Personal Background and Involvement with LGBTQ+ Issues

The speaker shares a personal connection to the topic of homosexuality and Jewish tradition, influenced by their daughter's coming out as a lesbian. Despite this personal angle, their engagement with LGBTQ+ issues began earlier, rooted in bioethics. They recount an encounter from 1973 with a young gay man from a congregation who felt shunned after coming out, which profoundly affected their understanding of the intersection between faith and sexuality. This experience highlighted the contradictions between the individual's moral character and the traditional religious stance, prompting deep reflection on the inclusivity of Jewish teachings.