Remember, just because someone opposes a behavior, don’t assume they’ve never behaved that way themselves.
Like the video’s intertitles say, I captured this footage in 2008, during my research among the Evangelical preachers of UF’s Turlington Plaza. I collated this research, produced several short ethnographic films, and eventually presented it at AAA’s 2011 conference. This video represents a small tidbit of all that.
It’s said that this man once practiced homosexuality. However, upon meeting a preacher, he converted, rejected homosexuality, and took up preaching himself. He now spends his days singing "The Gay Song," as he called it. Though, Malinowski would probably demand a little more context than that, right?
As another preacher’s daughter described it to me:
"One of the preachers out here, with a big beard and playing the guitar, [he actually represents] one of the converts of other street preachers. He was a homosexual at Mardi Gras. He was enjoying himself, and then one of the campus preachers was preaching at the time, and the guy heard him, and it clicked. It was like a light bulb went on in his head, and he realized that this [homosexual] life he was living was only death, that was all it led to. It was hollow and empty. He needed to change and he needed to follow the Holy Bible."
Her informancy closely reflects the preacher’s own, who says,
"♫♪ I’ll give you a personal testimony, now. I’ll tell ya. Personal testimony time! I can tell you, from personal experience, that homosexuality is an unhappy, unholy, unnatural, unsatisfying, unfulfilling lifestyle. ♫♪"
I’ve encountered this trope many times during my research — that willpower and the Holy Spirit can undo homosexuality. It reminds me of one student’s question toward another preacher, "so what, you’re saying that prayer can just magically turn a gay man straight?" The preacher simply answered, "yes." Since then, I’ve heard the phrase "pray the gay away" several times.
Before you start writing hate mail, note that the applause you hear at the end of the video doesn’t belong to me. The applause belonged to a handful of students, who were being sarcastic.
So what’re your thoughts on the matter? Can homosexuality be undone through prayer, or any other means? What’re your thoughts on this preacher’s backstory or song? Heck, I’m even open to general discussion about gay rights and religious freedom. Of course, any other thoughts are welcome, too. I put a lot of thought into these posts, and I sure do love it when people leave comments. Even short, stupid ones. So be awesome, and click here to say something. No registration required. No strings attached. Yay, free speech!
Thanks for including me in the conversation, Ashkuff. As a big out ‘mo for over 10 years and having worked/learned on college campuses for that entire time, I’ve experienced lots of campus preachers. Literally every campus I’ve spent time on has them.
The compassion I carry in my heart can’t help but be happy that this fellow found a life that makes him happy. That’s the point of life, right? That said, I feel his message is dangerous and damaging because there is a fair amount of research and evidence stating that affectional attractions and urges can’t be changed. Some, perhaps, find the social acceptance worth the repression. And to them, I say, God Bless.
My problem is what happens when Preacher Happy Beard’s message may meet the ears of gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer students who are deeply unhappy. What happens when he deludes those students into thinking that changing this one thing about them will cause the clouds to part? What happens to their self-esteem, sense of self-efficacy, and sense of worth when they fail? Data shows that most people who try to “pray away the gay” will fail.
“Homosexuality” is a red herring for whatever is truly causing a person’s problems in cases like these. The cause could be stigma against non-normative sexuality or it could genuinely just be a chemical imbalance that requires treatment. Just like plastic surgery as a cure for depression, I believe any effort to “pray away the gay” is going to fail. It will fail because as much as you try to fit into a norm, you can’t run away from the way you feel. Where ever you go, there you are.
It is up to students and the people who support students to create the resilience and education so that they can make informed choices about how they relate to the world, themselves, and each other emotionally and sexually. Any dude on a corner offering a quick fix for your problems should be viewed with DEEP skepticism IN ALL CASES. IN ALL CASES! I can’t stress that enough.
And another thing, I don’t know about the veracity of Preacher Happy Beard’s “homosexuality”. “He was a homosexual at Mardi Gras”…really? Making out with a couple dudes at Mardi Gras doesn’t make you gay. Anyone with a lack of inhibitions (rather than genuine attraction) could give that up pretty easily, it seems to me. Also, how is he so certain that it was the “homosexuality” that was a problem? Could it be possible that Mardi Gras, regardless of what gender you throwdown with, creates an “unhappy, unholy, unnatural, unsatisfying, unfulfilling lifestyle”? I definitely used to end long nights of partying feeling unfulfilled. I don’t party anymore but I’m still a “homosexual”.
I feel much much better.
long comment is long.
Very thorough post, AC!
But I’m only going to cherry pick one of your last points:
“And another thing, I don\’t know about the veracity of Preacher Happy Beard\’s ‘homosexuality’. ‘He was a homosexual at Mardi Gras’\”