Response to Rapper T.I.'s Claim of Un-American Gays

In his recent interview with Vibe Magazine, rapper T.I. offered his insights and opinions on a number of topics, including his thoughts on the response of the gay community toward anti-gay slip-ups and slurs from rappers and other celebrities. We have seen responses to the comments of 50 Cent, Eminem, and the incident T.I. is responding to, Tracy Morgan—an incident for which he is still trying recover from the backlash.

To over simplify T.I.'s remarks, he essentially argues that gays are becoming oversensitive about homophobia and that responses to these incidents of anti-gay outbreaks are un-American. I am personally a fan of rap, hip-hop, and T.I. However, this cover interview with Vibe really begs the simple question: "Really, T.I.!?"

Fighting Our Battles

I am asked all the time how I keep up the work I do with with responding to and dealing with constant forms of religious abuse, bullying, homophobia, etc. The truth of the matter is, there isn't really one answer. The way I respond to the surge of emails I get with Leviticus verses changes all the time. The type of conversations I have with my adversaries differ person-to-person, situation-to-situation.

I've spoken at a number of schools and churches to offering training workshops on responding to our adversaries. And in those trainings we explore a variety of ways we can counter arguments and work towards actions that induce change. But as I continue my work, I have to keep rethinking the way I approach social justice work. Thus I offer a meditation on how we fight our battles, from where my mind is right now. How do we go forth and "keep fighting the good fight" — as my cellmates told me while I was in jail in Waco, Texas.

Queer Youth Speaking Up: Reteaching Gender and Sexuality

Check out this video I came across yesterday. It's been the repost of the day on Facebook by queers and trans folk across the interwebs. Young people in Seattle from the Put This On The Map project put together this fantastic short video. I think it's vitally important that we allow young people to speak for themselves and define their own queerness and their own spaces; as opposed to just telling them, "It Gets Better" — which these young people also critique in this video.

My favorite line: "We need to move past safe spaces ...how about liberating spaces?"

Exodus International Targets Young People for 2011

Despite the substantial scientific, and even theological, evidence that debunks the myth that homosexuality, bisexuality, and gender variance are not embodied ‘disorders’, ex-gay organizations, like Exodus International, have refused to close their doors and rescind their claims that LGBTQ folk are morally flawed and in need of fixing.

Instead, for 2011 Exodus International has refocused their mission and their strategic vision planning has developed into the following manifesto for the upcoming year: Simplify, Amplify, and Intensify.

In an open letter to their supporters, Alan Chambers elaborates on these concepts as they move forward to refocus their mission (simplify), refocus their target audiences (amplify), and refocus the cultural impact their message carries in the world (intensify).

As expected, I have many contentions with Chambers’ message. I find his argument within these categories to be theologically problematic. However, despite my best efforts to disagree with Chambers and Exodus, their organization continues to exist and their message continues to reach the lives of many individuals every day.

Queer Youth and Religious Debates Over Sexuality

Last month, Harvard Divinity School hosted, "Queer Youth and Religious Debates Over Sexuality," a panel that discussed, as the titled suggests, queer youth in the United States and their relationship to religion and the church. The panel consisted of leading voices on the subject, including Dr. Mark Jordan, a prolific author on the role of homosexuality in American religion.

The video of the event is finally available on the HDS website, but I thought I would repost the video here to facilitate further discussion on the subject of youth, religion, theology, and sexuality.

Video after the jump.

Where's Our Queer Fairy Tale?

Glee, as it does every week, has everyone talking. This past episode definitely had queer folk across the country smiling, yet crying. Feeling joy, while also feeling anguish and anger even. Last night's episode of Glee had Kurt spying on a nearby all-boy private school. While Kurt pretends to go undercover, he meets another gay teenager, and viewers finally see Kurt engaged in the beginnings of a queer romance. The all-boy Glee club performed Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and it is definitely the buzz of Tweets and Facebook statuses (video after the jump).

