Whether or not you believe controversial gospel star Donnie McClurkin is sincere in his assertion that he was "delivered" from a his homosexuality by the power of God's graces, his performance last night in Columbia, South Carolina had "drama queen" written all over it.

McClurkin has been a hot potato for Prez hopeful Barack Obama in recent weeks, splitting his Democratic supporters along lines that usually differentiate the Democratic Party from the GOP. And according to The New York Times, McClurkin's contribution to Sunday's gospel rally and concert in support of Obama didn't do much to mend fences. At the close of the three-hour show, McClurkin took center stage to give the crowd a finale that included some of his greatest pulpit hits to date, including:

Don’t call me a bigot or anti-gay when I have suffered the same feelings!"

God delivered me from homosexuality!"

The greatest change a person can have is not in politics!"

and the sure-to-be-hit…

Believe the Bible over the blogs!"

"Obama's Gospel Concert Tour" [New York Times Caucus]

Wayne Besen and his homo homies over at Truth Wins Out have produced a new video aimed at exposing the ex-gay movement. While certainly it's intriguing to hear an ex-gayer talking about how he and his pious peers lurked about malls drooling over men, we're entirely distracted by the announcer's wavering, yet always sensational tone.

Is this the trailer to a horror movie, an action flick or a non-profit dedicated to exposing the controversial conversion therapists?? We're confused…

The Hate Crimes Bill has a new enemy: ex-gay country singer Dennis Jernigan. Like so many conservatives, Jernigan that the bill threatens his free speech:

I was able to come to a level of freedom the homosexual community never told me was possible. Yet, through faith in God, I successfully walked out of that way of thinking and have met thousands of other men and women who have done the same. What about our civil liberties? To pass such a bill as H.R. 1592 is to invoke fear that I could be prosecuted for my religious beliefs and speech.

The father of nine (!) goes on to claim that H.R. 1592 discriminates against him and his ex-gay brethren:

If this bill passes, Congress is telling me that I and countless others who have discovered they don't have to be homosexual are of less value now than when we were living as homosexuals. If we look down the road of this slippery slope, this legislation would actually pave the way to make it a criminal offense to think differently than someone else or to have religious convictions that are opposed to this politically correct ideology. Do we really want such thoughts to be illegal?

Oh Jernigan - when will you and your ilk learn that violent crime and political stance are not the same thing? Although we suspect he doesn't care: his politically-minded press release reminds readers that Jernigan has a new album on the way.

Like a lot of people, we rolled our eyes in disgust when financial guru and freshly outed lady lover Suze Orman justified her quest for gay marriage by lamenting the potential loss of her millions. She griped to The New York Times' Deborah Solomon:

[My lover KT and I] have millions of dollars in our name. It’s killing me that upon my death, K.T. is going to lose 50 percent of everything I have to estate taxes. Or vice versa.

Alright, that's kind of a gross justification, but not as sickening as ex-gay and Exodus International leader Randy Thomas' uncivil statements.

CONTINUED »

When Pastor Christopher Beard stepped down from Ted Haggard's former stomping ground, the Colorado Springs based New Life Church, associate pastor and potential king Rob Brendle said "there will be increased scrutiny of our church in the wake of the scandal". We took that not as a statement of fact, but as a directive.

Thus, we found ourselves poking around the Evangelical church's website and came across a section for kids. We knew there'd be something good in there, but little did we know we'd find Weird and Gross Bible Stuff, a book we think should be entitled, Queer Bible Shit. Seriously, that cover screams gay erotic art. Who the fuck is that? Daniel? Whoever it is, he looks like he's about to get a mouthful…of locust, of course.

As if that's not enough, read the accompanying description:

DO NOT OPEN THIS BOOK if you don't have the stomach for the bizarre and absolute gross. It's only for boys with an appetite for learning about weird-even grotesque-facts in the Bible. Only a real boy could appreciate it and want to tell about it.

It's action and adventure straight from the pages of the Bible! As part of the 2:52 Soul Gear? collection these high-energy, fast-paced stories will encourage boys in their quest to be smarter, stronger, deeper, and cooler as they develop into young men of God.

This reads like the back of a fucking porn! Or, at the very least, some gay pulp novel. New Life Church may be the gayest place ever!

But, what of the women? Don't worry, they get their place in the church's bibliographical canon…

CONTINUED »

Today's New York Times has an article on reparative therapy. There's really nothing new offered - the same old rundown of how people can't cope with their homosexuality, go to a therapist to rid themselves of their faggot burden and the connection between ex-gays and religious movements - there are two things that we'd like to point out.

