Andrew Caldwell took the internet by storm last November when video of him testifying that he had been delivered from homosexuality before the Church of God in Christ emerged online.
“I’m not gay no more!” Caldwell hollered over a gospel choir. “I am delivered! I DON’T LIKE MENS NO MORE!”
After the video went viral, Caldwell followed it up by releasing a gospel remix of his testimony called “I’m Not Gay No More.” It didn’t take long, however, for the single to be yanked from iTunes after the Church of God in Christ threatened the 21-year-old with a lawsuit, accusing him of making a mockery of the service and saying they owned the audio, to which Caldwell responded by saying that it was his voice and only he–not the church, not even God–could claim ownership of it.
And that was the last we heard from Mr. Caldwell. Until now.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Earlier this week, the author of nearly a dozen self-published e-books and once aspiring fashion designer uploaded an image of himself with a bloody nose to his Facebook page.
According to Caldwell, he was walking to his car in a strip mall parking lot in Montana when two unidentified men approached and punched him in the face. Afterwards, they fled the scene in a black automobile shouting “I’m not gay no more!”
“Ever since I talked about my deliverance from the sin of homosexuality, I have been receiving threatening messages by email and social media,” Caldwell said after the attack. “I fear for my life. I have been physically and verbally attacked. I feel that I will have to do whatever it takes to protect myself.”
Love Caldwell or hate him (we love him), nobody deserves to be physically attacked like that.
The state of Montana’s hate crimes statute does not cover violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Here’s wishing him a speedy recovery.
h/t: Atlanta World Daily
Related stories:
“I Don’t Like Mens No More,” Vine Goes Viral For Too Many Reasons To Count
Andrew “I’m Not Gay No More” Caldwell’s Inevitable Album Drops, Church Threatens Lawsuit
IvanPH
The only things he is a victim of are his own lies, denial and self-loathing.
Ladbrook
I’m betting there’s more to this story… and that Caldwell isn’t telling us everything. Just a hunch.
Bear Aspirin
Ain’t nobody got time for that.
musctop
Maybe he got hit by one of his wimmin wimmin wimmin wimmin buhbuhbuhbuh.
bjohnmasters
While I agree that no one should even be threatened, let alone beaten, we know the guy is a big self-promoter. So, as much as I’m sorry to feel this way, I have to agree with Ladbrook. In the end, there may be more to the story.
I realize the photo is fuzzy, and cell phone cameras, likely what he was using, don’t always get the most accurate photos, but the color and consistency of the blood just seems a little off. Also, really, without the big fancy bow tie and sport coat, who would recognize him? So how did these guys know to hit him, and then mock him with his line.
I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now, wish him the best, and hope the cops catch whoever did this. But I also won’t be surprised if the story finally plays out a little different.
bjohnmasters
Sort of also just occurs to me that most people’s first reaction, once they get a cloth is to wipe their nose, and then kind of hold it to stop the bleeding. Not his first reaction.
Old and seen it before
I’ve seen more convincing Halloween blood. Nice try.
Kieran
One fat lip would have been bad enough. He got two of them.
Awaiting his new single: “I don’t like Montanas no more”
Milk
My dear , there’s one man you cannot afford not to like. That’s you. When you deny your own existence, you are no body and forever spiralling in the vortex of your self hatred. No god is going to get you out of that. Take some responsibility and stop running away from your own shadow.
Captain Obvious
So when a black guy you’re not attracted to is an attention whore it’s time to bash him nonstop and even get a little ra cist.
When random white blonde boys do the exact same it’s time to fall all over yourselves helping to prop them up into stardom. Hypocrisy at it’s best.
Take the same irritation you feel for this guy and apply it to EVERYONE who does this. It’s not just him, we were barraged by whiny blondes a few weeks ago, with similar attention whoring… yet the comments were very different.
DarkZephyr
I find it difficult to feel sorry for him.
@Captain Obvious: Can I get a link to the article that you are talking about, because I don’t remember hearing or reading about a blond ex gay getting socked.
thatguy1906
I find you people attacking this man and his truth appalling, offensive and hypocritical. you cowards talk about how you are brutalized and harassed on this site all the time, but you people and i use the term loosely refuse to have empathy for this man. you are sick and pathetic. i hope he gets better and would never wish or condone violence on another. but you cowards of course do. sick! now catch that t hunties!
thatguy1906
@Captain Obvious: Preach!!!!
thatguy1906
@IvanPH: you are pathetic!
thatguy1906
@musctop: maybe you got the Aid… Aid… Aids!!!!
pengwinofdoom
Wait, you guys “love him”? You love a guy who goes around talking about his “deliverance from the sin of homosexuality”? Why?
