Six years ago, I found myself sitting in a cramped living room surrounded by the pastors and elders of my church.

The mood in the room was somber. I could tell that one of the church elders, a good friend of mine with whom I had traveled to China on a mission trip, had been crying. Being that our church was one of the largest evangelical churches in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley area, I didn’t personally know all the people in that room. But everyone there knew everything about me.

I suppose I should have felt ashamed for what I had done. But instead, I felt a strange sense of relief.

Like two defendants on trial, Susannah and I had been summoned to this private meeting in order to discuss our “situation.” A third party had informed the pastors on our relationship, and needless to say they were far from pleased to hear that two ministry leaders in their church were carrying on an illicit homosexual affair. Our head pastor launched into a biblical argument on how homosexuality is a sin, highlighting the usual clobber passages and telling us that we were committing a grave error. We could be saved though, he said, if only we would turn from our ways and end the affair.

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Jenni Chang works as a business manager for eBay Inc, the online marketplace site. Jenni’s international experience includes volunteering with community outreach groups in Taiwan, Cambodia, and China. Jenni is an LGBT activist who is involved in the Asian American and Christian LGBT communities in San Francisco.

The post Gays versus religion: my journey first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Lisa Dazols and Jenni Chang explore the question: Would you continue to be an activist if you received death threats? Meet the SuperGays fighting for LGBT rights in Kenya.

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Out and Around is a collection of conversations with people around the world who are creating change for the LGBT community.

The post Against all odds: LGBT activism in Kenya first appeared on Lesbian.com.