The first is a quote from Dr. Jack Drescher, who once headed the American Psychiastric Associations' Committee of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues (what, no trannies?). Speaking of repartative therapy, Drescher notes:

There’s not a debate in the profession on this issue. This is like creationism. You create the impression to the public as if there was a debate in the profession, which there is not.

His words, we think, fit quite nicely with what we were saying this morning with regard to pro ex-gay group PFOX and proponents of intelligent design.

Our second selection speaks for itself:

Robert Schaeffer, 44…is a former pastor who spent years secretly having sex with hundreds of men. After he discovered he was H.I.V.-positive, he divulged his secret to his Pennsylvania church and his denomination sent him to LIFE [Living in Freedom Eternally] Ministry. He began dating a woman after two years of counseling and eventually married her. He now proclaims himself to be completely free of homosexual desires.

“This ministry pointed me toward the emotional roots of homosexual desire,” he said. “The ungodly reactions to pain in my early formative years are really what I had to look at to get free of this.”

Hmm, we wonder if they have sex. If so, do you think they use a condom? We certainly hope so. Also, do you think his wife's a lesbian or just really wanted to get married?

It's been a while since we actually tuned in to see CNN's dreamboat anchor Anderson Cooper. Sure, we love him, but we're still a little miffed about him taking Aaron Brown's old time slot. Our friend Jeremy Hooper, however, apparently owes more loyalty to Cooper, because he clicked over to see ex-gay spokesperson Alan Chambers (pictured, looking gayer than even you) chatting about Ted Haggard's alleged heterosexuality.

A real mensch, Hooper's provided a link to the entire transcript, but we'd like to discuss one particular snippet:

COOPER: …Do you still have attraction to men? You're just choosing not to act on it?

CHAMBERS: My attraction greatly diminished over the course of many years. Sixteen years into it, my life isn't even remotely the same as it once was, but I often say that I will never be as though I never was.

And the truth is that I'm a human being. And for me to say that I could never be attracted to men again, or that I couldn't be tempted would mean that I'm not human, and that's just not the case.

We can't help but wonder, then, why so many people find the ex-gay movement appealing. Sure, we understand they're trying to reconcile their religion and sexuality, but if even the movement's most vocal proponent admits it doesn't work, why do people continue to have faith? Oh, right, because people are stupid.

While Jimmy Im's living it up at WinterPride, we've been hard at working planning our next issue. While we can't give away any of the details, we can say that our research led us over to the Love In Action website.

In case you're not aware, Love in Action's one of the many ex-gay movements who claim homosexuality can be cured through "the power of Jesus". Founded in 1973 by John Evans and the Reverend Kent Philpott, they define their purpose thus:

Love in Action International is passionately committed to helping people discover the truth about God and about who they really are in his son Jesus. In the safety and strength of God's love men and women of all ages have found the courage to step out of destructive and enslaving life behaviors.

Of course, destructive and enslaving behaviors can be read as many things, but the group focuses primarily on the most damning of all behaviors: same-sex lovin'.

Upon entering their site, the reader's asked to choose one of three links: men, women and clergy. It's with the first two that we're concerned. What's this concern? Well, dive into the glorious jump to find out…

CONTINUED »

This story apparently broke a few months ago, but is only now making it's way into the mainstream media. It seems Venus Magazine publisher Charlene Cothran has found Jesus and realized the error of her formerly lesbianic ways. It all started back in 2004, when Cothran joined her queer comrades at Chicago's gay pride event, when she realized that she "doesn't belong" with the gays. Thus, last October, she released a statement, effectively rescinding years of lesbianism:

…I must come out of the closet again. I have recently experienced the power of change that came over me once I completely surrendered to the teachings of Jesus Christ. As a believe of the word of God, I fully accept and have always known that same-sex relationships are not what God intended for us…

With her change, Cothran said that her 13-year old magazine - one of the few for lesbians of color - will take a new, less homo-centric direction…

CONTINUED »

• Lindsay Lohan and Keira Knightley will start in a film with "lesbian undertones." Hey, if Lohan's going to eat something, it might as well be poon. [Pink News UK]

• New ad campaign proves that living in Chelsea make you the coolest douche bag ever. [Copyranter]

• An ex-gay civil war? Sweet! [Los Angeles Times]

• Madonna always gets what she wants. Even if that means kidnapping African babies. [AP]

• CBGB closes shop. For real this time. [The New York Times]

• Boy George says he often pays for sex. Well, duh! No one wants to sleep with him for free. (Also, calls Madonna "vile".) [The Himalayan Times]

• Gay college guide ranks the nation's schools. The system: the gay-point average. Oh, how clever… [Chicago Tribune]

A reader sent us this video featuring Alan Chambers, President of the world's premiere ex-gay organization, Exodus International. In it, Chambers claims that most gay people don't care about discrimination laws and that America may be "the most tolerant society in the history of the world."

