Gabriel Blau (left) and his family. (Photo courtesy of Family Equality Council)
Family Equality Council Executive Director Gabriel Blau’s faith background has always proven an integral part of his LGBT advocacy.
He founded the God and Sexuality National Academic Conference at Bard College in 1998 that brought together scholars and advocates to present lectures and workshops on gender, sexuality and religion because he “wasn’t finding the kind of leaders and resources” he said he needed as an LGBT person of faith. Blau later led the $18 million campaign to raise funds that would allow Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, an LGBT synagogue in New York City, to move into a new location in Manhattan.
Blau told the Washington Blade during an interview at his D.C. office that his faith background has proven an asset in his new position.
“As a family organization, we’re one of the few that is not either just a right-wing group or a faith-based group,” he said. “The concept of family values has been so really tarnished by other family values groups, and often in the name of faith and often in the name of what’s right and what God wants. I think understanding that is critical to being able to fight it and to fight for real family values for valuing families.”
Read the full article in the Washington Blade by Michael K. Lavers at: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2013/10/10/family-equality-council-looks-future-new-executive-director-all-in-the-family/ .