Gay Mormon Man / PriesthoodMen

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

This is a picture of my couch.

Couch happens to me sometimes - as in sleeping on the - much like an episode of Bewitched, only Endora isn't floating in the corner of the room out to get me.

It doesn't happen to me often enough that I have a “me” indentation in the living room sofa, but I am thinking about painting the living room ceiling with stars or something calming for those stressful days.

It's early in the am my kids want to watch TV cartoons. They ask me if it's OK. They wake me up to ask me if its OK. I say yes. Do I have a choice? “No, honey, Daddy was up arguing with mommy about why she isn't enough woman to satisfy her man. Now let daddy sleep.”

So I say sure, honey. Watch cartoons. See how life is from watching Scooby Doo. The bad guys get it in the end and the good guys never want to. Get it in the end, I mean.

I hate arguing with my wife about me being gay. Most of the time we just ignore it. But I am having a hell of a time getting it up these days. I try to be a loving husband and do all the things a loving husband does, and for the most part I do OK. I am a decent provider, I am more kind than I am unkind, I treat the kids well, I clean and do laundry and do dishes and landscape the yard and paint and sweep the floors and do things with the family and with her. Somehow, my being gay is an assault to her ego. It hurts me when she takes the responsibility for me being gay personally. As if, somehow, she is not enough.

How do I tell her that she is enough? It's just that I am attracted to men. It wasn't something I choose, but I live with it daily. So does she. I tell her that I truly believe that my spirit is not gay, but my body is. When I tell her that, there is something inside of me that tells me it is true.
I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice. We did walk into this marriage with eyes wide open. She has issues also. Completely different issues. I was willing to take hers on, and she was willing to take on mine because I loved her and she loved me. We forget that sometimes.

But can anyone not dealing with SSA know what they are getting into?

I do not currently have sex with men. I have not been with a man for the time we have been married. I don't seek it out, I don't chat, I don't do porno as a rule – though I have slipped on that goal a time or two. I sometimes masturbate, but I do it privately and not during dinner time and it doesn't keep anybody awake. I stay away from inappropriate relationships and conversations. Why am I not enough?

So, sometimes she finds me not-so-hot in the sack. Is that much different from straight couples who have been married for 15 years? Are they always hot and ready?

I took this from my journal from awhile back. Sometimes,when I am preaching about the straight and narrow, as it were, I sound like I am superman and my wife is a wonder of a woman.

It just ain't so. I have the same problems as do my friends both straight and gay. Marriage is tough enough without the pride parade that is my life. Sometimes it's worse than others. Sometimes it's great. I've been told that as long as the good times are more frequent that the bad, it's worth it.

It's worth it. Now let me sleep.

6 comments:

MNJJanuary 13, 2010 at 6:06 PM
my wife & I went into our marriage with eyes wide open as well - I have my issues & she has her's. I like guys & she likes guys. what's the problem??? I made a rule at starting gate, I WILL ALWAYS SLEEP IN MY BED - PERIOD. If we fight & she wants to go elsewhere - have at it but I WILL ALWAYS SLEEP IN MY BED - PERIOD! :)

we just found your site. YOUR a butter lover. We might have been seperated at birth. Our fave is Amish roll butter from whole foods. But alas, it's been ripped from our lives as well. I miss it...
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Michael PerryJanuary 13, 2010 at 8:37 PM
Wow, this is pretty honest stuff, Kudos, I didn't expect that either. I respect this.
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BravoneJanuary 13, 2010 at 10:45 PM
Nice post. I think all marriage is hard. Sometimes our wives just need to realize how lucky they are to have such amazing husbands :)
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johnbJanuary 15, 2010 at 2:05 AM
I don't think anyone really thinks your beating you chest or putting the wife down. Its a bit painful - I see myself in this blog. Thanks for letting me know I not alone.
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Rick BickmoreJanuary 17, 2010 at 1:42 AM
Cal, thanx for becoming my friend on Facebook. I wish you continued success in your struggle, and admire you for being open and honest about it. Thank you for sharing it with others. For those on a similar path, it may give hope. For those looking in from the outside, it may give greater understanding. ~hug~

--rick
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Michael LibertyFebruary 6, 2011 at 2:27 AM
Your story kills me, Cal. On the one hand, I feel bad for you. I can see into my future and guess that, if I were ever to get married, that's exactly how it would be for me. But on the other hand, I think I can see it from your wife's perspective. Marriage scares the hell out of me. It really does. But I hope yours goes well, Cal... for both our sakes...
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I order to better understand one another, I think it would be wise to understand the terms used in these essays. What I propose is an Examination for Discovery, which is briefly a meeting of the opposing sides in a lawsuit where the plaintiff and defendant, with their attorneys, meet to examine each others claims and see whether they can find some area of agreement and thus save the time of the court later on. This is assuming that there is common ground, and I believe that even the most cynical of us would agree that there is.

