Sharon Kleinbaum

President Joe Biden has appointed Sharon Kleinbaum, an out lesbian rabbi, to serve as commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

US bishops

A group of US bishops was reported to have blocked the creation of the National Suicide Hotline because it offered resources to LGBTQ people.

Vatican

The Vatican has declared in a ruling that priests cannot bless same-sex unions and that any such blessings are not valid.

US Catholic bishops

A group of US Catholic bishops came out with a statement supporting LGBTQ people against bullying and saying, "God is on your side."

World religious leaders - LGBT people

A group of world religious leaders have called for the end of criminalizing the LGBT people and a global ban on conversion practices.

Pope Francis - Same-sex civil unions

Pope Francis has come out with an explicit declaration of support for same-sex civil unions for LGBTQ couples-- but not same-sex marriage.

Pope Francis and parents of LGBT children

Pope Francis told a group of parents who have LGBT children that they should love their children as they are because they are "children of God."

White evangelical Protestants

Many white evangelical Protestants are supportive of Trump because of the abortion restrictions and lessening of LGBT discrimination protections.

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church voted recently to uphold and even strengthen its ban on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy in a controversial meeting.

Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church seems to be opening up to the LGBT community by using the term "LGBT" for the first time in an official Vatican document.

Religious freedom bills

Human Rights Watch warned of the rise of religious freedom bills in the US at the state level that would allow discrimination against LGBTQ people.

US megachurches

A study of the church groups in the United States reveal that none of the US megachurches are welcoming of the LGBTQ community or have LGBTQ-affirming policies,

Hurricane Harvey and LGBT-blaming

What with the Bible story of Sodom and Gomorrah, it's no surprise that some Christian leaders are on an LGBT-blaming binge again with Hurricane Harvey.

LGBTQ Christians

Once again, LGBTQ Christians were attacked by Christian evangelicals, even as a Vatican official criticized a reverend reaching out to the community.

Muslim Americans - LGBTQ support

Despite Donald Trump's move to pin the blame of the Orlando tragedy on Muslim Americans, it seems like Muslims in the US are more accepting of LGBTQ.

anti-LGBT hate groups

The SPLC tagged an anti-LGBT legal organization as a hate group even as it noted a number of anti-LGBT hate groups from the Christian Right.

Title IX religious schools Department of Education

Religious Christian schools in the US are pushing the federal government to waive laws that protect the LGBT students using Title IX.

Pope Francis2

In the wake of Pope Francis' visit to the US last week, media exploded with intrigue when controversial Kim Davis claimed she had an audience with the Pope.

Facebook made a $10,000 donation in May to the reelection campaign of Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, who has received national attention for fighting a court ruling that would make gay marriage legal in the state. The donation, first reported by QSaltLake, is listed in a filing for Reyes' 2014 primary campaign on the State of Utah Financial Disclosures website. Here's a screenshot of the filing: And closer up: In an email to The Huffington Post, a Facebook spokesperson offered a statement on the donation: Facebook has a strong record on LGBT issues and that will not change, but we make decisions about which candidates to support based on the entire portfolio of issues important to our business, not just one. A contribution to a candidate does not mean that we agree with every policy or position that candidate takes. We made this donation for the same reason we’ve donated to Attorneys General on the opposite side of this issue -- because they are committed to fostering innovation and an

Nate Phelps grew up in a physically and mentally abusive household headed by Fred Phelps, the founder of the hate group known as the Westboro Baptist Church. Since escaping the toxic environment of the 'church' known for its trademark slogan of "God Hates Fags," Phelps has devoted his life to being an advocate for LGBT acceptance. The upcoming documentary "Not My Father's Son" will give unique insight into the inside workings of the WBC, chronicling Phelps' journey from his abusive childhood to his eventual departure which cut him off from his family. In the trailer for the film, Phelps matter-of-factly provides a chilling voiceover that explains what his childhood was like: So, my father used what was called a "mattock handle." It was a large piece of wood about four-and-a-half feet long and it had about a thirteen, fourteen-inch circumference. And he would swing that like a baseball bat when he was beating one of the kids. And he did it such that he would

Fred Phelps

The founder of the “God hates fags” church died late Wednesday night. Update: Westboro Baptist Church posted a statement commenting on his death. [caption id="attachment_1670" align="aligncenter" width="625"] AP Photo/Charlie Riedel[/caption] Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., the founder of the vehemently anti-LGBT Westboro Baptist Church, has died. He was 84. Westboro Baptist Church confirmed Phelps’ death in a an online statement titled, “Fred W. Phelps, Sr. Has Gone The Way of All Flesh, And Has Died on March 19, 2014.” “The world-wide media has been has been [sic] in a frenzy during the last few days, gleefully anticipating the death of my grandfather, Fred Waldron Phelps Sr,” said an unidentified member of the church in the statement. “It has been an unprecedented, hypocritical, vitriolic explosion of words. Do they vainly hope for the death of his body? People die — that is the way of all flesh.” The statement did not include his cause of death. Phelps’ daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, told the Topeka Capital-Journal that Phelps Sr. died late Wednesday night. Over the weekend, Phelps’ estranged