While at Sundance this week, Queerty talked with Bishop Gene Robinson, the openly gay clergyman profiled in the new documentary Love Free Or Die. The Episcopalian minister tells us he’ll be performing the marriage ceremony for Cynthia Nixon and her partner, Christine Marinoni, this May.
“I’ve been invited by Cynthia and her partner to officiate at their ceremony over Memorial Day weekend,” said Robinson. “It’s going to be my great pleasure to be there and to be a part of that celebration.”
Nixon’s controversial remarks about choosing to be gay have put her in the spotlight, so we asked Robinson for his take. “Well, I’ve never used that argument or said ‘We didn’t choose to be this way,'” he said diplomatically. “Because, let’s say if they find out there is no genetics involved? Why should it matter, really, whether we choose it or not?”
Still, Robinson is not all that comfortable with Nixon’s very public stance: “I think we go down a terrible road when we pin all of our arguments on the choice issue,” he explained. “One of the freedoms God gives us is the freedom to love whom we will, and then to love that person with all that we have. I think choice has very little to do with it.”
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Before he came out, Robinson himself was married to a woman for 13 years—but admits he was actively denying a part of his personality. “I determined I couldn’t suppress who I really was for very much longer,” he told us. “And I wouldn’t call myself bisexual, because I know that if something happened to my partner—and now husband—of 24 years, I wouldn’t be just open to both genders the way bisexual people are.”
Stay tuned our full interview with Robinson, in which he calls intolerant denominations “increasingly irrelevant” and discusses his ongoing battle with the American Episcopalian Church.
Photos via Nick Step, Julissa Llosa
Gigi
This is one amazing man.
Mike in Asheville
Good job Evan — this is, perhaps, the best article posted by old and new Queerty — uplifting and well written. Thanks, and I look forward to the full interview.
One request, please, when you post the full Robinson interview, please please please use spell check and have someone proof for grammar. Robinson’s story is too important to be lessened by the distraction of grammar/spelling issues.
Katt
Oh she’s marrying a woman… isn’t that gay? Hmmmmmm.
csw
why is everyone getting their boxer briefs and panties in a bunch? she said “i know for many its not a choice”. who cares if she feels like she made a choice. it is literally not hurting any of you.
TomMc
Great news. I’d like to wish Ms. Nixon all the happiness she deserves.
Cam
@csw: said…
“why is everyone getting their boxer briefs and panties in a bunch? she said “i know for many its not a choice”. who cares if she feels like she made a choice. it is literally not hurting any of you.”
____________________
Because she also said that saying it isn’t a choice was B.S. and that it was a choice for her.
My problem with that is, there are two things she could mean.
1. She had a choice between men and women because she likes both, and it was her choice to begin dating a woman. In which case she isn’t a lesbian as she claims, she is a bisexual involved in a same sex relationship and her only choice was to act on her urges for a female partner this time rather than a male.
2. Or, if by a choice she means that she was fully heterosexual and one day decided “Hey, I think I’m going to wish to be gay. And then she magically became gay….then she is a liar.
MikeE
@Cam: thank-you Cam.
the whole “she can define her sexuality however she wants” thing is really irking me.
I keep trying to say exactly what you just did, and it seems no one understands the difference.
JayKay
By the way, if Neil Patrick Harris had said “gay is better,” the people defending Cynthia Nixon would be screaming “OMGWTFSEXISM.”
Mike in Asheville
@Cam: Thanks Cam!
My mantra has always been in the live-and-let-live crowd, each and every one of us is unique and each is equally entitled to pursue our own happiness.
When Nixon’s comments were published, my thought was, fine, that is you, not me. And sure, my sexual orientation experience is that I did not choose to be gay, I just am. But, who am I, or anyone, to question how Nixon views herself?
Cam, your comment is the best I’ve seen about this. Different scale, but reminds me of one of Albert Einstein remarks, “What really interests me is whether God had any choice in the creation of the universe.”
Here, the question is whether Nixon had a choice of being gay or straight. And, as you [Cam] show, the choice wasn’t gay or straight, by her own words, she is Bi and choosing a gay social-relationship life.
trevor bartlet
The ceremony will not be valid if that narcissistic joke Robinson officiates.
TomMc
@trevor bartlet: Who better to officiate at a Borderline’s wedding?
christopher di spirito
Love him.
Detest her.
Cinesnatch
The hate on Nixon is pathetic.
Franco
I think she’s great, and any criticism directed at her is unwarranted.
http://www.thestar.com/living/fashion/article/1122316–cynthia-nixon-says-she-decided-to-be-in-a-lesbian-relationship
jj
@trevor bartlet: On what basis do you make the assertion that Robinson is a narcissist or a joke? You can’t just criticize a man without making your case–that’s just childish name calling. Let’s have it, what’s your beef with the good Bishop, please enlighten us?
R.A.
I certainly don’t hate Cynthia Nixon – but I am weary of our Alphabet Soup Movement having taken us through the looking glass.
“‘When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'”
Mike in Asheville
@trevor bartlet: Take JJ’s challenge @No. 15.
Except for those religious right fanatics with heads filled with santorum instead of brains, I have not seen any genuine criticism of Robinson; so, put up or shut up.
TomMc
Now that we have a very public “it’s a choice” advocate, we need a famous gay person to speak out against gay marriage. If only I were famous…
What I can do however is choose to support, as an openly gay man, the folks who are opposed to gay marriage.
Ya see, “I’ve been for gay marriage and I’ve been against gay marriage. Being against gay marriage is better”.
(I will not be returning to this thread to view any follow up comments.)
Jim
@TomMc: Hit and run…
Cam
@TomMc:
Blah Blah Blah blah,
An intellectually bankrupt argument. The issue isn’t whether or not YOU want to get married. The issue is whether or not the govt. should have a written law preventing people who want to exercise their rights from doing so
Some women don’t feel the need to vote, should they go out and advocate for women to NOT have the right to vote? That would be ridiculous, but that is EXACTLY what you said. No wonder you claim you won’t come back to look at follow up comments. People who don’t have a leg to stand on rarely want to see that pointed out to them, they would rather live in their little delusional world.
Interesting
@Cam: This is the conversation I had last night with a friend. That the problem is what she’s calling choice. Does she mean that she choose her sexual orientation? Because that would be false. If however, she means that she choose between her attractions, that would be true. Is she saying that it purely a matter of what one thinks? That would be false? If on the other hand, she’s saying there is something biological, but over time the choices one makes and the biology itself is complicated, then that may be true. The problem here is that she is unclear about what she means that its a confused mess by using the word choice. “Choice” here implies something simple or easy to understand- like choosing red over green.
TMA
She’ll probably leave her and tell her that she’s straight. She wouldn’t be the first “lesbian” to say that: Anne Heche, Julie Cypher, Sheryl Swoops, etc.
Interesting
While I think her statements are confused, I think that people are lashing out against her in inappropriate ways here. The people wanting her relationship to end badly- I am sorry, I don’t buy you are saying this to advance gay rights, or anyone’s rights. Its possible to think she’s wrong, and still wish her and her partner the best in their marriage.
R.A.
Yes. Let’s hope she doesn’t choose to suffer Lesbian Bed Death.
Lefty
@Cam: “Blah Blah Blah blah,
An intellectually bankrupt argument.”
BZZT!
Lefty
I cannot believe she allowed her mouth to say these words.
How can she believe such nonsense???
Apparently, the d00d “marrying” them believes in a big old sky pixie what created the Universe and everything, too.
WEIRDOS!
Vince
It’s a wedding, not a “gay wedding”. Understand? Good.