July


● 2005.07 — Pastor Jay Bakker’s scheduled speech to the 2005 Exodus Freedom Conference is cancelled apparently due to his recent support for marriage equality. Though Exodus cancels Jay, they keep Jerry Falwell.
● 1989.07.01 — The Center for Disease Control announces that the number of confirmed AIDS cases in the United States has topped the 100,000 mark.
● 1975.07.02 — The 10th General Synod of the UCC passes the “Resolution on Human Sexuality and the Needs of Gay and Bisexual Persons” and “A Pronouncement: Civil Liberties without Discrimination Related to Affectional or Sexual Preference” resolution.
● 1985.07.02 — The 15th General Synod of the UCC passes the “Resolution Calling on United Church of Christ Congregations to Declare Themselves Open and Affirming.”
● 2013.07.03 — Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a law banning the adoption of Russian-born children to gay couples or to any couple or single parent living in a country where marriage equality exists in any form.
● 1989.07.04 — The 17th General Synod of the UCC passes the “Resolution Deploring Violence against Lesbian and Gay People.” ● 1977.07.05 — The 11th General Synod of the UCC passed the “Recommendations in Regard to the Human Sexuality Study” and the “Resolution Deploring the Violation of Civil Rights of Gay and Bisexual Persons.”
● 2014.07.08 — More than 100 faith leaders from across the country ask President Obama to leave out a religious exemption in his upcoming executive order which seeks to ban job discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation among federal contractors. “As people of faith, we should be exemplary and not exempted,” said Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, president of Union Theological Seminary and one of five seminary presidents to sign the letter.
● 1985.07.10 — “Given a choice between sharing a park with homosexuals or a bunch of white-sheeted, racist, hate-peddling losers, we think we would prefer homosexuals.” An editorial in the Texas Daily News regarding an upcoming anti-gay rally by the Ku Klux Klan.
● 2003.07.15 — The book The Homosexual Agenda co-authored by Alan Sears, head of the Alliance Defense Fund, is published. The book asserts gay activists’ ultimate goal is “silencing” conservative Christians. Sears also accuses cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants of being gay.
● 2013.07.17 — John Delwin Jordan representing the Prattville Tea Party, kicks off a meeting of the Alabama Public Service Commission on power rates with a prayer against gay marriage and reproductive rights.
● 1993.07.20 — The 19th General Synod of the UCC passes the “Resolution Calling on the Church for Greater Leadership to End Discrimination against Gays and Lesbians” and “A Call to End the Ban against Gays and Lesbians in the Military”
● 1970.07.25 — The Vatican confirms its condemnation of homosexuality stating that it is a “moral aberration that cannot be approved by human conscience.”
● 2013.07.29 — “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Pope Francis tells reporters, speaking in Italian but using the English word “gay” rather than saying “homosexual”.
● 1956.07.30 — “In God We Trust” is designated the U.S. national motto, replacing e pluribus unum.
● 2003.07.31 — The Vatican launches a global campaign against gay marriages, warning Catholic politicians that support of same-sex unions is ‘gravely immoral.’