AtticusBennett
the irony – there’s no way the men who attacked him were gay. they were anti-gay.
funny, isn’t it? to get violently physically assaulted by the people on the very same anti-gay culture as you?
sfbeast
When a silly queen says ‘I don’t like mens no more’ I don’t think there is much more that needs to be said.
jwtraveler
I read this and felt nothing but sadness for this man. He was a victim of an anti-gay church in a homophobic society and now the victim of a, presumably, anti-gay attack. He seems like someone who is in a lot of emotional pain and is in need of help and support.
He’s not doing anything to hurt anyone else. I don’t understand all the vicious attacks here by people who should know better.
WHERE IS YOUR COMPASSION?!
Xzamilio
So when is more information going to come out? Or does it even matter, as minds are already made up and conclusions have already been jumped to? I look at this dude the same way I look at Aaron Schock: he’s an insult and a self-loathing gay man, but I wouldn’t want them assaulted or harmed in any way… that should be the freaking line. Some of these comments, man… wow.
Xzamilio
@Captain Obvious: Exactly. The situations may have been different but the attention whore-ness is still the same, and how the peanut gallery reacts depends on how the individual looks.
AtticusBennett
@jwtraveler: false – yes, he’s hurting. and he’s been hurt by family, church and now two violent homophobic bigots. but he HAS harmed others. he has contributed to the LIE that “you can become straight” through Jeebus. That is indeed a harm – take it from someone who has actually done years of LGBT Outreach – the lie this man has told about himself, and helped spread, is what drives families apart and other young LGBT people to SUICIDE.
i’m sorry he was violently beaten by the very people who would vote alongside him in anti-gay legislations. but the reality is this – he’s got blood on his own hands, and it ain’t all his.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Stunt queen, props department, camera, audience
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID: Special effects, not props
Bob LaBlah
He is only twenty-one. I am just as sick of him and every one else but I have no problem in ignoring him. He is his own worst enemy. This is what happens to a lot of gay men who grew up with sex partners but no real friends. They get/got lonely and did whatever it took to get attention drawn to themselves.
Arcamenel
The anti-blackness is strong in this comment section. Had he been a conventionally attractive white guy you’d all be calling for the attackers’ heads on a pike.
NoCagada
@DarkZephyr: It’s not true…he just pulls crap out of his pie hole
LandStander
@DarkZephyr: You do not remember it because it did not happen. Captain Obvious is just race baiting (again).
oilburner
@Captain Obvious: I may be in the minority ( no pun intended) but I think you may just be right.
jwtraveler
@AtticusBennett: If you saw the original video, it was so pathetic and ridiculous that I can’t imagine anyone taking it seriously. If his victimization is hurting other people, I can hardly blame him for it. He needs, help, love and guidance, not attacks on his character and naivete. Again I ask everyone:
WHERE IS YOUR COMPASSION?
sectbrawn
I know if I got whammied in the face my first reaction would be to take a selfie and upload it on my Facebook page :::::rolls eyes:::::
Realitycheck
@IvanPH:
IvanPH IvanPH wrote:
<<The only things he is a victim of are his own lies, denial and self-loathing.
And over eating, don't forget over eating…….
JPinNC
Yup… first thing I would do is post my photo to Facebook.
YouGoGurl
Frankly, I don’t care one iota about this punk. If this happened at all, and I am extremely doubtful and don’t believe a word from this man’s mouth, he still manages to peg it on the gays. Every good Christian knows – we all reap what we sow.
AtticusBennett
@jwtraveler: my compassion extends to those who struggle. but once they choose to harm others with the lies they choose to tell…..that compassion becomes pity. and disdain.
the irony is he was attacked by the very same type of people he is choosing to be – an anti-gay one.
I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!
@DarkZephyr: From your mouth to God’s ears! And don’t you ever ask why nobody likes your two-faced ass either! I would be willing to bet that someone who looked and acted just like you did this to him!
I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!
I love when Gay People show how two-faced they are about tolerance when the victim is Black!
Way to go Queerty for taking the right stand against violence, and intolerance! Here’s wishing him a speedy recovery as well!
I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!
@LandStander: I bet you and Dark Zephyr are the same person!
jwtraveler
@AtticusBennett: I don’t notice any harm to anyone except himself; nor do I see any lies. Believing the lies that are told to you does not make you a liar. And we don’t know who attacked him. How about a little less judgment and a little more sympathy and understanding? This unfortunate, misguided man is not the enemy.