This performance left me smiling, and thinking that this is the beginning our queer fairy tale -- finally available for young queer people struggling to understand their same-sex attractions and/or gender variance. The queering of Katy Perry's song brings me back to the times in my life when I felt attractions and crushes towards other men, but 1) didn't have a language to talk about said feelings; and 2) didn't think it was acceptable to feel that way.

It's Time for the Church to Take Responsibility

Yesterday, the Tyra Banks Show re-aired the segment on gay teen exorcisms. The timing for this re-run seems very appropriate given the recent media attention to the high rate of queer-related suicides and violence that affect our young people every day.

In the segment, I share my own personal experiences of wrestling through a spiritual deliverance ministry and overcoming the religious condemnation that misinformed me to believe that I was unworthy of God's full love and grace.

I find the show's reappearance appropriate in this time because with the media spotlight illuminating the violence against queer young people, it is time for the Christian church to take responsibility. Anti-gay religious rhetoric spills out of the pulpit regularly. Pastors tell young queer people that they are inherently disordered and sinful and that they need to change in order to please God. For many, they accept that change is never possible, yet they are dissatisfied with that reality, and cut their lives short. Churches have sat idly by, silent, in this present time as we lament the loss of many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—all of whom are loved by God, without reservations.

Four Years Later: National Coming Out Day

Today is National Coming Out Day and exactly 4 years ago, I worked up the courage to, not just come out of the closet, but to come out very publicly as gay to the entire university community at Azusa Pacific University, one of the largest evangelical Christian universities in the United States.

Four years later, yes my life is better, but that is not the message I want to convey to queer individuals that are struggling to break their way out of the closet today.

Talking about Gay-Related Suicides

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals have been shaken up and upset by the continuing reports of young people taking their lives because homophobic bullying and an inability to affirm themselves as queer individuals. The reported number of incidents over the past weeks is up to seven, although I am sure the actual number of gay-related suicides is much higher, just unreported. The LGBTQ community is saddened and seemingly shocked by the rising number of reported incidents.

However, this is the continuation of an old trend—just never reported before in this detail. LGBTQ youth have been committing suicide for years. The good aspect of these is that at least they are being reported now. Although, many wonder about what will be done to help queer youth survive adolescence.

Back-to-School Tip of the Year: Identifying the Gay Agenda

Over at Jesus Needs New PR, Matthew Paul Turner posted and criticized a YouTube video that discussed a "useful" Back-to-School tip for parents: identifying the hidden gay agenda in your children's schools. At first I thought the video was a parody or some satirical spoof put together by The Onion. But lo and behold, it was a Focus on the Family supported video. Watch the video after the jump.

The video informs parents on ways to identify the "gay agenda" in their children's schools by looking through the library catalog to find LGBT-affirming books oriented towards a juvenile audience, being aware of diversity trainings, anti-bullying trainings, etc. Basically, their education analyst teaches parents how to censor multiculturalism and diversity from their children.

"Breaking the Chains" Documentary

A year ago, three American Evangelical leaders traveled to Uganda for a conference on “the gay agenda” to speak about "alternatives" to homosexuality; in other words, to falsely teach that homosexuality is "curable" human condition.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill was proposed just a few months later in Uganda and introduced some of the harshest punishments in the world for homosexuals. The Bill calls for lifetime imprisonment of all LGBT people, death to homosexuals who are HIV-positive and prison for any Ugandan who fails to report LGBT Ugandans within 24 hours of the Bill passing.

Despite the security risks, Ugandan activists are raising the alarm about this human rights abuse. Recent Northwestern University graduate Alyssa Eisenstein traveled to Uganda this past spring to hear from these inspiring men and women. With interviews from LGBT activists, legal and political authorities, university students, village leaders and even a traditional healer, "Breaking the Chains" profiles these activists as they tell this story in their own words.


Watch the documentary after the jump.

