Jazz Fitzgerald On Being Fired for Her Sexuality

Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of Faith

"I'm attracted to women," Jazz Fitzgerald told a friend at their conservative Christian college. Jazz was forced into weekly therapy where her counselors probed to find the root cause of Jazz's sexuality. She was told that she was broken and needed to be fixed. She could never know the fullness of God unless she had a husband.

She pushed her feelings down deep and became the poster child of ex-gay therapy on campus. But the repudiation of her sexuality wasn't enough. Based on fears that she could be a risk to students because of her sexual orientation and not because of any conduct, Jazz was fired from her position as a campus resident advisor. Losing her job and her home in less than 48 hours caused Jazz to become severely depressed and she had a breakdown.

But after a close friend came out to her as lesbian, Jazz realized that happiness and fullness could only come by being true to herself.

She is now a champion for helping find connections between the LGBTQIA+ and faith communities. She founded You Are Welcome Here and is planning a retreat for people of all faiths to be held in Denver, October 4 and 5.