LandStander
@I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!: Because I said that there was no article about a white ex-gay person getting socked in the face on queerty where a bunch of readers “propped them up to stardom”…? Um….Ok…? I think you are reading far more into my comment than is actually there my friend 🙂 so stop being a douche!
Giancarlo85
I’m very split on this. I don’t really know how to respond. Should I have pity for him or should I not? On one hand, I think he’s in a terrible situation because of his surroundings. He’s in a church that really hates him. JWTraveler said it well enough… I think the guy is believing lies being told to him.
I think people should show a bit more compassion even though it is difficult. He’s in a terrible spot. As far as this physical attack, if it was real he should have gone to the authorities. I’m not doubting he was attacked… I’m just saying I don’t know what happened.
DarkZephyr
@Giancarlo85: ex-gays and fake heterosexuals have done a LOT of harm to other gay people. I can’t help but find it difficult to feel sorry for him. He pisses me off to no end, but I don’t think he is ugly so I don’t know why people are claiming that most of these reactions are related to his attractiveness level. Ironically most of the people who seem to be saying that he is ugly are the ones who are supposedly defending him. I don’t see many of the ones who dislike him for spreading the ex gay lie (and it IS a lie) saying that they hate him because he is ugly. As for the theory that being blond and “attractive” gets you more easily forgiven around here, I happen to recall most of us having zero sympathy for guys like “I’m not gay” Nick Gruber. Everyone hates him, regardless of his blondness. What’s more, I never saw ANYONE here say under this article “He is not blond so I hate him!” Most people’s disdain for him here seems to be very much related to his spreading of the ex-gay lie, period. I don’t get where the need comes from to invent focuses of conflict. Especially to the point tophobe spreading a dangerous philosphy, regardless of how pitiful and pathetic he seemed in the original video. But that’s just me, I guess.
@Xzamilio: Respectfully, I don’t WANT him harmed, but I don’t approve of the harm he inflicts on others with his vile lie either. So as someone who is only human, I find it very hard to muster up much sympathy and I am being honest about that. I also must respectfully disagree with the assertion that this is related to how he looks. At least from my perspective.
DarkZephyr
@DarkZephyr: And that would be ” Especially to the point of defending someone who is spreading a dangerous philosophy, regardless of how pitiful and pathetic he seemed in the original video.”
Giancarlo85
@DarkZephyr: I just don’t know what to say. I don’t think anyone should be attacked. But yes, it is true this guy is causing a lot of damage to other gay people based PURELY on his RHETORIC. I’m going to vehemently criticize his ex-gay rhetoric, but those ideas were implanted into his head.
Blackceo
@Captain Obvious:
YASSSS!!!! Check these hypocrites!!!!!!
damon459
Who wrote this article? I live in Montana we don’t have strip malls, not even in Billings our most populated city!
Tackle
The idea that this guy is dangerous, causing harm, and a threat to the LGBTQ community is ridiculous. Collectively, with all their billions, We stood up, and prevailed against the Catholic Church ,Mormon Church, Southern Baptist of many stripes, the Church Of Scientology, and the like. And today, we have more LGBTQ rights than ever before. And many are acting like this one lonely soul is going to have an impact on our lives… Damn people!!
He is not going to affect my job, income, housing, health & relationship status. And I don’t think it affects any of the posters here either.And besides, as long as there is religion, we will always have people speaking out against us, and people flip flopping with their sexuality. And besides, he’s only 21. Yes some do know who they are at this age. And some sooner. But apparently,he’s not one. He may be confused, and brainwashed: ( by religion) but I wouldn’t call him dangerous to the LGBTQ community at large.
Giancarlo85
@Tackle: He might not affect you, but he could hurt other young people struggling to come to terms with who they are. Sexuality isn’t a light switch. And it isn’t something that can be changed.
Tackle
@Giancarlo85: The likely hood of him affecting youngsters coming to terms with their sexuality, is highly unlikely. With so many young people being on social media, and it’s impact on everyone, there is enough LGBTQ youth/ people who are comfortable with their coming out and sexuality, to counter and diminish any affect he may have. And honestly,he’s like a living cartoon. Displaying himself as a joke. He’s not serious enough for people to take serious. I believe some people use, ( he’s a threat) to justify their dislike of him,and to not feel bad of his bashing.
DarkZephyr
@Tackle: “The idea that this guy is dangerous, causing harm, and a threat to the LGBTQ community is ridiculous.”
