Irene Monroe is a religion columnist, public theologian and motivational speaker. She is a sought-after speaker, preacher, and writer about women’s spirituality and gender issues. Monroe has written extensively on African American gay and lesbian history, African American sexuality, and anti-Semitism in both the Black Christian and Black Muslim communities. Presently, Monroe writes a biweekly column, “The Religion Thang,” for In Newsweekly, and a monthly online column “Queer Take” for The Witness Magazine. She also writes “Faith Matters” for The Advocate Magazine and a spirituality column for ARISE Magazine among other publications. A doctoral candidate in the religion, gender and culture program at Harvard Divinity School and a Ford Foundation fellow, Monroe was also the head teaching fellow of Rev. Peter Gomes at the Memorial Church at Harvard. She was a board member for the Millennium March on Washington 2000, and is presently a board member for the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion at the Pacific School of Religion among others. Monroe has been profiled in O, Oprah Magazine, on CNN’s Paula Zahn Now and Headline News and in a segment during the Gay Pride Episode of In the Life.