Boston GospelFest is the annual event put on by the mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events. But since Mayor Tom Menino isn’t the one calling all the shots in the city, somehow organizers ended up inviting Pastor Donnie McClurkin, the proud proselytizing ex-gay, to headline the event. Which means you’re not about to see the mayor’s face there this year.
McClurkin, who blames his (former) homosexuality on being raped by male relatives as a young boy, was invited by the Arts and Tourism office weeks or months ago, but its director Julie Burns says she only found out about McClurkin’s anti-gay past late last month after reading a newspaper article: “I am embarrassed to say that I was not aware of this and we obviously should have vetted him further. Gospel Fest is in its 10th year and is arguably the largest Gospel event in New England. Minister McClurkin was recommended to us by a number of people and we were swayed by his artistic honors. Of course, this does not excuse the situation that we now find ourselves in! Please rest assured that Mayor Menino did not know anything about this and would never condone ’hate speech’ of any kind.”
As for Mayor Menino, purposefully not attending the event because of McClurkin (who’s had the president as an audience) is an obvious call, but not an easy one, explains the Rev. Irene Monroe, a black lesbian who’s previously gone after McClurkin:
Menino ranks among the most pro-LGBTQ mayors across the country. He refused to participate in Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade when organizers barred an LGBTQ group from marching. And he was always an advocate for equal marriage. Menino has thrown his weight around and has used his power on behalf of LGBTQ civil rights, and have succeeded in doing so. However, when it comes to moving Boston’s black ministers on LGBTQ civil rights, Menino’s struggle has been and is like that of other elected officials and queer activists — immovable. Sadly many of Boston’s black ministers are in lock step with black homophobic ministers across the country. Menino’s absence from this year’s Gospelfest is another sad example of how Boston’s black ministers, an influential and powerful political voting bloc of the mayor’s, would rather compromise its decade-long friendship with City Hall than denounce McClurkin’s appearance.
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Enron
Ex-Gay? He’s still Gay! Just that he’s doing it with another “Ex-Gay”.
Chargers
Those ministers are just interested in $$$$$.
RJ
Chargers,
I’d like to point out that this article is missing some what is happening in Boston. We’ve had a number of these ministers (mostly from the Cambridge/Somerville area) reach out to LGBT organizations like Join the Impact, the Associated Press, and The Task Force.
They have attended our meetings and have offered guidance and promises of solidarity in counter protesting his presence.
Still, the Gospel Fest was well underway when McClurkin was invited by some oblivious city hall official.
Many of the ministers and congregations you’re alluding to are some of the poorest in the city. They are also some of the very same ones who have rainbow flags hanging on the side of their churches and stand in affirmation of LGBT equality.
Needless to say, many gay-friendly ministers and congregations attending Gospel Fest have put quite a bit of time into planning this event. They consider their participation akin to our participation in pride parades even though there may be Christian protesters there.
So no, Chargers. These ministers are not just interested in $$$$$$. They’re more interested in holding an event that will uplift the communities they shepherd who, for the most part, have often received the short end of the stick.
Acorn
I wish there 24 hour surveillance cameras on “ex-gays”.
JonJon
Um, because they are black? Not trying to stir up anything, but it’s no secret that homophobia is still rampant in the African-American community, especially the deeply religious segments on that community.
Acorn
Playing the “black card” is extremely tiresome, because so often it has nothing to do with anything. As in this case, no one is even mentioning he’s black, that is not the point.
Hilarious
@JonJon: Yep, there aren’t any Caucasian-American homophobes. It’s all black people doing it, not white people.
Thanks for clearing that up. Otherwise I would’ve though white people voted against gay rights as well.
JonJon
I wasn’t talking about the performer. The question in the title of the blog is “Why are Boston’s Black Ministers Standing behind Ex-Gay (and Anti-Gay) Gospel Singer Donnie McClurkin?” I would say the “black card” as you put it has come up due to the title of the post. And to say that a community’s ingrained homophobia is “not the point” is overlooking the larger problem, a problem which has stolen the lives of many black men over the years and will continue to until it is addressed. I believe that you should always address the elephant in the room regardless of how uncomfortable it makes someone feel.
