Thinking Out Loud: Recent Episodes
Akua
Welcome to the Thinking Out Loud Podcast- where we discuss the intersection of faith, social justice and contemplative silence.
I am passionate about drawing attention to the ways in which the Christian tradition has inspired and enriched feminist, anti-colonial, pan-african, LGBT+, poor, and disabled struggles for justice, empowerment and dignity within and outside the church.
This podcast is for those who find Jesus and Christianity compelling, are asking questions, but are weary of the disembodiment, colonial thinking, sexism, sex negativity, Trans and Queer antagonism that may have formed their faith or they've observed and are looking for how to rebuild a healthy Christian spirituality that deepen your relationship with God and is life giving for yourself and those around you.
My first series will be on the Bible, gender and sexuality. More people are having open and honest conversations about the negative impact of purity culture and asking the question of “where do we go from here”?
My hope is that this series will give you the resources to integrate your faith, gender identity and or sexuality is ways that help you love God, yourself and others and are embodied and life giving.
Please consider supporting the creation of faith based content that is Womanist, African centered and LGBTQ+ affirming https://www.patreon.com/ThinkingOutLoudWithAkua
You can follow along with my reflections on faith, social justice and contemplative silence at the following:
https://thinkingoutloudwithakua.substack.com/?utm_source=%2Fprofile%2F23659095-akua&utm_medium=reader2-nav
https://afrochristian.substack.com/
In order for Christians to have better conversations on gender, sexuality and ethics we need to unpack our assumptions about the Bible. Through conversations with theologians, activist and pastors- I hope to challenge your assumptions about what the Bible is, how it works and how we can use it to think through contemporary conversations on gender and sexuality.
Please consider supporting the creation of faith based content that is Womanist, African centered and LGBTQ+ affirming https://www.patreon.com/ThinkingOutLoudWithAkua
You can follow along with my reflections on faith, social justice and contemplative silence at the following:
https://thinkingoutloudwithakua.substack.com/?utm_source=%2Fprofile%2F23659095-akua&utm_medium=reader2-nav
https://afrochristian.substack.com/
In our next instalment I interview Stephanie, a 22 year old, Transgender woman, human rights defender and faith leader. We discuss how her faith motivates her activism and the importance of LGBTQ+ affirming faith communities. Next I talk to Mx Ashwin Afrikanus Thyssen, a junior lecturer at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Theology, in the Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology. Mx Thyssen’s research concerns the intersection of religion, race and sexuality, with particular focus on the manner in which these social constructions allow people to exist in the world.
Our second guest is Unoma Azuah a Nigerian academic, writer, Lesbian activist and Professor of writing at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, Valdosta, GA. Her research and activism focus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights in Nigeria. She will be discussing her experiences growing up in Nigeria as a Queer Igbo Nigerian women, the power of faith, hope and how she found her voice as one of the first Nigerian scholars to introduce LGBTQ issues into Nigerian literary scholarship.
Here is Unoma Azuah's memoir:
Embracing My Shadow: Growing up lesbian in Nigeria
To learn more about how colonial and indigenous patriarchy have colluded to exclude African women, African LGBT+ persons check out the following resources:
Silent, Spoken, Written, and Enforced: The Role of Law in the Construction of the Post-Colonial Queerphobic State
https://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cilj/vol51/iss2/6/
Understanding & Addressing Homophobia in Ghana & Africa
https://awdf.org/understanding-addressing-homophobia-in-ghana-africa/
In our ‘Cross and Rainbow Series’ I explore how African LGBT Christians and allies are transforming Christianity into a site of empowerment, affirmation and hope in the quest for African LGBT dignity, belonging and self determination.