Church of the Holy Hipsters and Gays

The September 2010 issue of Details Magazine has hit the stands with a Zac Efron cover that little gay boys all of the country are drooling over. Past the cover is a feature article titled "The New Face of Faith," that highlights an up-and-coming church in the Los Angeles: Reality LA. What sets Reality apart from other churches is its young, modern, hipster congregation, which also attracts some of Hollywood's young celebrities, including Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, and Joe Jonas.

In addition to the young Los Angeles hipster crowd, Reality has also attracted the gays, well the "ex-gays" that is. My perception of Reality after reading this article is that the congregation is full of a bunch of young, healthy, celibate, Hollywood fashionistas, socialistas, homosexuals, etc.

Reclaiming the "F" Word

The other day I was walking through a large crowd on my way to the pharmacy and that’s when I heard it. The one word that makes every little gay boy’s stomach knot and heart stop: “FAGGOT!” The exclamation wasn’t targeted towards me, and I’m unsure if it was it was targeted towards anyone else. With the crowd being so large, I couldn’t find the source of this anti-gay outburst.

But what I want to focus on was my physiological response to hearing someone use this word. My body pretty much entered into a “fight or flight” mode. In a sense, I felt threatened by just hearing the word. This makes me wonder though, can we ever reclaim the term “faggot” as an LGBTQ community?

The Queer Question

Justice and equality rang loudly in the state of California yesterday after Judge Walker announced that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional and thus overturned the legislation that defined marriage as being between only one man and one woman.

LGBTQs and their allies celebrated across the country, taking their joy to the streets to proclaim loudly that every person deserves the right to marry. It was a great day, not only to be a California, but definitely a great day to be queer. I definitely celebrated from my new home in Massachusetts, but as a Californian, I was more than excited and proud to be a part of the Golden State.

However the fight for marriage equality is not over. Not even in the state of California. Proponents of the marriage ban already filed an appeal and they will continue to work towards stripping same-sex couples of their right to marry one another. The fact that every Californian now has the right to marry is not good enough for Prop. 8 supporters. Therefore, they have to do whatever they can to ensure that every Californian is not treated equally.

I was taken back when I came to the realization that I stand there and celebrate Judge Walker's decision, but that decision isn't good enough. My right to be treated equally under the law is still threatened. By the mere fact that we are queer, our citizenship is called into question; thus raising "The Queer Question."

Becoming Social Parents

I just returned from visiting my parents and family one last time before I move to Boston at the end of the month. It was an enjoyable visit and we were intentional at making every moment we had together count for something since I'll be moving clear across the United States from them.

Prior to my arrival in Merced, my mother adamantly insisted that we watch the film La Mission during my visit. The film is a drama starring Benjamin Bratt that sheds light on issues of homophobia and sexuality within Chicano families.

As I sat there watching Bratt's character blatantly disown and condemn his son for being gay, I was drawn to my own father's face as he was watching the movie with me. The look of shock, anger, and disappointment covered his face. My partner sat in tears throughout the movie then looked up to my parents and simply said, "Thank you." My coming out experience with my family didn't involve much heartbreak or disowning. My parents were quick to accept me and remind me that they would love me whether I be straight, gay, bi, etc. I am reminded though that not every LGBTQ individual shares the same experience. Films like La Mission become a powerful tool for the LGBTQ community.

Details on Gay Exorcisms

DETAILS Magazine takes on a sensitive, yet hot topic in their June 2010 issue: gay exorcisms. Matt Mcallester examines the world of reparative therapy and exorcisms in his cultural eye piece titled, "Deliverance: The True Story of a Gay Exorcism". Mcallester focuses on the ritual of exorcism that is often performed as a means of spiritually 'repairing' a person's sexual orientation.

The article is extremely well-written and certainly highlights on the psychological, physical, and spiritual harm caused by exorcism that attempt to rid a person of their homosexuality. In this article I share my own experiences of being haunted by images and reminders of the exorcism I received during my time in reparative therapy.