JonJon
@Hilarious: That’s the equivalent of saying that you shouldn’t speak out against the Muslim community’s treatment of women and young boys because there are Christians/Jews/etc. that also treat women as chattel and molest boys. It just doesn’t add up.
Hilarious
@JonJon: You hit the nail on the head again.
There majority of white people are not homophobes. That’s how we won the fight for gay rights.
Oh wait.
I think the elephant you’re speaking of came out of your ass. Snap back to reality.
Aside from the fact that you’ve decided an entire 12% of the country, gay black people included, are all homophobic just because their skin is brown. You also ignore the fact that an overwhelming majority of the country is white and if they all decided to vote in favor of gay rights we have them.
The elephant in the room is your passive-aggressive racism.
Homophobes shouldn’t be separated by skin color, but if you must then wake the fuck up and realize that all 12% of black Americans(gay black people included just to show how idiotic your “point” is) could vote against gay rights and it wouldn’t make a difference when you factor in the other 88% of the population who according to you isn’t homophobic.
Stop trying to make homophobia a black thing. Pull your head out of your ass.
Hilarious
@JonJon: Do you read the things you write?
Why aren’t you speaking out against white homophobia?
The majority of the white community is homophobic. Show your outrage about that.
JonJon
@Hilarious: I’m not trying to make homophobia a black thing. Also, I didn’t say that all black people are homophobes. I said it was an ingrained problem in the community, which is wholly different from saying that all black people are homophobes. I’m also not saying that the white community are innocent in this. There are problems in all communities that should be addressed. Furthermore, to say that the black vote didn’t sway things would be a pretty blatant lie considering how Prop 8 went in 2008. I speak out against homophobia regardless of where it comes from. I also speak out against racism and sexism but I don’t censor myself so as not to offend. That is a pointless endeavor and will continue to hold people back from addressing the issues. Also, considering your offensive and personal attacks (i.e., “I think the elephant you’re speaking of came out of your ass. Snap back to reality.” and “Pull your head out of your ass.”) I will not be responding any further.
Hilarious
@JonJon: You can’t prove one single thing you just posted. You do realize that right?
RomanHans
Hilarious, you’re an idiot. Not all articles about homophobia have to say, “But, you know, white people are still the worst!” There’s also a post about homophobia in Bermuda on Queerty. Should it have mentioned white homophobia as well?
Hilarious
@RomanHans: Funny how I’m an idiot yet the point went right over your precious little thick skull.
When is “white homophobia” ever mentioned?
When are phrases like “Homophobia is ingrained in the white community.” ever uttered?
You’re not that bright boo. Your stone just shattered your glass house.
joe
@RJ:
The ministers’ main interest is to indoctrinate anyone they can get hold of into a life of superstition. Although gays have some tepid (and even some non-tepid) support from christians, the anti-gays scream louder.
I used to think that extending a hand to religious communities was a good idea. I don’t anymore. Moderate christians are the foundation for extremists.
I think a better approach would be to pour our money into promoting secular humanism. I love billboards that endorse an atheist and secular humanist approach to life.
Morality does not need religion. In fact, the religious often justify acts that secular humanists would be appalled at.
I suggest the gay community work towards a future without religion.
Joe
Cassandra
“The ministers’ main interest is to indoctrinate anyone they can get hold of into a life of superstition.”
Can you back that accusation up with evidence, Joe, or are you just someone so full of hate and depravity that you lie about people you know nothing about in public – the way homophobes do?
“Although gays have some tepid (and even some non-tepid) support from christians,”
The truth is that in the Americas and Europe, most of the support for GLBTQ civil rights is from Christians. Atheists have done little except malign people of faith and alienate those whose help GLBTQ people need.
“the anti-gays scream louder.”
Yes and no. Homophobes get more press, because the press lives on conflict, and homophobes ‘scream’ – act abusively and abrasively, because that is the nature of prejudice, as atheists like you also demonstrate.
But all of the advances for civil rights have been dependent on the work and money and values of people of faith.
“I used to think that extending a hand to religious communities was a good idea. I don’t anymore. Moderate christians are the foundation for extremists.”
Extending a hand to religious communities is the only way to achieve civil equality. Atheism is a prejudice, and so, atheism cannot bring to an end any prejudice.
“Moderate christians are the foundation for extremists.”
