Standing before Berlin’s Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism, people are
reminded that atrocities rarely begin with mass violence. They begin with the quiet
normalization of contempt — with teaching people to see certain neighbors as shameful,
dangerous, or less than human. Under Section 175, thousands of gay men were imprisoned,
tortured and killed. And even after the fall of Nazism, persecution continued for decades.
This history matters now. Pride is not a celebration of “wickedness,” as some claim. It is a
refusal to internalize the shame that was weaponized to justify cruelty. It is a testament to
resilience — to people who survived attempts to erase them and who insist on living openly,
joyfully, and without apology.
A pastor friend once wrote words that feel just as urgent today: “If you believe you would have
stood against the Nazis to protect those targeted, now is your time to prove it. Demonization
always precedes destruction. There are forces today who seek the eradication of the queer
community. Are you an ally? Then be seen, be heard and resist.”
She also reminded us that the real Christian faith is expansive, not exclusive. It leaves the 99 for
the one. It embraces those told they are unlovable. It refuses to let religion be twisted into a
weapon.
God is revealed in people of all genders, races, nationalities and sexualities. When hatred grows
louder, people of faith are called to open our doors wider.
As Pride events take place in Defiance, Bryan and Wauseon, I invite our community to show up
— not just in celebration, but in solidarity, courage and love.
Bobbi Shaffer
Sylvania
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