What does identifying (or not identifying) with the BGLTQ community mean to you?

It has been my life and my life's work. As a member of the clergy who identifies as openly gay, I know that I present challenges to some and opportunities to others. I carry this awareness with great pride and care.

How, if at all, has your identity shaped your academic and/or professional journey?

It has been a lifetime of showing up in the public square and never allowing people to question my BGLTQ identity for me.

What advice would you give to yourself when you were an undergraduate?

Be who you are. Have fun. Be strong for others who are not able to do so yet.

What support can you provide to current undergraduate BGLTQ students who are hoping to enter into your field?

I can offer perspectives from both a professional and theological standpoint. I can also model what it means to be a person of faith who is gay without apology.

What are your areas of expertise?

BGLTQ advocacy; masculinity studies; whiteness studies; conversations on race and reckoning; public policy; religion