The Image of a Scout

A recent letter to the editor in the LA Times responded to an op-ed piece by Charles Fleming (a former Scout, current professor at USC) that criticized the Boy Scouts of America and its continued discrimination against gays.

The writer of the letter (Howard Lockwood) expressed his resentment towards Fleming's article, saying that, "It appears he [Fleming] became politically liberal and ashamed of being an Eagle Scout [...] Fleming and the ACLU want to kill Scouting unless it conforms to their liberal views."

It appears that Lockwood wants to preserve the traditional, conservative nature of the organization. He references several prominent past scouts that appear to epitomize the image of scouting.

Lockwood believes that "Scouting builds character and responsibility and develops personal fitness. Any boy would be lucky to be in Scouting, and now more than ever its positive influence is needed."

It is difficult to see how one's sexual orientation could inhibit them from building their character and responsibility and developing their fitness through Scouting. If Lockwood truly stands behind his claims, shouldn't "any boy" truly mean "any boy," regardless of their sexual orientation?

It is understandable that Lockwood wants to preserve the traditional, historic image of Scouting, and apparently manhood, that he hold so closely to his personal life and heart, but does it necessarily have to be a postwar, uncritically bourgeois and stridently heterosexist image? Perhaps Lockwood needs to re-imagine what it means to be a Scout.

Gays Killed in Baghdad

In most parts of the Middle East, homosexuality is prohibited, and in Iraq the amount of violence against gays and lesbians has reached new heights after the US-invasion.  Two young men were killed this past Thursday in Baghdad and after police found four more bodies.

Reuters reports:

'They were sexual deviants. Their tribes killed them to restore their family honor,' a Sadr City official who declined to be named said.

The police source who declined to be named said the bodies of four gay men were unearthed in Sadr City on March 25, each bearing a sign reading 'pervert' in Arabic on their chests. 

Sermons condemning homosexuality were read at the last two Friday prayer gatherings in Sadr City, a sprawling Baghdad slum of some 2 million people. The slum is a bastion of support for fiery Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mehdi Army militia.

[...]

Many young men who might have cut their hair short and grown beards when religious gangs controlled much of Iraq now dress in a more Western style as government forces take back control.

Some are now accused of being gay, and residents of Sadr City say at least one coffee shop has become a gay hangout. 

A member of the slum's Sadrist office said the Mehdi Army was not involved in the killings, but said homosexuality was now more widespread since the Mehdi Army lost control of the slum.

Last night I was talking with my partner about a gay bar that we have here in Riverside that is set in between two non-gay bars.  Apparently someone was shot while coming out of the gay bar a few years back.  It is still shocking to me that people are still violently abused and even murdered just because of the sexual orientation.  I personally don't feel safe coming out of that particular bar at night time because I don't know if someone is going to be extremely drunk from one of the neighboring bars and might decide to address the fact that they don't like homosexuals.

A couple days ago I went for a walk by myself (during the day) just to get some fresh air and to take a study break, and I saw these very large men get out of a car, but I thought nothing of them really.  Next thing I heard was, "Look at that gay ass faggot!"  I turned around.  They were pointing and laughing at me.  In most cases I usually say something when I hear people using anti-gay epithets or using "gay" as a synonym for stupid, etc.  But this time I was speechless.  I had nothing to say.  I was the one being targeted and attacked here.  Besides, even I wanted to say something, it was the two of them and just me, it was definitely not the safest thing for me to do.  But I took time to pause and to make eye contact with them, so they could look into the eyes of the person they were dehumanizing.  And I continued my walk, feeling empty, feeling broken, and feeling like my entire identity was reduced down to just one word, "faggot."

I know being called "faggot" does not compare to being shot for being gay, but words can lead to actions.  Homophobia can start with calling someone "faggot" and then lead to physically violent attacks, it does happen in our country, and it certainly happens in California (it's not as liberal as some would think it is).  But what do we do to end homophobia?  What do we do to end people getting shot for being themselves?  What do we do to make this world a safe home for all people?