That is simply false. Homophobes lie about GLBTQ people, you lie about Christians. That’s not a coincidence, it is a symptom.
“I think a better approach would be to pour our money into promoting secular humanism. I love billboards that endorse an atheist and secular humanist approach to life.”
Because that worked so well in the USSR, East Germany, Cuba, Communist China, etc.
“Morality does not need religion.”
But atheism intrinsically violates the foundation of morality and ethics, provides no moral code, and as your posts demonstrates, creates no sense of morality in its defenders.
“In fact, the religious often justify acts that secular humanists would be appalled at.”
That is not a fact, it a fantasy of cherry-picked convenience and deception.
“I suggest the gay community work towards a future without religion.”
Ah, like the way homophobes are working towards a future without homosexuals.
You are articulating exactly the same goal as Martin Ssempa; the only difference is that you would destroy a different group of people.
Your post is a good example of how atheism exploits the oppression of GLBTQ people to advance its own agenda of domination, coercion, destruction and abuse.
Read more: http://www.queerty.com/why-are-bostons-black-ministers-standing-behind-ex-gay-and-anti-gay-gospel-singer-donnie-mcclurkin-20100716/#comment-324630#ixzz0tsSRnafw
Mark
Silence still equals death. Often times, not standing up for something fundamentally relevant is the bigger sin. Shame on those who stay silent and look the other way. McClurkin should be denounced by the leadership in the strongest possible terms. He promotes a hostile, inaccurate and harmful view of homosexuality that results in the ugly persecution, discrimination, violence and worse for these fellow human beings.
RomanHans
@Hilarious: “When is ‘white homophobia’ ever mentioned?”
Uh, is this a trick question? You mean, aside from where you use the exact words in #11?
Dude, I’m with JonJon. Cross me off your argument list.
whatever
@Hilarious: “The majority of the white community is homophobic.”
A million timess this. From white politicians, to clergy, to judges, to business leaders, the rot of white homophobia is very deep.
Ogre Magi
@Cassandra: The Abrahamic religions are the worst enemies homosexuals have ever had!Donnie McClurkin is just another victim of christianity!
M.V.S.
@Enron:
actually he fathered a childout of wedlock
bruce
Why are taxpayers funding a gospelfest? I thought religion was supposed to be a private enterprise. Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
In their rush to pander to blacks, white liberals are putting the anti-gay element of the black community before the rights of all gay citizens. Do we really need anti-gay prejudice being propped up by white liberals’ enabling of the black community?
bruce
Of course there is white homophobia but whites don’t use the word “white” to market themselvs. Blacks, on the other hand, use “black” all the time. Black music, black culture, black churches, black poverty…all these entities are being racialized by blacks themselves.
Therefore, it’s not surprising that critics refer to black homophobia. Also, there is polling evidence that blacks are, on the whole, more anti-gay than whites. That doesn’t excuse white homophobia but it nevertheless demonstrates that blacks are extremely prejudiced on the whole.
Hilarious
@bruce: Shouldn’t you be posting over at Stormfront or something? Wow.
shanelle
Bruce = Jason.
He hates women & p.o.c’s.
