SOJOURN (Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity)

History

SOJOURN (Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity) was formed in 2001 as The Rainbow Center. ¹ Supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, the organization championed LGBT causes for Jews and people of all faiths in the Atlanta area. ²

In 2013, The Rainbow Center was renamed SOJOURN: the Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity. ²

Activism

SOJOURN’s mission is to provide education, outreach, advocacy, and support. ³ SOJOURN provides a Welcoming Communities Project that assists synagogues, schools, agencies, and the community to be welcoming to gender and sexually diverse (GSD) Jewish people. ⁴ This project provides a 6-18 month program to educate clients to make sure gender and sexually diverse Jews feel welcome and communities feel comfortable welcoming them. ⁴

This project advocates organizations expand and update non-discrimination policies; review administrative documents to include more inclusive language; create GSD welcoming language on websites, in marketing material, and in bylaws; and integrate inclusive language into worship ceremonies and education curricula. ⁴

SOJOURN’s largest outreach program consists of coordinating the Jewish community’s participation in the annual Atlanta pride festival and parade. ⁵ SOJOURN publishes an “LGBTQ Guide to Jewish Atlanta” to highlight services and programs offered in the Atlanta area. ⁵ SOJOURN brings speakers to the community, including singer Chana Rothman who performs songs for children with a focus on gender diversity and equity. ⁵

With the national LGBT group Keshet, SOJOURN has partnered to form the Thrive Coalition to defend trans and LGBQ+ youth. ⁶ The Thrive Coalition seeks to being Jewish groups together to fight for transgender and LGBQ+ interests and support parents and families who support those interests. ⁷ SOJOURN is opposed to abstinence-only sex education curricula and opposes legislation restricting abortion across the South. ⁸

SOJOURN works with preschools on gender stereotypes and gender bias and offers “comprehensive sex education for LGBTQ Teens.” ⁸ SOJOURN runs a weekly meet-up for queer teens called “Tum Tum” to discuss issues, learn advocacy skills, and build up the LGBT community. ⁹ SOJOURN runs an online form of Tum Tum called Q Chat where youth can meet online and chat at specified times with facilitators. ¹⁰

Views

SOJOURN publishes a guide on transgender youth that argues that youth should be allowed to take puberty blockers or hormones, disputes the argument that parents are not informed of youth being taught about gender exploration or transgender affirmation, and promotes how to argue that legislation restricting transgender youth activities goes against Jewish teaching. ¹¹

SOJOURN argues that transgender students should not be compelled to compete in sports correlating to their gender at birth. ¹¹ SOJOURN argues against restrictions on drag queen activities, so-called “gender-affirming” medical care, and parental notification of school activity for LGBTQ students. ¹¹ SOJOURN also advocates respecting people’s pronoun choice and provides an additional Southern caveat to avoid phrases such as “ma’am” and “sir” as they are not gender neutral. ¹²

Finances

In 2021, SOJOURN had net assets of $238,358. ¹³ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2021 SOJOURN recorded $287,135 in revenue and $191,661 in expenses. ¹³ In 2020, SOJOURN raised $182,917 in revenue and reported $180,458 in expenses. ¹⁴

Leadership

Rebecca Stapel-Wax has been executive director of SOJOURN and its predecessor The Rainbow Center since 2004. ² Stapel-Wax is a licensed professional counselor and has a M.A. in Counseling Psychology and B.A. in Psychology. ¹⁵

Stapel-Wax called former President Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory akin to “mourning the death of hope and unity” and suggested that it was reminiscent of what happened in the 1930s before the Holocaust. ¹⁶