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width="8" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="160" class="tan" valign="top"><table width="160" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="nav1"><a href="blog.html" class="secnav">CLGS is Blogging</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="nav1on"><a href="7_1.html" class="secnav">Coming Out Stories</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="nav1"><a href="7_3.html" class="secnav">Discussion Space</a></td> </tr> </table></td> <td width="15" class="white"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="15" height="15" border="0" alt=""></td> <td class="white" valign="top"><p class="shareHead">Coming Out Stories</p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10" border="0"> <tr> <td valign="top"></td> <td valign="bottom" class="subHead">Reflection for "National Coming Out Day" Chapel<br> by Nicole Naffaa</td> </tr> </table>  <p>Many people in the LGBT community go out of their way to assure people that we don't recruit. Well in honor of National Coming Out day, I must tell the truth. My name is Nicole Naffaa. I am a lesbian. And I recruit. After all, it's my job.</p> <p>I recruit students for Pacific School of Religion, and while that is not exactly the same as recruiting queer people, there does seem to be a lot of overlap. <p>We are talking this morning about coming out as a way to let your light shine in this world. I am proud to work at a school that is out. <p><b>PSR is out</b>as an institution committed to defending and promoting the equality and dignity of LGBT people and committed to ending the homophobia that is so present in our world and in so many of our churches. <p><b>PSR is letting its light shine.</b> <p>I remember very vividly my very first day on the job here. I was in my new office with my predecessor Debra Mumford and in walked a prospective student who was inquiring about PSR. What was special about this particular student,<i> other than the fact that he was my first,</i> is that he was a transgendered person. He had begun the process of transitioning from a female to a male and was looking forward to his sexual reassignment surgery, which was scheduled for some time in the future. </p> <p>He also had someone with him - a filmmaker with a large camera in hand who was filming a documentary about Richard's transition. "Mind if he films our conversation?" Richard asked. "Sure."</p> <p>We had a wonderful conversation. I honestly don't really remember the exact details of what was said. It's the spirit of the conversation that has stayed with me. </p> <p>We talked about Richard's experience as a transgendered person and his call to ministry and how these two were intimately related. And we talked about PSR and CLGS and the new Certificate in Sexuality and Religion. And he was excited about PSR. And I was excited about him. And I remember the strong, clear feeling - that I am in the right place.</p> <p>To be and work in a place where I am respected and valued for all of who I am - to be and work in a place that is committed to justice around issues of sexuality and sexual orientation - and to be able to take part in that mission is in stark contrast to some of the places I've worked in the past.</p> <p>I spent one year working for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose. My boss was known as an advocate for LGBT people and after she offered me the job I basically came out to her by inquiring if my partner and our son would be covered by my health benefits. <i>(You probably know the answer to that question.)</i></p> <p>In the first few days on the job we had a conversation, the gist of which can be summarized as follows. <b>"I support you … Don't cause scandal."</b> I assured her that I had no plans to tattoo a rainbow on my forehead and that I was able to keep my professional life and my personal life separate. I also let her know that I would never lie about who I was.</p> <p>Keeping my professional and personal life separate came at a price. And it was much more difficult that I thought it would be. Always choosing my words carefully and not being free to be completely open about who I am was exhausting. I was not allowed to bring my complete self to my work and to my ministry. I was not able to let the fullness of my light shine. It took its toll on me and on my family. I quickly realized that it was not sustainable and I begin to look for something else.</p> <p>I found PSR. And coming to work here has been a blessing to me professionally, personally and spiritually. It has allowed me to be a more whole and fully integrated person.</p> <p>Like the others preaching here today, I too want God to come out. I believe God comes out every time we come out. </p> <p>God comes out when Steve comes out and is there for a young person to find and honor and share his light. </p> <p>God comes out when Allison comes out as an ally - as someone who is willing to learn and to stand in solidarity with LGBT people for justice and equality.</p> <p>And God comes out when institutions like PSR are out and say no to homophobia, sexism, heterosexism, and patriarchy.</p> <p>So let's continue to come out - as individuals and as institutions. Because it's not just our light - it's God's light. And it is a light that will heal, that will transform and that will move us toward a more just and peaceful world. A world in which everyone's light will shine.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="#top">back to top</a></p></td> <td width="122" class="white" valign="top"><table width="122" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"> <tr> <td width="3" class="tan"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="3" height="100" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="89" class="sidebar" valign="top">More coming out stories:<br> <p class="sidebar"><a href="7_1_5.html" class="sidebarShare">Alison Mark</a></p> <p class="sidebar"><a href="7_1_7.html" class="sidebarShare">Jay Emerson Johnson</a></p> <br> <br> <br></td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="8" class="borderRight"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="8" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="8" class="borderLeft"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="8" height="2" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="160" class="tan"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="15" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="15" class="white"><img 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