words: Shanelle
techical assistance: Goochi
rhetorical advice: A-Lexus
soundtrack: Beck
parfum: D&G
hero: Mo’Nique
snacks: None. Hawt datenite planned for 2morrow — gotta look good
reason
@bruce: You are correct in your assessment of the use of “black” as a descriptor in front of activities that involve a majority of blacks. Where you go off the cliff is in your failure to recognize were that precedent comes from. This comes form a time in America when people were trying to exclude African Americans from assimilating into the country as an unidentifiable part of the fabric. Instead they wanted to distinguish them as a unit “black,” killing the notion of individualism and diversity of personality, this eased the path to define that unit as evil, lazy, cruel, violent and all sorts of other negative connotations. The media provide the conduit searching out for crimes committed and provocative instances to use phrases like “the blacks.” “Black churches” engaged in uprising; focus on negative and tie it to “black” as a monolithic group. It is psychological warfare, and it worked. Hence why some republicans still cater to the southern strategy especially with older or less educated white voters of European decent. I think some African American groups are trying to reverse that trend by trying to associate the word with positive things not only to undue the damage that was done in broader society, but on the psyche of the African American individuals: others may do it as a repetitively learned habit from the media. Some of the connections were not made explicitly in most history classes which is more of a referendum on our education system than anything else; those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
Sometimes in the arguments in this medium the rational behind an argument are not fully articulated; reasoning and impacts are not fully understood. The truth that seems to be lost on many is that the same tactics of psychological warfare that people on this site fall for are actively being used against our community right now. Turn on fox news or tune into some homophobic organisations sites and there all using that broad bush to paint all “homosexuals” in a negative light stomping out individualism. I have seen its impact in action when I heard someone referring to an individual they worked with who was infected with HIV but was still wildly promiscuous with no care about the ramifications, but instead of pinning it on the unsavory individual they automatically processed it as a trait of the entire “homosexuals” community. Those same undertones are used in most parts of the mainstream media whether purposefully or not. It is brainwashing some and reinforcing a message through repetition in others. One of the reasons when Mel Gibson made his racist statement I was cautious to draw a conclusion is because repetitive messages get stored in your mind whether you believe it or not, and in the worst case scenario you may just repeat it. Crafty intelligent individuals like Bill O’Reilly, Harvard grad, are masters of these manipulative strategies and use them consistently to shape the views and behaviors of his followers. People like to look at Bill as an idiot, but I assure you he is not and underestimating his intelligence and ability to brainwash is one of the most dangerous things one can do.
jason
Shanelle,
No, I don’t hate women. I simply hate women’s double standards and hypocrisy. Learn to discern, honey.
Same with blacks. I don’t hate blacks. I simply hate black people’s double standards and hypocrisy. Again, learn to discern.
If you can’t discern on basic points, there’s no point in arguing with you.
Cassandra
“The Abrahamic religions are the worst enemies homosexuals have ever had!Donnie McClurkin is just another victim of christianity!” Ogre Magi
The sad thing is that your statement mirrors the way homophobes insist that homosexuals are the worst enemy of humanity.
Ogre, you are engaged in bigotry, one just as ugly and abusive, dishonest and dehumanizing, as homophobia. You surrender your right to complain about homophobia the minute you vilify people of faith.
The truth is that that some people, while claiming to represent the Abrahamic faiths, have nurtured and increased anti-homosexual prejudice, and at the same time, opposition to anti-homosexual prejudice has come from other people from those same faith backgrounds. The truth is that when people from abrahamic faiths oppose injustice and prejudice, including homophobia, they are acting in alignment with the core teachings of those faiths, but when people from those faiths promote any injustice, including homophobia, they are acting against the core teachings of those faiths.
Atheism, however, not only has no core teaching that condemns injustice and prejudice, its sole belief is, at heart, nothing but an expression of prejudice and an act of injustice.
The truth is that from the start, the majority of support for civil equality for GLBTQ people (and people of color, and women, and other minorities) has come from people of faith, even as opposition has come from people of faith, simply because most people have some form of religious faith. Atheists have been, are, and continue to be too few in number to create civil equality for anyone, even if they wanted to.
And there is no reason to believe that they generally do want civil equality for others, when their entire defining belief is intrinsically a prejudice, a dehumanizing constructs that labels everyone else intrinsically inferior. Atheism at its mildest is more exclusionary, more judgmental and anti-human, than any religion at its worst has been.
The worst enemy of homosexuals is humanity’s capacity for injustice – something that you are demonstrating in your posts. That willingness to harm others can and does and has expressed itself through science, art, philosophy, and yes, even atheism, which is itself a prejudice. Systemically atheists societies, like communist East Germany, and Cuba, have oppressed GLBTQ people, and the terrible truth that atheists seem to hate to acknowledge is that the atheist, anti-religion governments of the 20 century proved that the absence of religion leads to even greater levels of oppression and subjugation, rather than less.
Joe suggests we work toward a future without religion, but forgets that his wish was fulfilled in the recent past, by the people like the Stasi in East Germany, with horrific consequences.
Joe articulated his desire to rid the world of religion, which exactly parallels the desire of homophobes to rid the world of homosexuality. You and Joe are no better, and just as bad, as any homophobe, including Fred Phelps and Maggie Gallagher.
