Gay Mormon Man / PriesthoodMen: Tolerance

Showing posts with label Tolerance. Show all posts

Friday, January 9, 2015

Who are you to tell me that I am not being honest with myself?

"These men who are on the show "My Husband's Not Gay"are not being honest with themselves."

I hear this and my blood boils.

Before I spout, let me state that I am not even tempered like Ty Mansfield. He is a handsome younger gentleman with biceps and natural color in his hair. He leads the North Star group and is a rational, PC kinda' dude.

I am not him. I am a just a rather off-kilter bizarre normal-looking married Mormon homosexual who follows the teachings of the LDS church. I don't have a lot of authority or hidden angst for that matter. I support the LDS church. I support agency as well. Now that I have reiterated that point...

...let me just say, how on earth is anyone able to determine another human being's level of self awareness/honesty? "He's not being honest with himself" is often what is said when someone doesn't agree with "his" point of view. It goes along with the phrase "this is how 'he' should be living".

There it is again in the online comments section this phrase in the comments for The View's report on the upcoming show about married gay Mormons. "They are not being honest with themselves." - referring to the MarMoMHo's featured on the show.

Here is one of the comments I refer to: "People can of course choose to do what they want with their life. But to put this on a show, it needs to be clear that it is a very dysfunctional harmful thing to do to not be honest with yourself."

Yes, that's right. Do what you want, but you're screwing it up. Just one step removed from "when you fall down and break you're leg, don't come running to me".

At least there is a voice of reason in the national market. Read what The View host Sara Gilbert has to say:

"I think if you're on a show called My Husband's Not Gay, then your husband's gay. But I also think there is a reverse bullying in the gay community where you can't do it a certain way and - I'm sure this is controversial - but I think if a guy is attracted to guys and he wants to try to live a straight lifestyle that is as much his prerogative than somebody who wants to live a gay lifestyle." - Sara Gilbert, responding to criticism of the show.

Isn't that interesting? She explains exactly what I have been feeling. I am a married Mormon homosexual. A few of us are doing it our own way, and that seems to drive a vocal few mad. I can't tell you how many people have send me emails or messages that they were dropping me because they had thought I was cool but clearly I am not.

Well, yes I can: 12 in the last week -- not including unexplained drops in Facebook friends.
(There could be other reasons as well for the drops. I can be a little confrontational)

I want to quote Sara again. "I think if a guy is attracted to guys and he wants to try to live a straight lifestyle that is as much his prerogative than somebody who wants to live a gay lifestyle."

Amen

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

My Husband is gay. Get used to it.

New from those who brought you Honey Boo Boo and Say Yes to the Dress; An equally heavily edited and in-depth report on MarMoHos -- Married Mormon homosexuals.

Get this; Because it is about self confessed homosexuals the show is called "My husband's not gay".

Of course, the husbands are gay. The husbands being gay is why they created the show.

And see how clever that title was? See how the presentation is sexy and generates interest?

After all, "My husband is gay" has been done, and TLC prides itself on being cutting edge.

Plus they get to be sarcastic and biting and that is just the title -- so it's a win win.

Church spokesman Eric Hawkins responded in the following way regarding the issue:

“The decision for a woman and man to marry is deeply personal. While the Church does not promote marriage as a treatment method for same-sex attraction, couples who are trying to be lovingly supportive of each other while being true to their religious convictions deserve our support and respect.”

How is it that freakish things are lauded and supported unless the freakish part is Mormon? I am hoping that the television audience is brighter than TLC's marketing suggests.

Wouldn't it be nice to have others see the show and say, "OK. I may or may not agree with those queer-ish Mormons, but how, where and why they live as they do is their choice.

Or is understanding and acceptance only required of conservatives or others wearing boring shoes.?

Who would ever have thought I would be typing this thing out. Read it and remember how it felt

GINGY
We spend out whole lives wishing. We weren't so freakin' strange.
They make us feel that way. But it's they who need to change (no one has to be made to feel anything -- bytheway)

PAPA BEAR:
The way they think, that is.

[GINGY]
It's time to stop the hiding. It's time to stand up tall.
Sing hey world, I'm different, and here I am splinters and all!
Spliters and all

[MAMA BEAR]
Let your freak flag wave
Let your freak flag fly

[MAMA BEAR]
Never take it down, never take it down
Raise it way up high! Yeah! Let your freak flag fly! Let it fly, fly, fly!

PINOCCHIO:
It's hard to be a puppet

THREE LITTLE PIGS:
Little puppet boy

PINOCCHIO:
So many strings attached.

HUMPTY-DUMPTY:
But it's not the choice you make.
Its just, how you, were hatched!

[ALL]
Let your freak flag wave, let your freak flag fly. Never take it down, Never take it down,
Raise it way up high!
Let your freak flag fly

THREE LITTLE PIGS:
I'm proud to be a pig

PAPA BEAR:
I raise my furry fist

[SHOEMAKERS ELF]
It's time a tell the world
I'm a scientologist!

WICKED WITCH:
I did some time in jail

GARDEN GNOME:
I smell like sauerkraut

WOLF:
I'm gonna shed my house coat

ALL:
Miss Thing, you work it out!
Let your freak flag wave! Let your freak flag fly! Never take it down never take it down.
Raise it way up high!

HUMPTY-DUMPTY:
We've got magic
We've got power
Who are they
To say we're wrong?
All the things that make us special
Are the things that make us strong!

ALL:
What makes us special
Makes us strong!
Let your freak flag wave!
Let your freak flag fly!
Never take it down, never take it down
Raise it way up high!
Let your freak flag fly! Fly!
Fly!
Fly!
Fly!
FLY!!

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.