An aberration. An act to be reviled. A mortal sin punishable by death. Religious texts have not spoken well of homosexuality when they do speak of it, which—by the way—is infrequent. From Hinduism and Judaism to Islam, Buddhism and Christianity, every faith has a view of homosexuality. For the most part, the teachings and takeaways from these beliefs don’t bode well for gay men (most don’t mention Lesbians). The sacred really have it out for the profane.

Growing up gay comes with a lot of baggage: peer pressure, parental pressure and societal pressure—all on some level fueled and informed by religion. Whether someone adheres to religious doctrine in their own day-to-day living doesn’t seem to matter until the topic of homosexuality rears its head. Suddenly, everyone takes to the pulpit to share notions of homosexuality.

Invariably, the Leviticus card is played. It’s almost comic to hear someone who wouldn’t know scripture if it leapt up and bit them in the soul suddenly become an expert theologian when it comes to sacred text and homosexuality. However, most who start the verse in Leviticus that mentions homosexuality would be hard pressed to finish it in its entirety. But that’s what armchair preaching will get you.

Do queers create our own religion?

It’s no surprise that many gay people have disassociated themselves with religion altogether after years of being publicly decried and privately abused. The Pope makes no bones about taking potshots at gays when given the opportunity. Hey, we get it from the religious and secular worlds on a non-stop basis. Gays abandoning organized religion doesn’t surprise. However, gays embracing religion is a head-scratcher to many. Sort of like the Log Cabin Republicans. What’s up with that? Self-loathing? Denial? Conformity?

Why would a gay person want to belong to a religion that overtly rejects and reviles them, labels them a sinner or an evil force to be slain? What is it that gay believers get that supersedes the underlying contempt that comes from scripture, the pulpit and the flock? It seems out of step that a gay person would willingly participate in the Catholic Church, Temple or Mosque. Some gays who have not abandoned organized religion have turned to Buddhism and Hinduism to express their spirituality since these religions don’t single out and decry homosexuality in their text, per se. That’s not to say that followers and cultures built on these teachings haven’t adopted anti-gay attitudes. So, what came first, the homophobia or the homophobic?

Is homophobia nature or nurture?

For years, theologians, psychologists, sociologists and biologists have pondered and researched the question: is homosexuality nature or nurture? This has opened doors for more understanding and acceptance of queer people—it has also become fodder for those looking to fire a silver bullet at the “gay gene”. However, with many religious texts from different faiths having no mention of homosexuality, yet their followers decry homosexuality, I invert the question: Is homophobia nature or nurture?

One way that gay people—any people who don’t conform to organized religion for that matter—have managed to stay connected to the god force is by separating their spirituality from religion. The idea is: spirituality is innate; religion is a man-made manifestation of spirituality. Following that line of thought, do queers create our own religion? We created “Queer Nation” a few decades ago, why not a queer theology with its own doctrine and laws (think of the tax breaks!). Hey, if the Westboro Baptist Church can create its own violent doctrine in “God Hates Fags”, why can’t we counter that with a church that espouses “God Loves Gays”? Some say Toronto’s MCC has achieved a bit of that.

While we continue to grapple with our place in the world (depending on where we are in the world), we continue to wrestle with our spirituality and how to express it both internally and externally. Do gay people have a place in the churches, temples and mosques of the world? Can religion actually help stop homophobia? Are we destined to always run in opposition to one another? Time will tell. But one thing is sure, gay people are not without faith, belief or reverence. Some of us just pray in a different church and at a different altar.

Amen. Shalom. Namaste.

Andrew will be moderating a panel discussion about the relationship between queers and religion Tuesday, April 26 in the Village. All are welcome.

Bent Religion
7:00PM – 9:00PM
O’Grady’s Bar and Restaurant on Church
518 Church Street
Toronto, ON

Uganda’s attack on homosexuals has not let up since it came to the forefront last year. As a matter of fact, things have gotten much worse as the media spotlight has dimmed on the issue.

Last week, gay rights activist David Kato was beaten to death in his home by at least one person (who has since been arrested). Kato was an outspoken gay rights proponent in Uganda and has been targeted by many anti-gay groups in the country—particularly the national newspaper Rolling Stone. Read the full story

Interesting when a pagan tradition falls on the Christian day of Sabbath. In honour of Christendom, the Sabbath and Halloween, I’m indulging in a terrifying tradition: watching The Exorcist. This is, by far, my favourite horror movie. It chills to the core of my throbbing gristle because it shakes those religious beliefs with which many of us were raised. It is the horrific threat we cannot see. It makes us feel vulnerable. Plus, it’s a damned awesome movie! Read the full story

File this one under “Things I Don’t Expect At 46”.

