“I was absolutely convinced that you could not be gay and a Christian. In my mind, it was like the diagnosis for a disease.”

Justin Lee grew up in a conservative Christian family that taught him being gay was a sin. Eventually, questions about his own sexuality forced him to reconsider everything he thought he knew.

Lee came to terms with being gay but struggled to find a community and no longer felt like he belonged in the church. However, he still held on to his faith.

In college, he organized a dialogue between the evangelical Christian and LGBTQ groups on campus to listen to each other and try to knock down misconceptions they had about one another. When Lee shared his story, he realized that storytelling — and the curiosity that comes with it for the listener — is a powerful tool for bridging divides.

Lee continues to host dialogues like that today and focuses on teaching people to apply the principles of strategic conversation to the political, social, and personal causes they care most about. In 2001, Lee founded the Gay Christian Network (later rebranded to Q Christian Fellowship), which serves lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, and straight ally Christians. His first book, Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate, has been widely cited for its role in helping Christian parents understand and accept their LGBTQ kids.

Radical Heroes is a series featuring stories from extraordinary leaders demonstrating curiosity, compassion, and courage.

Follow Justin Lee:
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