MyOutSpirit.com Gay Spirituality Blog

30 percent more same-sex couples than 5 years ago, study says

Kirk Johnson of the New York Times pens "Gay Marriage Losing Punch as Ballot Issue," an article that includes this interesting factoid...

Meanwhile, gay men and lesbians continue to come out in ever greater numbers, especially in some of the states that will be voting on the marriage issue next month.

From 2000 to 2005, the number of people identifying themselves in Census surveys as being in a same-sex couple grew by 30 percent, to about 770,000, according to a study released this week by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, which tracks and researches gay legal issues.

Remember that no US survey asks participants about same-sex orientation so the question about "are you in a same-sex couple?" is really the best Census evidence we've got. (Presidential exit polls in 2000 showed Americans identifying as gay or lesbian at a rate of 4-7 percent of the population of voters, depending on the survey.)

An old truism of gay/queer activism is that the single most important thing any person can do to make a positive difference in the world on behalf of gays/queers is... TO CLOME OUT OF THE CLOSET YOURSELF.

Mitt Romney's anachronistic whoring

The Republicans seem to be in big trouble this election year, and that's encouraging.  Only two years ago they were using the "threat" of same-sex marriage to crank out the right-wing vote.  This year that will be more difficult, given the troubles of Mark Foley and the revelation (to some) that Congress has plenty of queers among Republicans, both elected officials and staffers. 

So it's a bit anachronistic that Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is pimping opposition to same-sex marriage as a way to seduce the religious right into supporting his presidential ambitions.  Apparently he hopes that throwing his heels over his head for the likes of the Family Research Council will prove profitable in the 2008 presidential election race.

Poor Massachusetts.  They deserved better than this.  And so does America.

Gay spirituality author's speech cancelled by Jesuits

In this Times-Tribune story, gay spirituality author Christian de la Huerta found himself without a venue after a Jesuit university refused to affirm his contract, even though de la Huerta, adhering to a university gag-order, had affirmed that he would not “say anything that would be interpreted as gay-affirming."

The core of De la Huerta's approach to gay spirituality is based on affirming "queer archetypes," essentially a Jungian archetypal psychology. As the article describes:

“There is so much evidence that we [gays/queers] have been spiritually inclined throughout history and honored for these roles of spiritual service and leadership. I think it’s important the gay community reclaim these roles,” said Mr. de la Huerta, whose 1999 book “Coming Out Spiritually” was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 best religion books of the year.

Gay frot added to Wikipedia

Hey, this author gets his first mention in a Wikipedia article here. Very cool. It's a well-written article on frot . . . it would be well worth reading even if it didn't mention this op-ed piece on Gay Spirituality & Culture.

Cross-posted at http://gayspirituality.zaadz.com/blog.

The journey from loathing to pride

by Greg DiStefano

If you bring forth what is within you,
what you bring forth will save you.
If you don’t bring forth what is within you,
what you do not bring forth will destroy you.
—The Gospel According to Thomas

Having rejected and punished myself for being gay, I finally understood that the core of my addiction was self-loathing. Because I perceived myself as lesser than the macho men who had taunted me, I had been lumbering beneath the chains of my own homophobia and unable to accept not only my sexuality, but also my feminine side.

New at Zaadz: gay and queer pods to join

Watch for more on this site in the weeks ahead on Zaadz, the groundbreaking new social networking tool for the spiritual set. Still in Beta, this venture by CEO and Philosopher Brian Johnson (in partnership with Integral Institute among others) is aiming to change the ways that conscious folks meet each other, socialize online, find business and cultural connections, and ultimately change the world.

Neal Drinnan's Izzy and Eve explores gay spirituality

A new novel, Izzy and Eve, explores the connections between hedonism, debasement, and enlightenment. Australian author Neal Drinnan's fourth novel, Izzy and Eve looks at a gay man and his female friend who live together in a bohemian district in an imgarinary city named The Gilgal.

Cross-posted at this blog's future home: gayspirituality.zaadz.com/blog. Please add your comments at the new location.

Andrew Sullivan, conservative religionists, and development

"From moderate religion comes pragmatic politics," writes Andrew Sullivan in "When Not Seeing Is Believing," an excerpt in Time from his forthcoming book The Conservative Soul. The heart of Sullivan's message--urging conservative religionists (Sullivan calls them "fundamentalists," obviously not wanting to taint the word "conservative" with their ilk) to moderate their religion by embracing a humbler variety of faith--might just hit its mark.

The first problem: humility (as in lack of confidence that your worldview isn't a myth) is only one of several key issues for those he is trying to reach. A second problem (I will suggest): humility (in its formulation as an acknowledgment of the limits of reason) is precisely the opposite of the message religious conservatives most need to hear. Sullivan sometimes conflates these senses of humility, and consequently sometimes urges doubt when confidence is better prescribed. However this article is, I believe, on the money in identifying and articulating the key issues in spiritual development for those of a more moderate faith--those folks more like Sullivan than Jerry Falwell or Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Homosexuality against African culture, says op-ed

A gentle notice to all progressive souls who need to be reminded that not all anti-gay writing comes from white heterosexual Christian Western males. On allAfrica.com, Pamela Ankunda pens a piece "Homosexuality is Against Nature and African Culture," that pleads for Westerners to realize that "Africa has got its own societal values and morals."

Most homophobic Foley commentary award

I have a pretty strong constitution for reading anti-gay commentary online. It's a minor occupational hazard. However, not even Reason's award to Ben Stein for "worst spin on the Mark Foley scandal" could prepare me for (in Stein's words)...