What My LGBTQ Siblings Taught Me About Christian Theology

I memorized the "biblical defense" against same-sex marriage long before I ever met an openly queer person: "Love the sinner, hate the sin," "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." My Bible was dog-eared at "clobber passages" such as Genesis 19:1-11, Leviticus 18:22, and Romans 1:25 for quick access should anyone raise a question or instigate a debate on the topic of homosexuality. As a cisgender, heterosexual man, I had little at stake when it came to a definitive "biblical view" of gender and sexuality. The apologetic manuals and evangelical youth group sermons I heard on the topic did not challenge me to expand my horizons but reinforced the assumption that queer folk were not and did not want to be Christians. Instead, I spent Bible studies, worship nights, and student-organized prayer events at public schools like "See You at the Pole" praying for the salvation of (what was to me) an ambiguous LGBTQ community.