Mitchell Gold, a furniture maker and philanthropist, will be reading from his book, Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay In America in Charleston this weekend, followed by a forum to discuss the issue.
Released last September, Gold’s book collects the stories of a broad swath of gays and lesbians who discuss the challenges that they’ve faced, including Nate Berkus, Bishop Gene Robinson, Barney Frank, Alec Mapa (of Ugly Betty), and just a slew of other big gay and gay-friendly names.
The Rev. Mel White, who was recently a participant on The Amazing Race with his son, provides a story. We did a 2007 story on White’s organization, Soulforce, which combats religious intolerance at Christian colleges. There’s also a piece from Elke Kennedy, a Greenville woman who lost her son, Sean, after he was assaulted in a parking lot in what was believed to have been a hate crime.
While it’s important for gays and lesbians to hear these stories, it’s equally or more important for young people questioning their sexuality to see the struggles of others, says Brent Childers, executive director of Faith in America, a nonprofit that Gold created to combat religious-based bigotry.
Childers also provides his story in the book, offering his apoligies for his own bigotry toward gays and lesbians. The book is also important for people who are anti-gay and justify it through their religion like he once did, Childers says.
Here’s the release for the event:
Growing Up Gay in America
Understanding the pain of bigotry and discrimination
April 11, 2009 — 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Discussion begins at 10 a.m.)
Waldenbooks 1829 • Charleston Place • 120 Market Street • Charleston
Sean’s Last Wish and Borders are pleased to present Mitchell Gold, a successful businessman and editor of the book, CRISIS: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social and Religious Trauma of Growing Up Gay In America.
This discussion is one that educators, social workers, church leaders and elected officials in the Charleston area will not want to miss.
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