I was in a business meeting recently when someone referred to my work with the line: “It’s just… gay.”

I felt like I’d been slapped in the face. I suddenly felt like I was a teenager being called faggot in school. I felt angry. I felt like I’d been personally insulted. I felt voiceless and without recourse. I suddenly felt like the outsider. Read the full story

Recently, very out-of-the-closet and very outspoken actor Sir Ian McKellan slammed professional sports players, organizations, fans and the overall establishment for being homophobic. He made his comments on a BBC radio show a few weeks after Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas came out of the closet.

In the interview, when it comes to homosexuality, McKellan said that sports stars “become little shrinking violets because they’re afraid, probably, of being booed from the terraces, and that must be a horrible experience and shame on people who do it.” While some people might think he’s making queer political hay, he’s actually right on point with his point. Professional sport has a long, rich history of flagrant gay bashing and homophobia and it shows no signs of backing down. To wit: Read the full story

I really wanted cha cha heels er I mean motorcycle boots for X-Mas!

I have been a busy title holder, and as such have not been blogging as much as I would like. So I will attempt a sort of title holder update before getting into the point of this post.

Firstly, we have decided upon our charity for MLT for 2010. We will be raising funds for the LGBT Youthline. This was my first choice, because I think investing time and energy into young people who are just entering or have yet to enter the queer community is something that is incredibly important. By teaching young people self worth and helping them build confidence and creating postive experiences for them regarding the queer community, we make them stronger members. We create the kind of young people who will be volunteers and community leaders. I look forward to what will surely be an amazing partnership over the comming year.

AND (another shameless plug): MLT will be having our first fundraiser of the year on the 2nd of January. We will be holding a Bottle Drive outside the Church St Beer Store just south of Wellsley. We will be collecting bottles and donations all proceeds going towards Youthline. So round up all your empties from New Years and bring em down for a good cause! Special thanks to Devin Thompson Mr Leather Fellowship 2010 who spear headed this iniative.  And as an added bonus there will be complimentary hot chocolate gratiously provided by Northbound Leather!

And now a quick musing on the closet. I have been home since monday for the Christmas holidays. And let me just say its been an incredibly strange experience. I love getting to see so many people I don’t get a chance to see very often. But at the same time I hate having to lie about so much. My extended family doesn’t know I’m a total homo, or atleast we don’t discuss it. And as such all things that stem from me being a total mo have to be covered up. So as far as they know I work in a video store…. (not a complete out and out lie). BUT they don’t know pretty much anything about my writing or MLT and such. When I worked at the tubs I was a bus boy as far as they were concerned. So much of my accomplishments can not be discussed. And even if they knew that I am gay, they still wouldn’t be able to handle the level of my faggotry. So I sit there while they give me sad eyes because they think my life has gone to nothing, and wonder if the city chewed me up and is about to spit me out. I just smile and nod. Such an odd experience to say the least. But tonight I head back to Toronto and those 2 days of extended family don’t return until next Christmas….

The MLT Bottle Drive : A Fundraiser for Youthline will take place on January 2nd all day outside the Church Street Beerstore across from the 519.

When horrible things happen, we react on an emotional level triggered by our perception of the event based on our experiences. Sometimes it’s a global event like a war or terrorist attack or economic meltdown. Sometimes it’s a local event that galvanizes our community.

The past couple of weeks have seen an outpouring of emotions triggered by a very disturbing event that took place on a dark and desolate corner in downtown Toronto. The reaction to this event was quick – and very complex: fear, anger, sorrow and confusion to name a few. Read the full story

A warning: This post plays into stereotypes of both gay and straight men.  I really don’t care. 

I remember watching the news last Sunday night, when a picture of murder victim Christopher Skinner came on the screen, and thinking “he was gay”.  Sure enough, I woke up to media reports about a gay man being beaten and run over by a SUV.  His friends and family immediately questioned whether this was a hate crime.  I am never one to jump to conclusions, so I was skeptical.  That was before the family released more pictures.  That was before we learned that he lived with his fiancé and their dog, Lucy.  That was before the prime suspect was described as wearing a black undershirt and having a “military style haircut”.  There’s little doubt in my mind now; if this incident didn’t start as a hate crime (it probably did),  the driver knew he was killing a queer man.