It will be hard to understand one another if you think blue is periwinkle and I think blue is turquoise. I know that the differences may not be a big deal - between periwinkle and turquoise - but I think its best to be incredibly clear. We both may disagree on what blue is, but, for purposes of communication, we will use the terms as listed here - adding when needed.

Of coarse they may be subject to change and/or refinement with experience and further knowledge – and with feedback. Being that this is a blog and not a diatribe, I get to lead I suppose.

List of Common Terms On Which We May Agree
or Agree To Agree On For Sake of Discussion*

For sensitivity reasons we wanted to run this list past my Gramma Ruby, which would have been really helpful not to mention miraculous because she died at an Elizabeth Dole Rally in Boise)

Active: 1) A lifestyle characterized by frequent or various social, intellectual, and particularly physical activities; 2) In geology, a volcano which erupts regularly; 3) A member of the LDS Church who is often seen carrying brownies, scriptures or children back and forth to Church.

Affirmation: 1) A positive assertion. 2) An organization for LDS homosexuals and the people that love them, but not affiliated or supported by the LDS Church.

Sentence: Falling off of the stage was the affirmation she needed to confirm the universality of gravity.

Acronyms: SGA, SGB, SGI SGA: Same Gender (sexual) Attraction SGB: Same Gender (sexual) Behavior SGI: Same Gender (gay) Identity

OGA, OGB, OGI OGA: Opposite Gender (sexual) attraction OGB: Opposite Gender (sexual) behavior OGI: Opposite Gender (heterosexual) identity.

Sentence: The LDS SGA think OGA from ID, WO and MT dress like the NFL.

Beehive: 1) Home to bees, 2) A height-positive sixties hair style which many Mormon women continued to wear through the seventies and into late nineties and early 00’s with a slight revamp; 3) Young woman’s organization of girls who can’t drive yet.

Bisexual: 1) A sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical, mental or romantic attraction to both males and females.

Choice: 1) A decision between two or more option, and often referred to as free agency, personal rights and freedom.

Sentence: The choice for Juan Carlo was to either be eaten alive by the anaconda or jump from the boat into the mouth of the hungry crocodile.

Church: 1) An identifiable religious body under a common name; 2) a physical structure often equipped with a satellite dish, food warming area and an indoor basketball court.

Sentence: The ambulance and two squad cars were sent to the ball game at the Church between the elders and the priests due to last year’s “incident.”

Closet: 1) Upright storage space for clothing; 2) Slang reference to the status of an individual wishing to remain private about his/her sex life and who hasn’t acknowledged their SGA feelings yet to friends and family members.

Sentence: He had been in the closet so long he smelled like cedar and old shoes.

Coming Out: 1) The act of leaving a building or structure. 2) The process of telling people about one’s homosexuality is often referred to as coming out.

Sentence: “It’s just not coming out”, muttered Sister Macbeth as she compulsively applied spot remover.

Conversion therapy, or reparative therapy or reorientation therapy: 1) A type of sexual orientation change effort that attempts to change the sexual orientation of a person from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual. In the past techniques have included psychoanalytic group therapy involving aversive conditioning, electric shock or nausea-inducing drugs, and may have included sex therapy. Today there seems to be a more subtle and genteel approach which is being met with more success,

Down Low or DL : 1)This term means different things to different people, however generally it connotes dishonesty and hiding. 2) A term for men who discreetly have sex with other men while in marital relationships with women. Often these men do not consider themselves homosexual or bisexual, and their female partners are generally not aware of these infidelities.

Ex-Gay: Term for those who have experienced SGAttraction and who, for religious or other reasons, have chosen not to embrace a gay identity, or to engage in SGA behavior.

Family Group Sheets: 1) Forms used in annotating genealogy; 2) Money saving tactics for Mormon families at bedtime.

Sentence: Laverne and Lavelle grab your sister and a family group sheet and get you off to bed.

Families are Forever: 1) LDS catch phrase originating in the early eighties - referring to the belief that temple sealed families created on earth can move into the next life together. 2) The prevalent attitude after two weeks of dealing with the new in-laws.

Sentence: Did you hear our new sister-in-law-sing the Duran-Duran Medley? Are families really forever?

Folk Doctrine: 1) Doctrines that develop from prevailing rumor.

Sentence: Three stakes in Pocatello have been asked to spear-head a pilot program for the Churches new Work and Glory aerobics program.

