As A Queer Indian-American Christian, This Priest Had To Create Her Own Path

From Huffington-

One of Rev. Winnie Varghese’s proudest moments as a queer priest was being asked to speak to an ecumenical gathering of Christian leaders in India about homophobia in the church.

Starting around 2009, the country started re-examining Section 377, a colonial-era ban on gay sex that is still being debated in Indian courts. During the conference, Varghese stood up and testified to the assembly of mostly male Indian priests about how Christian bigotry has hurt LGBTQ people. 

Varghese said that it was a powerful experience for her ― and one of the hardest things she’s ever had to do. 

“It was just about me as a person,” the 46-year-old said. “It was me as a queer priest saying, ‘This is who I am. And this is what the church demands of you.’”

Varghese, 46, is an Episcopal priest who lives in New York. A queer South Asian woman, Varghese said she’s often called on to perform a “ministry of representation,” showing people what it’s like to listen to a priest with her unique identities.

More here-

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-its-like-to-be-a-queer-indian-american-priest_us_5b21783de4b0bbb7a0e449e7