We were just wondering whether Marie Osmond’s son Michael Blosil, who took his own life last week after jumping from his Los Angeles high-rise, was one of our own. And now the National Enquirer answers our questions.
Whether you needed Queerty commenter John Gagon’s sleuthing (“he attended school at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; blonde highlights; didn’t fit in; total gaybrow) to conclude Blosil was gay, America’s most trusted newspaper asserts as much on its cover. And as Boy Culture quotes, there’s even a “family insider” tying together the sexuality and religion elements: “I think Michael was distraught because he was conflicted over his sexuality and didn’t believe he could ever come out as a gay man to his religious Mormon family,’ said a family insider. At least one of Michael’s uncles was openly hostile to gay people, said the source.”
If the Enquirer‘s report is true, well, how terribly sad for a young man to feel this way. But even if it’s false, the incident still highlights the plight of gay men in Mormon families, faced with coming out and being shunned, or staying in the closet and facing a tortuous mental state.
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Kim
Well Marie has talked about her lesbian daughter on tv and hasn’t rejected her. The daughter came out to her religious family. 80% of the NE stories are BS. The only stories that they have gotten correct are John Edwards and Tiger years after the affairs started
The Artist
The National Enquirer, Ugh!
Geoff M
They also accurately predicted the demise of the gloved one……just sayin.
Brian NYC
It was either religion or drugs.
terrwill
The Enquirer has actually turned into a fairly accurate source of dirt. No longer the aliens under the bed stories. They were right on regarding Michael Jackson, Tiger Woods, and John Edwards……way before the traditional media had any whif of the story. While teens now all look kinda Gay, Michael certainly looked the part……Marie Osmond can actually make some good come from her son’s death if the story is actually accurate and call out the Moron church and its hate campaign against the Gays……..
SFPol
Hey folks…Marie Osmond is one of the voices inside the Mormon Church pushing them to be more pro-gay, due to her gay daughter. Yes, this guy was probably also gay, but stop thinking that we need to be hostile to Marie bcuz of her religious background.
No way to treat allies!!!
Herbo
That is a shitty age for most people – but to be struggling with drugs, isolation and screwy famous parents — not a good combo.
Cam
No. 1 · Kim
80% of the NE stories are BS.
_____________________
Actually Kim, in these days of liability lawsuits, that isn’t the case. The NE could get shut down and lose their company if they regularly ran untrue stories. The typical line from somebody they write about is “Oh, it’s the National Enquireer we don’t have to dignify that with a response”. It’s an easy out, but if this kid was really striaght the Osmond family could sue for the claim that the Mormon religeon drove their gay son out the window. Both the Osmonds and the LDS church have enough money to drag the paper through the courts.
.
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As for the substance of the story, I have several Momron/Ex Mormon friends who have lost loved ones and friends because they killed themselves after the church basically told them that there was something rotten in them and encouraged their families to distance themselves from them.
JBS
“But even if it’s false, the incident still highlights the plight of gay men in Mormon families, faced with coming out and being shunned, or staying in the closet and facing a tortuous mental state.”
If the Enquirer is wrong, how does this story still highlight the plight of ANYONE other than suicidal people? Way to go, Queerty. As a gay man, I used to hate how the straight community accused the gay community of intentionally injecting a gay byline in every story…Thanks for proving them right.
“Free of an agenda, except that gay one.” used to make me smile as I read every day. Now it’ll remind me of why I don’t come back to this site.
terrwill
If you want to see an excellent movie about the Moron church and the Gays, check out “Latter Days”. It plays pretty often on LOGO. It is actually a real neat Gay love story. One of the guys is a heavily conflicted Moron church member, and the movie portrays the anguish Gays go thru once they are discovered. Both guys are very hot and it has a few great tearjerkin scenes……..
Ex-moron
“Latter Days” is an entertaining movie, but some aspects of its portrayal of the Mormon church are inaccurate.
I came out to my Mormon parents a year and a half ago, and they haven’t brought up the subject since. I think the adage “out of sight, out of mind” holds true for many Mormons: don’t talk about it and it might as well not exist. I’m sorry it came to this for Blosil.
That Bitch Téa Delgado
Wow, but that cover is unbelievably tacky–an arrow pointing out how/where he jumped? And “Death Scene Photo Inside”? I haven’t bought a National Enquirer in years, and I’ll certainly avoid this one.
