chaput said the parents of Catholic school students are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples.
Associated Press, in Star Tribune | MN
The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday (March 9) defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple.
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a "painful situation," but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings.
Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.
Catholic Charities Screws Over Its Employees Just to Stick It to Gays
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 08:47 — Dave Culver
- Just to spite gay folks, Catholic Charities throws its straight employees under the bus.
- For decades, the church has been at the forefront of worker benefits, so this move cuts against their understanding of social justice and health benefits to all possible.
- Same-sex marriage leads Catholic Charities to adjust benefits
Devona Walker, AlterNet
Submitted by Evergreene Digest Contributing Editor Ken Mitchell
Photo Credit: Sakurai Midori
The day before same-sex marriage was to become legal in the District of Columbia (Wednesday, March 3), Catholic Charities modified its personnel policies refusing to pay for the health benefits of any newly married couple it employs.
The memo, signed by the charity’s president, doesn’t explicitly mention gay marriage. Instead, he references the need to change policy due to a “change in law.”
“We sincerely regret that we have to make this change…but it is necessary to allow Catholic Charities to continue to provide essential services to the clients we serve in partnership with the District of Columbia while remaining consistent with the tenets of our religious faith,” read the memo.
Sexual Assaults on Female Soldiers: Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 16:00 — Dave Culver
- When you look at the entire universe of female veterans, close to a third say they were victims of rape or assault while they were serving — twice the rate in the civilian population.
- Sexual assault in military 'jaw-dropping,' congresswoman says
- We're still not doing right by our vets
Nancy Gibbs, Time
Submitted by Evergreene Digest Contributing Editor Bob Heberle
What does it tell us that female soldiers deployed overseas stop drinking water after 7 p.m. to reduce the odds of being raped if they have to use the bathroom at night? Or that a soldier who was assaulted when she went out for a cigarette was afraid to report it for fear she would be demoted — for having gone out without her weapon? Or that, as Representative Jane Harman puts it, "a female soldier in Iraq is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire."