Sigh. I just published a story that might tend to serve as an object lesson in the toxicity of this kind of exclusionary belief system. The Christian Youth Theater network in the United States, known for mounting elaborate Broadway-style shows by teenagers, just amended its standard contract to exclude LGBTQ teachers, students, and even family members.

This despite the fact that CYT don’t even define themselves as evangelicals. They don’t call themselves a church. All they say is that they want to foster professional theater arts skills among young people while they spread a message of Christ’s love.

This is all coming to light because a gay actor/dancer/choreographer in Chicago has come forward to say CYT fired him for being gay and then lied about firing him.

The story is unbelievable on several levels. (I mean really? A dancer/actor/choreographer is gay? Stop the presses while I clutch my pearls, Mary Louise!) But the most shocking unbelievable element is that CYT doesn’t say anything in any of its promotional materials about being anti-gay. They leave it to people to understand that “spreading the love of Christ" just has to mean bullying and excluding LGBTQ people.

Astonishing.