As for whether Marie’s son was gay: he may have been, he may not have been. As pointed out above, Marie is supportive of her lesbian daughter, and has even stated that she believes in civil rights for gay men and women–I think she’s much more enlightened than her church wants her to be. Of course, I think it may be very different for gay boys than for gay girls in the Mormon church–for example, girls don’t go on missions the way boys do.
jason
How do you know Marie’s son was gay? How do you know he wasn’t bisexual? Of course, whether gay or bi, he would have had to face the same sorts of issues from homophobes who are opposed to even the slightest hint of male-male interaction.
jason
While there’s no doubt that religion can be very homophobic, it’s also true that the gay community sometimes puts undue pressure on young people to declare themselves as gay even when they are not exclusively homosexual in their orientation. It’s this pressure towards polarization that is also very harmful to the psyche of young people who feel confused or questioning.
Young people should be taught that feelings for the same-sex are normal. However, I don’t think this should necessarily parlay into pressure – especially from the gay community – to declare oneself as “gay”.
Disgusted American
..well I don’t know here , or him…just of her..her family/singing grp and tv personality…but when I heard this story..the 1st thing that went thru my mind was…hmmm,wonder if its because he coulda’been gay? How sad – all the way around…but dont get me started,when it comes to religions.
alan brickman
i feel sorry for Marie and her prejudice…
Cam
No. 11 · Ex-moron
“Latter Days” is an entertaining movie, but some aspects of its portrayal of the Mormon church are inaccurate.
I came out to my Mormon parents a year and a half ago, and they haven’t brought up the subject since. I think the adage “out of sight, out of mind” holds true for many Mormons: don’t talk about it and it might as well not exist. I’m sorry it came to this for Blosil.
____________________________________
The portrayal of the Mormon church is not innacurate. Perhaps your family has never mentioned your homosexuality again however have they spoken to the members of the church? The LDS church is not a friendly environment in which to be gay, members are told often that the child they thought they knew no longer exists and that the person there now is filled with evil. I know of several Mormons who either killed themselves went through years of self hate etc… because of what they went through and are still going through with their families directly because of what their families are told in LDS meetings.
El Brucio
Having grown up in a conservative Christian household, I know I certainly spent a lot of my teenage years trying to decide whether suicide was a bigger sin than homosexuality.
Whether he was gay or not, he and his family has my sympathy. I can’t imagine any parents preferring their child dead, no matter what that child thinks he or she may have done to deserve it.
Josh AZ
I don’t think anyone has been attacking Marie. The blame is directed directly at the Mormons. When Michael was very impressionable and trusting, the Mormons washed his brain with the idea that “homosexuality is wrong.” It’s hard to shed that forced indoctrination.
If Marie is trying to create change in the Mormon Church, good. But, she allowed the brain-washing to take place. She allowed her son to be “made wrong.” She is not completely without blame.
SmartVac
>>It’s this pressure towards polarization that is also very harmful to the psyche of young people who feel confused or questioning.
The only reason it could be harmful is because his RELIGION opposes anything gay, part or all, building his interior anguish. There are BIs who will call themselves gay. There are gays who call themselves BI. Gay or BI, BI or gay, it shouldn’t matter.
Oh Boy
@alan brickman: She is not. She has come out in support of her lesbian daughter.
SmartVac
And I wanted to say too: standing up for who you are is how people come to respect you, how you live the life you want to live (without being PRESSURED to date people you don’t really want to date) and how earn those civil rights that sadly MUST be earned by being visible.
Paul
Such a tragic death and so sad for Marie and her family and the boy’s friends.
Does the Mormon Church have blood on its hands here? Quite possibly in this case and most definitely in many other GLBTQ/Mormon related suicides as evidenced in the tales shared by posters above.
My hope is that this tragic incident will enable Marie to shine the spotlight on Mormon homophobia and its sometimes even fatal effects on their own as well as on others. Mormons who remain homophobic should be more than ashamed. Having said that, there is plenty of blame to go around and most religions are not any better.
pazmateo
For once a Mormon person ISN’T prejudice, and you report them as such.(See previous TRUE comments about her support of her lesbian daughter and the LGBT community)
trickstertara
“At least one of his uncles was openly hostile to gay people.”
How much do you want to bet it’s Donnie?
Leave Marie alone. She’s an ally and a *grieving mother*.
Chrystal
Donny has been very supportive of Marie’s embracing of her daughter. He also was very involved with Michael, trying to mentor him and fill in for his estranged Dad. Donny would never have been hostile, given his close relationship to Michael.
And anyway… out of 8 uncles, one is hostile? How is this percentage worse than about every religious family in the US?
Marie clearly embraced her son, no matter who or what he was. She visited him at his school, bragged to ET about the fact that he helped design and sew some of her costumes. His best friend just said Michael was “very close with his Mom.” He may have felt conflicted, but he could not have felt rejected by his family.
