Benjamin Brenkert
The Advocate
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Past articles by Benjamin:
The Many Don'ts of American LGBTQ+ History
With the passage of Florida’s “don’t say gay” law, a.k.a. the Parental Rights in Education bill, and the continued attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, it's important to spend time remembering the many other “don’ts” of American LGBTQ+ history. From 1919 to 1921, there was the "don’t be gay" crusade against homosexuality in the United States Navy. It took place primarily along the East Coast, with Newport,… → Read More
New Book Shows How a Tragedy Launched Italy's LGBTQ+ Rights Movement
Author and former Roman Catholic priest Francesco Lepore (pictured) examines a double murder and 40 years of Italian activism. → Read More
That a Catholic Priest May Be Gay Isn't Cause for Sadness
What's sad about the case of Msgr. Jeffrey Burrill, who resigned his post after allegations of using a gay dating app, is that clergy can't come out as gay and stay in the church. → Read More
Dissecting the Catholic Church's Disrespect of LGBTQ+ People
What if the Roman Catholic Church wrote about African-Americans and women the way it still writes about LGBTQ+ people? → Read More
Cold War: The Catholic Church and LGBTQ+ Believers
This year, the Vatican continued its mixed messages about queer equality and dignity. Is our patience worn thin? → Read More
For the Gay and Heartbroken, Pets Can Be a Saving Grace
Benjamin Brenkert felt betrayed by religion, his husband, and queer life. A cockatiel came to the rescue. → Read More
To the Catholic Church, All I Am Is Sin
Pope Francis cannot take away the dignity of gay Catholics, Benjamin Brenkert writes. → Read More
The Green Populist Pope and LGBT People
In our modern world has the Supreme Court one upped all Catholicism, by showing more reason, compassion and understanding of gays? Has the Supreme Court taken the place of the Church, exhibiting more humanity than she? → Read More
When Will The Catholic Church Stop Firing Gays?
Philadelphia teacher Margie Winters was fired for being a married lesbian. Far from becoming more open, the Catholic Church is doubling down on its homophobia. → Read More
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Forgotten Anti-Gay Sex Crusade
The Newport Sex Scandal of 1919 targeted men having sex with men in the Navy, prefiguring the legalized persecution of LGBT citizens in and out of the armed services. → Read More
Nirvana or the Disenchantment of Love in the Life of a Seminarian
By the time I was 18, I realized that I had a rather strong libido, but I also discerned that God was calling me to be a Roman Catholic priest. That's a bummer, too strong sex drive and wanting to be a priest, who takes a vow of celibacy! → Read More
Confessions of a Gay Jesuit: How I Was Forced To Leave My Church—And Calling
Ben Brenkert wanted to be a priest, but confronted by the hypocrisy and prejudice of the Catholic Church he had to quit. Here, in a powerful, heartfelt essay, he explains why. → Read More
Op-ed: The Gay Rights Movement, Gay Bars, and the Church
All of the hypocrisy that led me to finally leave the Catholic Church. → Read More
A Pope Without a Doctrine and the Media That Helps Make It Up
Pope Francis needs to do more than simply author apostolic exhortations and encyclicals, or replace Western Cardinals and Bishops with non-Western Cardinals and Bishops. Now the laity who are energized by Pope Francis' reform need him to use his pen.... → Read More
Op-ed: The Harm and Shame of Negative Labeling
Growing up Catholic left one young man with a label that restricted him for years. → Read More
Open Letter to Pope Francis: Help Save My Vocation
I ask you to instruct the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to tell Catholic institutions not to fire any more LGBTQ Catholics. I ask you to speak out against laws that criminalize and oppress LGBTQ people around the globe. These actions ... → Read More