Press Release

Last Day of Pride Month spotlights LGBTQ+ youth from all faith traditions

SEATTLE, WA - On June 30, 2021, the second annual Queer Youth of Faith Day (#QYFDay) gives LGBTQIA+ youth something they rarely experience -- a multi-faith celebration of their queer identity. Created by Beloved Arise, the first national organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth of faith, #QYFDay brings together various faith-based and non-religious organizations committed to empowering queer youth and changing the cultural narrative that queerness and faith cannot coexist.

Queer Youth of Faith Day celebrations will include a variety of programming featuring the stories of queer youth past and present, histories of inspirational queer figures of faith, resources for those who work with and love queer youth, and more! This day-long series of events will feature podcasts, panels, Bible discussions, virtual talk shows, online affinity groups, and other online resources. Participating organizations so far include More Light Presbyterians, Unbound: An Interactive Journal of Christian Social Justice, FreedHearts, GLAAD, Metropolitan Community Church, and No Small Thing and Queerology podcasts.

‘Queer youth of faith’ are a growing, yet severely under-served demographic. More than 1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ youth identify with a religion, and 1 in 4 describe it as “important” or “very important” to them – especially Black and Native American youth -- according to The Trevor Project.

Despite the high prevalence of religiosity and queerness among youth, there are few organizations that exclusively serve this segment of the population; most resources that help people integrate their queerness and faith are geared towards adults. The lack of services for queer youth of faith is particularly concerning because non-affirming religiosity is associated with higher rates of suicide among LGBTQIA+ youth.

“So many queer youths find themselves spiritually displaced,” says Dr. Jun Love Young, founder of Beloved Arise. “They are kicked out of churches, bullied at religious schools, and even disowned by their parents for their sexual orientation or gender identity. We can’t wait until these rigid religious institutions become more inclusive. Kids are hurting, and we need to let them know that who they are is a precious blessing.”

This year, Beloved Arise is contributing to #QYFDay by releasing ‘Serenade’ -- the world’s first album dedicated to LGBTQIA+ youth of faith. Produced by Kyle and Gretta Miller of Tow’rs, this unique compilation album brings together an eclectic group of musicians, including Alex Blue, Gattison, Tim Be Told, Corey Kilgannon, and Courier. The result is a collection of 10 uplifting songs, each exploring the heartbreak and hope of life in the overlapping spaces between faith and queerness. “This album expresses such a rich tapestry of sounds – from folk to R&B, pop to gospel,” says Kyle Miller. Serenade’s tracks are not just songs; they are anthems of a movement to raise awareness for young people around the world who continue to face severe, life-threatening oppression.

To take action, go to www.qyfday.org and share on social media with the hashtag #QYFDay. If you are a clergy person, lay leader, or organization who would like to be a co-sponsor for this event, contact taylor.mcghee@belovedarise.org. Full media briefing available here.

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Queer Youth of Faith Day, or #QYFDay, is the only national multi-faith celebration of queer youth from all religious backgrounds. This year’s cosponsors include The Trevor Project, GLAAD, PFLAG, Interfaith Alliance, Jewish Queer Youth (JQY), JQ International, NFTY: The Reform Jewish Youth Movement, Keshet, Buddhist Churches of America, National Queer Asian and Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), Reconciling Ministries Network, Many Light Presbyterians, Q Christian Fellowship, Metropolitan Community Churches, The Naming Project, Faithfully LGBT, Queer Theology, Gender Spectrum, and FreedHearts.

#QYFDay is a program of Beloved Arise, which is the first international organization dedicated primarily to empowering youth to proudly embrace both their faith and queer identity. Starting in 2020, Beloved Arise currently focuses on providing resources and programs for teens and young adults from a variety of Christian denominations. Our long-term vision is to partner with other faith-based organizations to extend our reach to queer youth from acrossfaith traditions to continue advocating for LGBTQ+ youth of faith.

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Media contact: taylor.mcghee@belovedarise.org