Donnie McClurkin is not a ‘victim of Christianity’ because what he is articulating is not Christianity. Donnie is a slave to prejudice, insecurity, pride, and fear, and therefore, a self-made victim as well. You too, are a slave to prejudice, insecurity, pride and fear. You lash out at Christians, though all of your civil rights are yours because of the work and sacrifices of Christians and other people of faith, just as Donnie lashes out at gays and lesbians.
Just as homophobes are truly ignorant about the experience and truth of homosexuality, you and your peers here are truly ignorant about the experience and truth of Christianity and religion in general.The truth of the matter is that you do not truly know what Christianity is, what it actually teaches, or what it accomplishes. You and Joe and your peers, including Donnie, have bought into a lie about Christianity that is just as dishonest, just as pervasive, just as dehumanizing, as the lies told about GLBTQ people.
And you, and Donnie, buy into that lie for the same reason: self-aggrandizement. The lie gives you someone to feel superior to, a way to inflate your ego; it makes you feel better about yourself by tearing other people down. That is exactly the same thing that homophobes and racists get out of their prejudice.
Feeling better about yourself by tearing other people down is the purpose, and defining symptom, of all bigotry. Sadly, that is also the only thing atheism has to offer, which is why it is a prejudice.
No doubt, you and your peers here will vote down my posts to hide them as usual, but, hiding the truth doesn’t change it. It does mean though, that you are afraid that others will see that truth.
On other forums, homophobes vote down posts that criticize and rebuke their prejudice, but in doing so, they don’t make their homophobia any less inhumane. Hiding my posts won’t make your bigotry any less inhumane either.
shanelle
@cassandra: i got your back.
peace to you:
— — —
words: shanelle
everything else: shanelle
reason
@Cassandra: I agree with a good section of what you wrote though I might add that there is no reason to descend into someones trap.. You become more like them, but it’s your moral compass and values being altered not theirs. Cool quote I ran into the other day: “Christians are cautioned not to praise God in one breath, while cursing those made in God’s likeness in the next.” That is something we all need to be reminded of frequently. It is not our job to be the judge and when it is done in the name of Christianity it hurts the faith. Atheist are exercising their free will, as Christians are exercising theirs. When anyone regardless of belief systems transgresses against another they should be called out and or face applicable punishment, but we will all be judged based on our own deeds not the morality or even the transgressions of others. Stuff I am sure you already know; besides that you make some good points.
axos
As long as so many people call themselves part of a black community and claim there is black experience and therefore a certain “blackness” which white people just can’t understand, there is a reason to use the words black and white about some cultural expressions. The reason white is used less frequently is that you don’t have to – white is still the norm, and the circumstances clearly indicates this or that is mostly about whites. There are exceptions – “rednecks”, “white trash”.
As for the number of black homophobic leaders compared to white, someone probably has made a poll at some point. I’ve no idea about the outcome. Were I black, I wouldn’t like anyone to talk for me about anything, and as being white, I don’t like to be told what I “really” think about stuff.
As for Donnie McClurkin, I don’t know anything about him, but if he ever was gay, he still is of course. If he was raped and followed a victim’s path of recreating the trauma, like raped women can sometimes do by looking for violent lovers or becoming hookers (for a period of time), he may have been straight all the time. Feel free to correct me though – as I said, I don’t know the man, and I don’t believe in anyone ever changing the basic sexual orientation which is natural for them.
ewe
Injured people who blame homosexuals for their own criminal behaving rapist pedophile relatives is just a sorrry misplaced excuse to not heal thyself. Now the victim has morphed into the agressive oppressor against people that had no responsibility for his childhood violation. So… the only appropriate response from anyone to people unwilling to face reality is to say fuck off bitch, you’re a twisted wack job using and hiding your fucked up religion and your dreamt up fucked up god you invented to prop up your hate.
ewe
The hate these black ministers promote against gay people is no different than stereotypes that all black people are crack heads. They are just stupid ignorant people who happen to be african american.
alan brickman
Ex-Gay is just the politically correct for self hating closet case!!!
mojojojo
Just another example of the rampant homophobia of the black community
jason
Mojojo,
I do agree with you. I think the black community as a whole is appallingly homophobic. And, yet, the gay community has seemed to let the black community off the hook. How can we have a fair and rounded discussion of homophobia if we’re not allowed to criticize the black community?