 Chris’ funeral was Thursday.  According to the Star, his sister spoke of all of the silliness the two of them got up to and his friend said that he was the life of the party.  To be clear, I never met Chris.  Two images come to mind though; him and his sister dancing around the living room, and a guy who couldn’t go ten minutes on Pride Sunday without being hugged.  All of the pictures of Chris show an attractive, well dressed, well groomed man: a gay man.  This wasn’t a “masculine”, “straight acting” guy.  This was an out-and-proud gay man.  I know it, you know it, and his killers knew it.  I can’t understand why the police aren’t naming what is obvious.

 Like many of you, I am attending the vigil for Chris in the village tonight.  I already know I will end up crying and have been reflecting on why over the weekend.  After  all, I’m a news junky; murders never affect me.  The answer is painfully simple; I look at the pictures of Chris and I see my friend K.F.’s poise, D.S. calling himself princess, S.W.’s often changing hair colour.  I see me.  I don’t want to take away from Chris’ death and the hell his family is going through.  The reality though is I’ve been reminded of how vulnerable we are all as gay men.  My biggest hope is that Church Street is mobbed tonight.  Together, we can say that homophobia is not tolerated in our city. 

 One of my heroes, Scottish poet Robert Burns, wrote:

 Then let us pray that come it may
(as come it will for a’ that)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that
For a’ that an’ a’ that
It’s coming yet for a’ that
That man to man, the world o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.

 Let it be.  Let it be. 

On the tails of the news that our fair city of Toronto has been named the host of World Pride 2014, terrible news began to spread through word of mouth and the internet. In the early hours of Sunday the 18th, Chris Skinner, a 20 something gay man was attacked and then run over by a group of men in a black SUV. He was taken to hospital and died of his injuries shortly there after. You can read all about the details here, including if you have any information which may help with the investigation. Toronto Police have said they do not feel the murder was motivated by homophobia, but there seems little reason otherwise. The Entertaintment District is well known for its less then open mindedness, and it hasn’t taken long for the conclusions to be drawn.

The bigger issue I want to make here, is that homophobia is terrorism. Attacks like this, or even much less violent more nuanced versions of homophobia act to terrorize queer people. They seek to make us afraid to be who we are. To be afraid to leave our neighborhood. To be afraid to walk home alone at night, lest we fall victim to an attack much like the one that befell Chris Skinner.

From outright hate crimes to systematic homophobia to Prop8, these seek to terrorize us. It is disgusting to think that the same city could be host to one of the worlds largest annual Pride parades,  I for one will not allow myself to be terrorized.

“We must not be free because we claim it but because we practice it.” William Faulkner

As Canadians prepare to gorge ourselves on turkey and carbs, your brothers and sisters to the south prepare for one of the biggest queer rights demonstrations in history. This weekend, LGBTQ activists will march on Washington as part of a demonstration demanding equal treatment under the law. Gay history is a long a complex one, but the most pertinent of it can be seen in the 20th and 21st century. Starting with Berlin, once a gay mecca, plagued by Nazi Germany’s extermination of homosexuals in addition to the Jews, and other “undesirables” who would lose their lives during the Holocaust. To the Stonewall Riots, the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada, and the subsequent struggle for rights for all queer people.

Living in the city, we often forget how transgressive our everyday lives are. My average day involves countless things I would be unable to do had I never moved to Toronto. Ours all would. Our freedom is built on the backs of those who came before us. Were it not for Drag queens and dykes at Stonewall where would the revolution be? More conservative leaning gay people especially it seems in North America seem to not want Drag Queens, Leather people, or any open displays of blatant sexuality (ie topless dykes or gogo boys in underwear) to be part of Parades. But I am quick to remind people that our own Pride Parade (one of the world’s largest), was all the result of the police raids on bathhouses. What place is a more blatant symbol of our communities sexual freedom? Were it not for the sexually adventurous, what would Pride be like in Toronto? Would it even exist?

We must embrace our freedoms, and just as importantly ALL people in our communities. We should be grateful that we can even have a parade. That it is no longer called a march. We no longer have to climb the steps of Capital Hill demanding some of the most basic rights. So this thanksgiving, remember we all have something to be thankful for!