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PARKERSBURG -- A panel discussion by local faith leaders and Fairness West Virginia about the LGBTQ community will be held 6 p.m. Monday in the college theater at West Virginia University at Parkersburg.
A program of the Social Justice Committee, "Faith is Fairness" is sponsored by Fairness West Virginia and is free and open to the public.
The title of the discussion is the namesake of Fairness West Virginia's Faith is Fairness project which asks faith leaders and followers to answer how their beliefs defend the LGBTQ community.
The Revs. Steve Peck and Shauna Hyde of Parkersburg and Clare Sulgit of St. Marys will serve as panelists. The discussion will be moderated by Billy Wolfe, Fairness West Virginia communications specialist.
"So often, religion is abused to justify LGBTQ discrimination," said Wolfe. "And yet, the Golden Rule -- the idea that we should treat others the way we, ourselves, wish to be treated -- is a central commandment in nearly every world religion."
Dozens of faith leaders throughout West Virginia have joined the project to call on local and state government to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination. They do so not in spite of their faith, but because of their faith, Wolfe said.
"We hope members of all religious faiths and Christian denominations will join us for this important conversation," said Debbie Richards, WVU Parkersburg Social Justice Committee co-chair.
For more information, contact Wolfe at billy@fairnesswv.org or Richards at Debbie.Richards@wvup.edu or 304-424-8201.