And, frankly, I find this discussion inappropriate. If he’d wanted to discuss this, he probably would have done so himself.
Old Man Richard
Mormon or not. Homosexuality is just plain wrong!
We as family truly are sorry for the loss of a precious son. But “Mormonism” is not to blame! The human “Animal” is the only species that I know of that has sexual relations with the same gender, that in its self ought to be a hint. We as humans were put on this earth to procreate, that cannot happen in a homosexual relationship. Being gay is more often a choice than “Being born wrong”.
terrwill
@Old Man Richard: Old Man: its time for you to fcuk off and die
ChrisM
I love the phrase “we were put on Earth to procreate.” So our reason to be here is so that we can continue to be here? Come on religious nuts, can’t you come up with something more meaningful than that?
And, yes, sexuality is an evolutionary force that tricks heterosexuals into reproducing. But if you believe this, you’re already believing in the biological basis of sexuality. I don’t see why it’s so hard for people like Old Man Richard to believe that two members of the same sex can be naturally attracted to each other. It would be pretty incredible if nature produced something so uniform as a world full of straights.
Also, if Osmond’s son did commit suicide because he was gay, then Mormonism is almost completely to blame. Chrystal, you say that if Osmond’s son wanted to discuss this, he probably would have done so himself. I think that that attitude is a lot more disturbing than some of the things others have been saying here. A lot of people who attempt to kill themselves don’t want to talk about it, don’t try, and thus can’t be helped like they should be. This discussion about how he was treated is completely appropriate, but unfortunately it’s happening too late and without his presence.
Mariele
Old Man Richard – actually same gender bonded relationships are very common in all species of “Animals”.
Cam
No. 27 · Old Man Richard said…
Mormon or not. Homosexuality is just plain wrong!
We as family truly are sorry for the loss of a precious son. But “Mormonism” is not to blame! The human “Animal” is the only species that I know of that has sexual relations with the same gender, that in its self ought to be a hint.
________________________-
Wow, you’re a decade or so behind in your anti gay comments Richie. Actually Religeons USED to say that because only humans engaged in same sex activity that it was wrong. Then when irrefutable proof came from numerous sources that most animal species had incidences of same sex behavior, even so far as some species like Swans pairing up for life….the churches changed their tune and started saying homosexuality was wrong BECAUSE animals engaged in it. If you’re going to be a religeous bigot please make sure your bigotry is current.
….
Now, as for the Mormon church. Gee, a church that wouldn’t even let blacks be full members until around 1980 and then only because of extream public pressure? Wow, who could EVER accuse such an organization of bigotry?
Seb
The Mormon church and Marie Osmond have blood on their hands. Shame on them.
Arthur
There’s been speculation that he was gay, but his family wouldn’t have rejected him for it. His sister is lesbian, his mom is pro gay, etc. Not all Mormons/Catholics/Baptists,etc. are phobes despite the asshattery of their religious institutions.
@Old Man, being gay is being born different, not being born wrong. Get a clue. It’s no more morally significant in and of itself than having green eyes or type AB blood.
Ex-moron
@Cam:
I said, “Some aspects of its portrayal…,” not, “All aspects of its portrayal….”
Homosexuals are marginalized in the Mormon church by its leaders seeming-inability even to use the term itself: homosexuality is always referred to as “same-gender attraction” or in more generic terms such as “affliction.” I agree with you: the Mormon church is not a friendly environment in which to be gay, which is one reason I left it despite coming from a large, historically-Mormon family. Your other statements regarding what members are told is inaccurate. Church leaders are quick to point out they don’t have anything against gays, just those of us who do gay things (like, have sex with men). For the record, I think this position is stupid, but that’s what it officially is. Individual members may have different views, and they may swing in either direction. For instance, my oldest sister (still a practicing Mormon) is the only one of my family members who has met my boyfriend, because she wanted to and asked. For most members, though, and definitely for church leadership (who exercise such tight control over the membership that their views nearly always trickle down to the last branch), this policy of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” is the norm.
Stenar
@No12
Mormon “girls” do go on missions like the boys. There are fewer of them, about 20% of missionaries are young women.
alan
Michael Blosil was not the one with highlights and “gaybrows” in that old, widely circulated picture – that was her eldest. Mchael was the little one in the brown vest.
It’s quite a leap to blame Mormon homophobia for the suicide of a straight-identified teen. Commenters here desperately want a gay mormon tragedy to rally around but he was most likely not one of ours. When I die, I certainly don’t want to be mislabeled as straight. It’s just as inappropriate to label this dead boy as gay.