The black community needs to realize that there is a new generation of GLBT people, such as myself, who won’t stand for the PC notion that all blacks are wonderful people. We, the new gays, understand that some blacks are nice people but some blacks are awful people.
Jeffree
Jason: you agree with Majojo & Bruce & 12 other people (hi Hilarious !) because you *are* them…….
Hilarious
@Jeffree: That almost made sense until you included me.
Jason and I have never agreed on anything and I find him to be rather racist. What exactly would lead you to believe he and I were the same person?
Jefffree
@Hilarious: Hey, sorry.
Sometimes I’m wrong. Textual analysis software has you and JasoonSpitoon in the 82% plus inter-reliability range for vocab, syntax, grammar, spelling & punctuation. No software is perfect.
But I do know that the animated video I made about being so wealthy — got almost 11,000 hits. Some great comments too! The fictional likeness portrayed had many fans !
Don’t fret, boo, it’s long gone now.
Don ‘t worry: we made that alter-ego look handsome in pink polo shirt & aqua culottes singing “I’m a veery wealthy classy man from a welfee family”
And since you’re not Jason, I’m sure you and myself (also a POC) will continue to rebut his many alter-egos as they try to cast aspersions on us and our families.
Best of luck to you & all wealthy classy people in your low-overhead business-owning family!
air hugs:……
D Smith
@Cassandra:
actually hun, i am sorry to say that All religion… is demonstrably hypocritical, or willfully ignorant and self indulgent… but more specifically you can in a very very short time at your public library… or on google, show the Abrahamic religions to be quite the nemesis of the LGBT community… even before such a community ever existed.
Markie-Mark
For everyones’ information: Donnie McClurkin likes to be called “pussy” while he’s being fucked. One of his regulars talked about that in an interview.
He’s probably lying about being raped as a child. He’s lying about being ex-gay. In fact I wouldn’t believe anything he says.
And finally, religion is for the feeble-minded.
Action Jackson
@ Jason:
You said “We, the new gays, understand that some blacks are nice people but some blacks are awful people.”
Of course, there is another group out there who would say this: We, the new readers of Queerty, understand that some posters are nice people but Jason is an awful person.
jason
Action Jackson,
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
My gripe with the black community is that it had an entire Civil Rights Act passed for it yet black people often don’t want to give equal civil rights to gay people.
Black people can’t have it both ways. Either civil rights is good for everyone or it isn’t.
tjr101
Jason obviously has a sick obsession with black people hence his Ignorant comments on this diverse community he considers a monolith.
Bill Perdue
People who claim that most African Americans are a threat to the GLBT agenda or are our bitter enemies are bigots and movement busters.
The two communities, who share membership and mutual enemies have a history of cooperation and mutual support and are natural allies.
A wide spectrum of African American and Latina-Latino groups supported the original ENDA, before Barney Frank gutted it, because discrimination affects more than just the GLBT community. We can win allies in minority communities by continuing to push for an inclusive ENDA and by making sure that Barney Frank keeps his grubby hands off the debate.
For most of the second half of 2009 and most of this year real unemployment has hovered around 16-17% (Bureau of Labor Statistics U6 index). But even if you look at the “official”, Reagan era, figures (BLS indexes 2 and 3) unemployment hovers around 9-10%. Even using the Reaganite index unemployment is much, much worse for Blacks at around 16.5 % and 12.6 % for Latinos-Latinas. That’s last hired first fired with a vengeance. It’s also much higher for younger men and women. Pay and benefits are being cut by the Obama administration and estimates are that roughly six people are competing for every new job opening.
Presidential candidates Al Sharpton and Carol Moseley Braun supported the fight for same sex marriage, calloing it a civil rights issue. Where Black GLBT leadership takes the lead in the fight for same sex marriage we win, as in DC. Where the campaign is Eurocentric we lose, as in California.
Finally, while it’s true that Queerty does a lot of stories about bigots what we need instead of these race baiting stories, and there have been dozens of them, are posts that explicitly lays the primary blame for homohating on Euroamerican cults and Democrat and Republican politicians like McCain and Obama.
Markie-Mark
FYI: McClurkin likes to be called “pussy” while he’s being topped. Saw that in an interview with one of his “Ass-ociates.”
But that hypocracy makes no difference to Christians. Christianity is for the feeble-minded.