Family of Origin, Family of Choice: Stories of Queer Christians

Some people assume that being LGBTQ+ and Christian are incompatible, but in fact there are many who seek to reconcile those identities, and many communities that support them. One such community is Galileo Church outside of Fort Worth. This book is the product of Galileo Church pastor Hays and social scientist Chasson. Its 15 stories reflect a variety of experiences of queer people, regarding family and Christianity; these evolve, not necessarily into resolutions, but into different understandings of relationships with others and with belief. The book’s strength lies in the range of its storytellers, including people who come out to parents and siblings and are welcomed, and others who navigate being rejected by their family of origin and finding chosen family along the way. Each chapter begins with background information on its narrators, who then proceed to tell their stories in their own words. One poignant chapter recalls the emotional burden of continually coming out to one family member after another.