‘Guilt by association’ is a fallacy and we know that Marie Osmond is supportive of her lesbian daughter and gay marriage. We do not know her church attendance record or financial donations to the LDS. Holding this pro-gay mormon responsible for her straight son’s ‘gay suicide’ is obscene.
ewe
@alan: Even if what you say is true, it is only more evidence that mormon beliefs fuck everyone up in the head. Whats you point. I sense no defense in what you say.
Matty
Michael had a lot of different things going on in his life at age 18. Adoption stuff. Estrangement stuff. First time away from big family and out alone in the world at a school. It can be overwhelming for any teen to go off to college. Many depressed people hide their feelings well. You can have lots of “friends” but still feel very alone or like you’re living a lie. He was quiet. He was funny. Was he gay? Did he have Asperger’s Syndrome or Bipolar Disorder? We can speculate but it does not bring this exceptional young man back.
God knows his struggles and hopefully God has now taken away all his pain. God bless Michael and his family.
tom
I agree with you-Not to put the blame on Marie and her family for this but their continued support of the LDS church through monies or whatever else, even though she is supportive of her gay daughter, is directly supporting what the LDS church preaches and stands with regards to homosexuality. It is sad and hypocritical to be supportive yet still support an organized religion that brain washes individuals to a point where they either live in mental anguish all their life and remain in good standing with the LDS or come out and be rejected and scorned for something they had no choice in.
If he was gay, which is probably the case(this is why he had an alcohol problem and lived where he did-he could be accepted and away from any influence of lds) then marie and her family should re-examine their influence on the LDS church-either exit it completely or withdrawal financial and other support.
Watch how fast the LDS changes their tune if this were to happen.
Suicide because of a ****ed up religion as the LDS church is-WOW!! I wouldn’t want any part of that or of anything that caused persons to kill themselves to avoid fear and loathing
Steve
It’s amazing how people entertain themselves by spouting nonsense when they know absolutely nothing about a tragic situation. Even the former Mormons understand precious little about their former religion. I assume that’s why they are no longer there. Everybdy should really think about whether sharing their opinions, suppositions, and perspectives are really helpful or whether there are other views that are equally valid.
And finally, show some respect for decent, honorable people like the Osmond Family!
kidlette
@Cam: This judgement on your part about being told their children just don’t exist etc… These types of judgmental statements about the LDS church are simply false. My cousin whom I love dearly is lesbian. Another one of my cousins whom I love dearly was on drugs, stole from people, etc… Another family member has a tendency to lie and yet another has a temper problem. All sin keeps us from the blessings and joy Heavenly Father desires for us. We all have temptations and crosses to bear, homosexuality is not some sort of contagious disease, it is a choice. It is also a sin. If I choose to sin I distance myself from blessings. Its that simple.
Another simple metaphor if I may;
If I were a construction worker I would wear a hardhat and gloves and safety goggles because those things are part of staying safe on a construction site. If I chose not to wear my gloves while I was welding and I got burnt that would not be the bosses fault, it would be mine. If I want to be safe and happy as a construction worker I must follow certain safety protocols.
Same thing as a Christian. If I want to have a relationship with Christ and return to Heavenly Father when my probationary period is over, I must follow protocols such as reading my scriptures, attending sacrament meeting and avoiding immorality and illegal activities. I happen to have the temptation of same sex attraction but I chose to live by a higher law than the laws of this world, I want to return to Heavenly Father.
Yes folks, it really is this simple.
kidlette
@tom:
Let’s face it, no one person, entity, church or corporation can make us do anything. That is a victim mentality and it is the only real tool Satan has to use against us. If he can convince us that we are victims and get us to feel sorry for ourselves or to feel victimized and blame or mistreat others he’s got us.
I would be much more willing to accept someone of any faith, nationality or sexuality into my life or the lives of my loved ones if they were not of the victim mindset. Whatever you are, whatever you’ve chosen to be or whatever you’ve chosen to do, it’s on you! We can’t blame our choices on others past the third grade. It’s ridiculous to say ‘so n so’ killed himself because of the LDS church. When in reality, so n so made that decision for himself out of desperation or fear or sorrow etc… for whatever reason, and sadly, this person chose a permanent solution to a temporary problem and ended his own life. It’s human nature to want to put the blame somewhere so if you must blame someone blame the one who committed the act because in reality he’s the only one who had the power to change it.
Soupy
Any parent dealing with their child’s suicide is going through hell on earth. I don’t think that they need my judgement.