No its not. If it is then its ridiculous to say any individual Catholic or Mormon or Republican who is homophobic is dangerous.
“The likely hood of him affecting youngsters coming to terms with their sexuality, is highly unlikely.”
Just as unlikely as any individual Catholic, Individual Republican homophobe or individual Mormon doing the same thing.
But like Mormons, Catholics and Republicans, he is part of a greater, more deadly movement and he doesn’t get a free pass. Sorry.
DarkZephyr
@Tackle: “I believe some people use, ( he’s a threat) to justify their dislike of him,and to not feel bad of his bashing.”
I don’t “use it”, its absolutely *the cause* of my lack of sympathy. And the fact that you seem to think this lack of sympathy for a homophobic ex-gay a**hole is some sort of wretched evil is ridiculous. His “cartoonishness” doesn’t get him a free pass either.
Tackle
I’m going to take one of your quotes and say,”you had to be that guy.” @DarkZephyr: You should be ashamed of yourself. What you and other posters are doing is nothing more than bullying. By the very fact that you labeled him an ex-gay has shown you to have your mind made up, and set in stone. All this vitriol/hate/dislike/negative energy directed towards a 21 yr- old. Who I see as not so much an ex gay, but because of his religious upbringing, is brainwashed, confused and in denial of who he really is. I have sympathy for him, because I was once there. Those chains are not easy to unshackle. Do you really expect every 21 yr-old to have it together? Yes I know that some 15 yr-olds do. But everyone is different, depending on circumstances. No he’s NOT a danger or threat. But you and several posters here, with your lack of understanding, compassion and sympathy are a threat to our struggling LGBTQ youth who have still not come to terms with their sexuality. We talk about tolerance, well some of us should definitely show more.
DarkZephyr
@Tackle: Dude, you are in your own little world. That is not an innocent, sweet little boy, he is a grown ass man who has made up his own damned mind and he is NO better than any other homophobe. Period. Hate me all you want for feeling that way and daring to be honest about it if it makes you feel better though. The first time I was brutally attacked and almost f*cking killed because I am gay was when I was just a teenager and it was by OTHER teenagers and we were all far far younger than this pathetic douche bag and where did they get this notion that gays are worthless f*ckers worthy of death? From people like this son of a b*tch that you are so hard up to defend. Why not defend the innocent children that his lies help to hurt and sometimes even kill? How about you try doing that?
DarkZephyr
@Tackle: “I have sympathy for him, because I was once there.”
Ah,so you see yourself in him and that is why you are ready to lynch me and want to kiss this douche bag’s backside. Thanks Pal.
Well I see myself in the ones who get hurt by the filth that he spews. When it rains to this day my neck still stings in the spot where a guy just like this plunged a sharpened pencil into my neck as he called me a “faggot” and right in the middle of class. Guess what I learned years later? He is now an out and proud gay man. My neck still stings though.
I am not glad that he got hurt and I certainly don’t advocate that he SHOULD be hurt, but you will be very hard pressed to make me feel very bad that he got a bloody nose. I think its CRAZY that you are so pissed off at me over it.
Tackle
@DarkZephyr: No you’re the one who seems to be in his own little world, associating someone who does not want to be gay with a homophobe. I suggest you look up the word, because they are two different things.
And hate, who’s hating on here? You seem to have more of it in your post than I do in mine. Any rational person reading my post will not see any hate coming from it.
You are the one with a lot of “displaced” anger and resentment.
Here is part of your problem: While I see myself in this young man, you see your attackers in him. Sorry to hear what happened to you. No one deserves that. But he was not there. He did not influence your attackers to do what they did to you. Maybe their parents, friends, church etc: But NOT him. I believe you would do better if you judged people as individuals, on their own actions.
DarkZephyr
@Tackle: Tackle I have come to the realization that you are largely correct. I still disagree with you here:
“No you’re the one who seems to be in his own little world, associating someone who does not want to be gay with a homophobe. I suggest you look up the word, because they are two different things.”
I will always believe that this is homophobia. In fact to me its a very real type of homophobia because he is SO terrified of what being gay will make those around him think about him.
But that being said, everything else you said is right. He does need to be pitied. The people in that Church are brain washing, abusing and torturing him. His life sucks. I wish I could help him get away from those people.
I never hated him but I did have anger and it did stem from things that happened to me in the past. But I no longer feel that anger for him. I just feel very sorry for him and my anger is directed at the sick f**ks around him who are making him hate himself so much. They are the guilty ones. You are right.