The African American Roundtable at CLGS (AART) seeks the full inclusion of black
lesbian
(lesbian: Describes the sexual orientation of a woman who is sexually and emotionally attracted only or mostly to other women.)
,
gay
(gay: A man who is attracted to other men, or a person of any sex or gender who is sexually and emotionally attracted to people of the same or a similar sex or gender. Often used alongside lesbian.)
,
bisexual
(bisexual: A term for sexual orientation which either describes a person who can be sexually and emotionally attracted to people of more than one gender.)
,
queer
(queer: In the context of sexuality, a broad term for sexual orientation that can describe any number of orientations which are not heterosexual. People who identify as queer may be bisexual or pansexual, gay or lesbian, questioning, asexual or more.)
and
transgender
(transgender: Describes people who find that the gender applied to them because of the sex they were assigned at birth is incorrect.)
people in communities of faith and the mobilization of black communities of faith in support of
social justice
(social justice: An equitable distribution of advantages, assets, and benefits among all members of a society.)
for
LGBTQ
(LGBTQ: L = lesbian, G = gay, B = bisexual, T = transgender, Q = queer or questioning. Additional letters sometimes added include U = unsure, I = intersex, P = pansexual, A= asexual, S = straight allies.)
people by fostering dialogue about the intersections between faith,
gender
(gender: Characteristics that are seen or presented as distinguishing between male and female in a society. Gender may or may not include assigned or chosen: social roles, feelings, behaviors and/or presentation or appearance.)
and sexuality among black church and faith leaders (including scholars of religion), among black church congregations, among black LGBTQ persons and between each of these constituencies.
The AART hosts live workshops, symposiums and panel discussions throughout the country, each with the intent to foster healthy dialog in the African American community and in Black Churches. The goals are: 1) to train clergy and lay leaders in effective
communication
(communication: Various ways we express ourselves to others, such as through speech, written words or symbols, sign language, body language, touch or art.)
skills for the purpose of having open and honest discussion about sexuality and
homophobia
(homophobia: Prejudice against homosexuality and homosexual people.)
in their church or community 2) to offer resources and support in addressing social justice issues related to
LGBT
(LGBT: L = lesbian, G = gay, B = bisexual, T = transgender. Additional letters sometimes added include Q = queer/questioning, U = unsure, I = intersex, P = pansexual, A=asexual, S = straight allies.)
matters via the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry 3) to hold events and create ongoing dialog through web based training, social media, blogging and articles.