Skipping to the Piccolo

The discussion over LGBT rights and equality is rife with emotion, debated with passion, and unfortunately, peppered with misinformation. Many of the discussions from those opposed to LGBT equality use words like “lifestyle,” “behavior,” and my favorite, “sodomy.” Of course, there’s the even more religious sounding variation — sodomite. We talk about issues like marriage, the workplace, and even walking down the street holding hands. Through it all, an astonishing discussions, arguments, and debates are based on the single greatest myth: that sexual orientation is a choice.

Quick. Think of a public figure who made statements about homosexuality outside of his regular job and was dismissed from his job as a result. Now imagine the right wing outrage that came as a direct result of this dismissal. First Amendment! Censorship! If you were thinking of Phil Robertson, you assume correctly that the rage was instantaneous. If you were thinking of the slightly more recent article written by former Minnesota Vikings kicker Chris Kluwe, well, his outspokenness was on the opposite side, so we get crickets from the right wing.

Yes, we are all tired of the Phil Robertson and Duck Dynasty “controversy.” My own posts on Facebook on the topic drew fever-pitched debates and even resulted in one person un-friending me because I insisted that it has nothing to do with “Freedom of speech.” Once I stopped reading and rolling my eyes at the ridiculous comments on the whole ducking issue, I realized that if this was the front line of today’s culture war, then it was nothing more than a distraction of where the real battles were being fought.

Early last year, I discussed the emerging debate over religious liberty versus LGBT equality. Sadly, the debate has only gotten more fever pitched due to the incessant drumbeat of hateful bigots like Matt Barber, Peter Labarbera, Bryan Fischer, and a myriad of other anti-gay blowhards. The fruit of their vitriol has started to bear; this time in the case of a Colorado bakery called Masterpiece Cakeshop.

Imagine for a moment a private conversation between five evangelical pastors and one gay rights advocate. I think any of us could expect a wide range of possible outcomes of such a gathering, especially since three of them have (or had) strong ties to the Assemblies of God, one a Nazarene, and a Methodist. And then the gay guy — me.

I've never been an ex-gay. I've never gone through an ex-gay ministry, or tried an ex-gay program, and never went into a live-in camp where gay men are taught to behave as straight men. Despite all of this, I can say without any hesitation that ex-gay ministries are no good whatsoever. In fact, they present a great deal of harm to LGBT people, especially LGBT Christians.

I’m a bitter, angry, rejected, hurting gay man. My writing has gotten entirely critical of the Church, Christianity, and Christians. I’m a spiteful gay activist that has nothing to offer except being another bitchy queen looking to rub soot in the eyes of the next religious person to cross my path. Well, at least that's the story.

Every once in a while, I encounter a fellow Christian who is completely taken back by my assertion that I am both gay and Christian. It’s pretty rare that the conversation immediately goes to, “Great! Got a boyfriend?” Usually, I have to explain that Romans is all about Idolatry, Leviticus is not relevant for today’s society, and that Sodom was not destroyed because of the gays. I’m pretty used to that by now. The conversation usually ends with the person telling me that they’ll pray for me.

Every year, February marks a particular focus on Black History, and June brings out the rainbow flags for Gay Pride month. This is a time where both minorities celebrate a little about themselves, their lives, and their history. Interestingly, the frustrated mantra from both anti-gay and white supremacy viewpoints is a stunted whine that there is no “straight pride” or “white history” month.

Now that Tennessee state senator Stacey Campfield has found a House sponsor for his Super Don't Say Gay bill, gay advocates throughout the state have dug in to fight the measure with everything they have. Unfortunately, Tennessee isn't alone in their battle to give our kids the freedom to be themselves. One county in Florida is fighting like hell to keep gays from even forming a club.