Profile Progress.. and Roadblocks

So I've been avoiding posting for a while because I've been worried about my profile piece. Until recently I didn't have too much to offer to this blog.

Just getting through the convoluted network of voicemails, being in the right place at the right time, and coordinating meetings, I've finally arranged to sit in on one of the after-school classes at Temple Sha'ar Zahav for kids. I finally have a free Friday night to check out their services too.

But this doesn't make my story. My problem has been talking to the neighboring religious institutions to get an alternate view of the openly LGBT temple that I'm writing about.

There is a similar Christian church in my area that exemplifies a lot of the same ideologies. Rev. Dr. Arlene Nehring is a lesbian pastor who I worked with on my high school newspaper. She was sued by my high school for distributing LGBT educational materials during "Days of Diversity" week at my school, an event at which she was invited to present.

I asked her how I should approach the more conservative factions in the area and she said the best way to get an earnest reaction, is to take a direct approach. "They'll either hang up on you, avoid the question, or answer it. Either way you'll get what you need."

Encouraging words from a media veteran, having dealt with slander for a lot of her press-related career.

She also wanted to know what I was specifically looking to write about, like what angle I'm looking for, or the overall message. Good question. I explained that it's a profile piece where I'm pretty much just compiling information about the subject and that, if do my research correctly, an angle will show itself.

So I've been given a lot to think about. I'm going to bring my bike to the Mission tomorrow and see how many religious institutions I can hit up before my appointment at 3. I'm not too optimistic about on-spot interviews, but the phone approach is much less direct and more complicated.

I also think I'm much less threatening in person.

We'll see.

Hope everything is coming together for all of your pieces, and I hope you're enjoying the sunshine.

(P.S. LISETTE! This site might be a good way to check out places in the Castro, Arlene told me about it, it's like the LGBT craigslist for women: http://www.bettyslist.com/about.php)