Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Don't get discouraged by the new model

I knew that something would happen while I am on hiatus.

Apparently one of our own has joined the other side.

Michael Glatze, called a rising star in gay leadership (and I will attribute this to him being former editor of Young Gay America rather than the fact that he is young, thin and blond like so many of our so-called leaders), has become an ex-gay.

Naturally this means that we will be inudated by Peter LaBarbera, One News Now, so-called "pro-family" webpage and blogs talking about how another person has found "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus."

Was Glatze gay in the first place? I don't know because I never met the young man.

But I am disturbed by how he is now beating the drumbeat lies of the so-called promiscuous "homosexual lifestyle" complete with intestinal disorders.

So am I shocked by Glatze's change?

No.

Am I depressed at the company he now keeps?

No. A bit saddened but not depressed.

Let's face facts about the anti-gay industry and their partner in crime, the ex-gay industry. I have seen so many of these ex-gay spokespeople come and go. From Anthony Falzarano to John Paulk to Michael Johnston.

The anti-gay industry goes through ex-gay spokespeople like Henry VIII went through wives.

Glatze is just the latest model; a pretty boy whose story will allow the anti-gay industry to denigrate the lives of lgbts who have happy lives, unencumbered by the stereotypes and lies of oversexed gay men and violent lesbian women.

For the time being that is.

Glatze will have a time in the sun. But remember the light of that same sun also shines on us who are proudly gay and lesbian. So we must never forget who we are.

And by all means, do not fall for the lie that God does not want you to embrace your lgbt orientation. Homosexuality is not the enemy of faith or religion. I speak from personal experience when I say that this.

God created us all; heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered, to be exactly the way we are. What we do with the orientation that God gives us is our choice.

But as long as this cultural war over gay rights continues, we can expect to see more Michael Glatzes and unfortunately the Michael Glatzes of today will probably turn into the Ted Haggards of tomorrow.

But never forget that there are more of us than of them.