Gay? Check. Christian? Check. Now what?

Recently a friend sent me the link to a song by Sara Em, "Include Me". 

via saraem.com

It's about her desire to be included in her church community. It's a very heartfelt song, and very difficult for me to listen to - it makes me cry almost every time I hear it, especially when she sings "I could hear them but their love did not include me/Hallelujah this can't be right I tell you..." 

Yes! Exactly! She's singing my thoughts. 

Let's face it - there's not a lot of support out there for queer Catholics.  

via trinitystores.com

That is, Catholics who accept their queerness. 

(There is the Catholic group Courage, which offers support for people "suffering from SSA, or same-sex attraction", but that's not really my cup of tea. But kudos to them for trying to live the way they think is right, because it must be difficult.)

I haven't found much support within the Church itself. I've searched outside the Church and discovered DignityUSA, an awesome organization that works for change in the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality. (Note: I say "outside the Church" because the Church does not officially recognize DignityUSA, even though it is a Catholic group.) I attended Mass at Dignity Chicago and Dignity Washington (D.C.). At both, the congregation was made up of mostly men, although one man at Dignity Washington told me that if every woman who visited Dignity would continue to attend, at the end of the year they would have 50 women in attendance. But sadly, living in small-town Midwest makes it very difficult for me to get involved in Dignity.  

via gapingvoid.com

So what else is there? Where to turn? Do I have to leave the Church to find the acceptance for which I have searched so long? Do I find another denomination? Do I give up on the Church, or work for acceptance within it?

This summer, I lost a lot of hope when a friend told me that she now agrees with the Church's views on homosexuality. 

via nataliedee.com

Last weekend at church, I could barely contain my anger. I was seething. Anger at the Catholic Church, at the injustice, at the pain that LGBT people go through... That's not what one is supposed to feel while at church.

At what point do you abandon your church for your own happiness? I've loved the Catholic Church for as long as I can remember. It's my faith, it's my home. I just want to be happy there again.