Bridging LGBT divide, the Rev. Beach-Ferrara is 'one to watch'

ASHEVILLE – For the Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, there is no tension between her faith and her identification as a lesbian.

"As Christians, we are all children of God," said the minister at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, who was recently named by the Center for American Progress as one of 15 faith leaders to watch in 2015.

"LGBT people are children of God and are to be blessed and treated as any other families should," she said.

Openly gay and the executive director for the Campaign for Southern Equality, Beach-Ferrara, 39, has played a pivotal role in the legalization of marriage across the South.

Citing her role in overturning the same-sex marriage ban in North Carolina and the group's WE DO campaign, Beach-Ferrara "shed light on the suffering and discrimination that LGBT couples seeking marriage licenses face and catalyzed a surge of faith-based, pro-LGBT activism that can serve as a model for how people of faith can be effective allies in the fight for LGBT equality," the Washington, D.C.-based institute reported Thursday.

Founded in 2003, the Center for American Progress is dedicated to improving the lives of Americas through progressive ideas and action.

"It's certainly very humbling and it's an honor to have CSE's work recognized in that way," said Beach-Ferrara. "It speaks to the extent in which faith and LGBT issues are entwined with each other, particularly in the South. There is certainly an appetite for public conversation about this."

Whether it is a parent of a LGBT teen needing advice, or someone of deep faith who identifies with or supports the LGBT community, Beach-Ferrara said she is asked about faith and love all the time.

"Most people are really doing their very best to live life guided by faith and guided by their understating of Christianity and God," she said. "There's a tremendous opportunity for empathy, transformation and revelation as we look this through the lens of someone wrestling with how to love their child and be true to their faith."

As a young lesbian, Beach-Ferrara sought spiritual growth working in the community. She volunteered at an HIV/AIDS hospice and taught at a prison. She first came to Asheville to live in 2002.

The mountain town changed her life. It was here she was exposed to other gay clergy and found a way to bring organized religion back to her day-to-day existence. She also met her soon to be wife.

"My Christian tradition affirms the dignity and humanity of LGBT people," she said. "Within Christianity, there is a very broad spectrum in the way people look at a particular scripture. Many people haven't been exposed to the reality that there are Christian theologies supportive of all LGBT people."

A graduate of Brown University, Warren Wilson College and the Harvard Divinity School, Beach-Ferrara logged hundreds of hours studying civil rights, campaign strategy, equality policy and the role of religion in social movements.

In November, the Campaign for Southern Equality won a case in federal court striking down Mississippi's ban on same-sex marriage. The decision is currently under review by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Its ruling will also have implications on same-sex marriage in Louisiana and Texas.

The Campaign for Southern Equality has no plans to stop until there is equality everywhere, said Beach-Ferrara. "Every additional state where we achieve marriage equality gets us closer to that goal," she said.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would weigh-in on whether or not same-sex couples have a right to marry. Arguments will be heard in April and a decision is expected in June.

"Like folks across the country, we are very excited," said Beach-Ferrara. "We're doing a lot of planning around what we will do between now and June to continue telling the story of why we need marriage equality across the South as quickly as possible."

The Campaign for Southern Equality is planning its second annual LGBT in the South Conference. The group hopes to bring some 300 organizers and service providers interested in equality to Asheville for the two-day event.

The themes of this year's conference are intersectionality and collaboration. Participants will learn how to build their organizing skills and participate in discussions about topics impacting LGBT Southerners. There will also be continuing legal education sessions for attorneys on topics of LGBT law.

For more information, or to register, visit www.lgbtinthesouth.com.