Gay: 1) A happy and joyful method of celebrating holidays often sung about in English Carols and Fred Astaire films. 2) A common term for an individual attracted to their same gender. Gay has been a widely used synonym of "male homosexual." Its meaning is rapidly evolving to refer to both male and female homosexuals. Some people differentiate between homosexual and gay: homosexual is regarded as a sexual orientation; gay is a political identity -- i.e. an advocate for equal rights for persons of all sexual orientations

Sentence: Sister Fellows always regretted naming her eldest son after her favorite uncle, Gaylord.

Gender: 1) The set of characteristics that distinguish between female and male members of a species. It is often used interchangeably with the word "sex" denoting the condition of being male or female.

Sentence: “But, Julie,” Cal whined, “I simply don’t have an inoffensive sentence for the word gender.”

Genealogy: 1) An activity Mormons do happily while praying to hook up with a distant relative who has done all the work.

Sentence: Brother The-Hun was a bit disturbed when his grandma showed him his genealogy line went directly to some guy named Attila.

Heterosexual: 1) People whose emotional, sexual and romantic feelings are primarily for those of the opposite sex or having to do with opposite sex attraction.

Homophobia: 1) An irrational fear, prejudice or discrimination towards homosexuals. Homophobia can take many forms, from name-calling and teasing to serious crimes like assault and murder. Homophobia like other irrational fears is most often based on ignorance.

Homosexual: 1) People whose emotional, sexual and romantic feelings are primarily for those of the same sex or having to do with same sex attraction.

In: See out.

Last days: 1) A horrific time of floods, famines, political strife and food storage eating – much like yesterday.

Sentence: The last days of a back to school sale appear to be frequented by women on a weekend pass from the state hospital.

Lesbian: Term to describe sexual and romantic desire between females.

Lifestyle: The term lifestyle (as in gay lifestyle) has become a polarizing term though used by gay and lesbian people in the past. “Those in the lifestyle” usually means “those who identify as gay", though it may refer to behavior as well as identity - much as LDS lifestyle would mean those living the teachings or of the culture, or East Coast Lifestyle may refer to black turtle necks, bookstores and apartment living.

Many are called, but few are chosen: 1) What I keep telling myself when I am asked to be on the ward activities committee again.

Mixed Marriage: For our purposes here, a union between one of “heterosexual” orientation with one dealing with SGA.

Out: See in.

Prophet: 1) A man called of God who holds the keys to direct the Church and to speak for Jesus Christ. The President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a chosen prophet, seer and revelator.

SSA: 1) Acronym for Same Sex Attraction. The LDS Church prefers SGA, (which I always thought stood for Star Gate Atlantis reruns) but actually means Same Gender Attraction. SSA and SGA are terms not highly favored among the gay community. Neither, for that matter, is the phrase “gay community”.

Sentence: ST-TNG and SGA are playing all week on SI-FI.

Sin: To behave in a manner that is contrary to the revealed commandments of God.

Transgendered: A designation of person whose identity does not conform to conventional notions of male or female gender roles.

Quotes, Quotation Marks: Tool used to set apart a word or phrase. For our purposes here, generally speaking, using quotation marks to denote words such as “gay” or “homosexual” is offensive. If you are not comfortable with using a term from the “so-called other side”, then it is recommended that a substitute which doesn't involve quote marks is found.

Sentence: I am offended that “he” just used quotations on the phrase other side.

Straight: 1) A direction which veers neither to the left or the right. 2) A slang term used in the place of heterosexual.

Sentence: The geography club, Straights of Magellan is not accepting new members.

Strait is the gate and narrow is the way: 1) Popular scripture quote used to encourage righteous living and weight loss.

Tithing: 1) One tenth of one’s income donated voluntarily to the LDS Church for upkeep and needed things.

Sentence: Ten percent of nothing is still nothing.

Urim and Thummim: 1) Tool used by Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon. 2) What I wish I had to understand my kids text messages.

Wickedness Never Was Happiness: 1) What Cal’s first missionary companion in the MTC from Macon Georga wrote on his left bicep with a sharpie when visas to Central America didn’t come through on time. 2) Comment made by those on their way to Church when a boat or motor-home pulls up in the next lane of traffic.

This is a blog for Mormon SSA* men who wish to follow the teachings of the LDS church while owning their Homosexuality. It can be done! This blog-spot is written by a sort-of smart gay man who is a card-carrying member of the LDS church and hopes to remain so. He will remain so by following the teachings of the prophets. His motto for today is "Many a true word spoken in jest," and he will try to not be so charming.

Mr. Thompson thinks he knows just about everything. Lately, it has been proposed that he may, in actuality, not. He is trying to be open to that thought.