Aired Apr 23, 2020

Refusing Service to LGBTQ+ Customers

Looking for ways to keep the conversation going about LGBTQ+ issues with your ERG, community group, or PFLAG chapter? Welcome to Something to Talk About, a monthly series designed by PFLAG National’s Straight for Equality program to create conversation about LGBTQ+ issues. Each month we’ll offer an article on LGBTQ+ topics and suggest a few questions you can use to lead a discussion.

We hosted a conversation about this article as a part of PFLAG Connects and Something to Talk About Live on Thursday, April 23. Did you miss it? You can still watch it here!

Have feedback about how your conversation went? Let us know by emailing [email protected].

Article: Fewer Americans oppose religious-based refusal of service to LGBTQ people: poll

Source: Washington Blade

Author: Chris Johnson

Questions for Discussion:

1. The new research points out that, on the whole, the majority of people in the U.S. who identify as religious are becoming more accepting of people who are LGBTQ+. Does this research reflect what you’re seeing in your own experiences working with people of faith? Give some examples of how this has showed up for you.

2. The article does note that among some groups there less opposition than there has been in the past to people being allowed to use their religious beliefs as a reason to refuse service to people who are LGBTQ+ (e.g., a baker declining to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding). Why do you think we’re seeing this negative shift? Do you think that this trend increases, or do things get better?

3. What do you think people who are hoping to see more acceptance for people who are LGBTQ+ in their faith communities can do to help? What does practicing inclusion in your faith community look like for the everyday church attendee?

(You can get the full breakdown of the PRRI poll data here: prri.org/research/broad-support-for-lgbt-rights/)