It's a bit heavy-handed, but definitely worth a view - especially in these mid-morning hours when we all need to to get the blood pumping.

If there's one phrase that burns our ears more than any other it's "I hate being gay." How can someone hate being gay? Being gay's great! Of course, for many gay folk, being gay's not so great. For a first person account of self-hatred, check out this article by a young man named Kyle Rice (pictured) over at The Advocate.

A Pentecostal Christian Republican, Rice recently enlisted in the ex-gay movement to find a so-called cure for his homo ways. In it, Rice writes:

I looked into "ex-gay" ministries and joined such a program offered by a local church. It has taught me that with God’s help I can change my desires. A friend of mine went through another church’s program, and he's changed. He’s now happy and in love with his girlfriend. I pray the same will happen to me someday.

While we give the ex-gays a lot of shit, such talk really does break out little gay hearts. While we're not the most religious people, we do wish that religious people could find the courage to discover new readings of the Bible (yes, there's more than one) and learn to reconcile their conflicting emotions.

If you're down to see things from another person's point of view, follow the link and give the article a read.

CORRECTION: Much to our chagrin and visual confusion, the original picture posted was not the same Kyle Rice as the one pictured above. We must admit, they do look pretty similiar. Regardless, apologies to all. Kyle Rice the photographer is no ex-gay. We're not even sure if he is gay, but he's still a talented photographer.

You may have heard about the gay/ex-gay protest that happened this weekend. No? Well, here's the deal: a gaggle of ex-gays gathered in Palm Springs for the "Love Won Out" conference. The event, sponsored in part by those lovely bigots at Focus on The Family, allowed ex-gays the chance to condemn their former gay brothers and, in the most diplomatic ways, we're sure, offer their help in exorcising all shades of faggotry from the world. Among the illustrious speakers was Nancy Heche, good ol' ex-gay Anne's mother, who has previously called the AIDS related death of her closeted hubbie "the worst thing in the world."

Meanwhile, proud gays (organized by EX-Gay Watch and Unity Rally, respectively) gathered with signs sporting such ra-ra messages as "Don't psychologically torture your children!" Now that's a cheer if we've ever heard one.

An ex-gay woman came out early in the day and greeted them graciously, a trait apparently found often in their kind.

Obviously, this is something people are really passionate about: we got an email from ex-gay watchman, Daniel Gonzales this morning saying, "If you plan on writing about the Love Won Out in Palm Springs I led a group of people from Ex-Gay Watch and wrote a first hand of the account here." which at 8 o'clock in the morning can sound a bit abrasive. (A please wouldn't hurt next time, young man.)

Still, we appreciate his enthusiasm, so here's the link.

One thing worth mentioning is the split between Ex-Gay Watch and the Unity Rally protesters.

Because nothing helps a united front like splitting into smaller groups…

It may surprise you to know, but we don't really talk that much during the day. Sure, we answer the occassional phone call, or maybe strike up a short chat with the cutie barista down the way, but other than that not too many words cross our luscious lips. But when we read this article on a planned memoir by Nancy Heche (mama to once-lesbianic Anne) that employs and encourages many ex-gay tenants, we literally - and ironically - uttered, "Oh Lord."

What brought on such a surprising linguistic expression? This:

[Nancy's] husband Don Heche died of an AIDS related illness in 1983. "Don's death took us to the depths of despair. It was the savage, sickening end of our beautiful, perfect Christian family. What could be worse?" she writes.

Yeah, what could be worse? Certainly not genocide. Definitely not famine. This bigot's homo-husband dying of AIDS? The single worst thing that has happened in all of human history. Ever.

When gay marriage turns ugly: fight breaks out at lesbian reception. [365 Gay]

Hot Morehouse: Alleged Discriminatory Firing at School. [Southern Voice]

"Cancelled" Conference Never Planned: Ghanaian Activists. [Pink News UK]

"Ex-Gay" Television: Now they can get into your house. Sick. [The Advocate]

GOP Cat Fight: Trouble for Reppies in Colorado. [365 Gay]

No Gay Cover-Up: Latvia Rejects Ban on "Gay Propaganda." [The Advocate]