(Hat tip to Towleroad for the news story)

"The Conservative Voice " of APU Responds to Prop 8

A friend of mine lead me in the direction of a blog called, "The Conservative Voice of Azusa Pacific University: For God and Country."  Their blog post today was titled, "Clause Response: Prop 8" (The Clause is the student newspaper at Azusa Pacific).  I have been hearing responses about Prop 8 at nauseam, but this response was just so uneducated and uninformed that it was quite upsetting.

The author writes:

One of the things that undermines the logic of the anti-prop 8 people is that they don’t actually believe that everyone should be able to marry anyone they want. They don’t believe that if a man loves two women that he should marry them. If they really believe that the government must recognize everyone’s love then a brother should marry a sister and so on. Once the debate rightly turns to how should marriage be defined then the anti-prop 8 group is weakened because of the obvious nature of the social structure of marriage. To redefine the institution that families are built around (marriage) into something that has nothing to do with families is a step in the wrong direction.

The anti-prop 8 people only gain strength when they self-righteously compare themselves to the civil rights movement, something that they have no resemblance to. It should be offensive to most people to compare the idea of preserving the definition marriage to Jim Crow laws and violent racist.

The primarily purpose of marriage is the responsibility of a family. It makes a huge difference in a child’s life if you don’t have a mother or a father. I have no hatred towards homosexuals, I simply do not think my father can offer me what my mother can and vice versa. To compare this to racism truly is offensive to victims of racism.

[...]

Most people in support of prop 8 believe homosexual couples should receive equal protection under the law with civil unions. But people against prop 8 commonly say this is another case of “separate but equal”. This is not the case. The left commonly confuses sameness with equality. Like I said before at the heart of this is the roles of the mother and the father, who have equal roles but not the same roles. This is “separate but equal” as much as we have separate male and female restrooms.

I must have said the words, "Are you kidding me!?" out loud at least a dozen times when I read the post.  I would like to add a small response to their blog, just to get conversation started.

So let us think about this:  considering that we are having to court hearings and constitutional amendments and such around the topic of marriage, it is now clear that marriage is not a religious institution.  Besides if marriage was just a religious institution, then people would not be able to get married at city hall.  Also, when a couple divorces and decides to legally end their marriage, they do not go to their pastor, because obviously their marriage is a legal (or civic) institution.

Now, as a person of color, I have no problem, nor am I offended, by making comparisons between racism and the oppression of LGBTQ people.  I experience discrimination and oppression as a queer individual much in the same way that I experience discrimination as a brown-skinned individual.  Proponents of the proposition are uncomfortable with linking the two because that would mean that if they are anti-gay rights, then that would mean that they are same level as racists.  And who would want to compared to a racist?

My last point:  if you want to make this an issue of religion, that's fine, I can go that route too. I am sorry that you may think otherwise, but I have a religious right to marriage!!  Not only is Prop 8 a violation of my human rights, but it is also a violation of my religious liberties.  My faith in God and my relationship and journey with Jesus affirms same-sex marriage!  And as Americans we uphold that we have the right to religion; many evangelicals will make sure that they are fully exercising that right.  Well, I too exercise that right, because as a Christian, I know that God loves and affirms LGBTQ individuals and celebrates our relationships!

The other posts at this blog are also rather depressing and the arguments are not cogent and are completely bizarre.  But this response goes out to not just this blog post, but to all proponents of Prop 8.  My heart goes out to the proponents though, because just as Christ said, "Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Video: Sentence for Being Gay in Iran

This video is very difficult to watch, but it is reality and this is the world we do live in.  In Iran, the sentence for two adults of the same sex that have consensual sexual acts with one another is being thrown off the roof.  The issue of homophobia and violence against LGBTQs is not just an American issue, we need to remind ourselves that this is a global issue.  As global citizens we need to recognize the injustice and inhumanity of this type of treatment.

(Hat Tip to Gays Without Borders)