Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Pastor Donnie McClurkin's struggle with sexuality mirrors the Black church's
by Rev. Irene Monroe
2021-04-13

This article shared 3777 times since Tue Apr 13, 2021
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


The most significant factor that keeps the Black church on the down low are closeted, homophobic ministers.

Pastor Donnie McClurkin—a three-time Gospel Grammy winner and the former poster boy for African American ex-gay ministries—is one example. In a recent episode of TV One's Uncensored, McClurkin talked about his sexual past.

"I didn't know really what a woman wanted," McClurkin said. "I've messed up more than I've had good. My past relationships were a sprinkling of everything—men and women."

McClurkin's sexuality has been an open secret. However, now at 61, McClurkin's lamenting about growing old and being alone because of his sexuality. While the Black LGBTQ+ community would applaud someone of McClurkin's status telling the truth about his sexual past, many of us can't pretend to care because of decades of damning and damaging messages he hurled at us.

At the COGIC (Church of God in Christ) 2009 Convocation, McClurkin espoused his ex-gay rhetoric, castigating former talented gospel industry worker Tonex (B. Slade), who unapologetically stated that he "didn't struggle with his sexual attraction to men." According to McClurkin, however, Black males like Tonex are gay because of sexual molestation, an absentee father or a lack of strong male role models. McClurkin attributed his homosexuality to being raped twice as a child—first at age 8 at his brother's funeral by his uncle, and then at age 13 by his cousin, his uncle's son.

"You can't call me a homophobic if I've been a homosexua l…. My thing was from [being] raped. And this started a pathology," McClurkin stated on radio's The Tom Joyner Morning Show in 2013.

Confusing, however, same-gender sexual violence with homosexuality, McClurkin misinterpreted the molestation as the reason for his gay sexual orientation. McClurkin "testi-lies" that his cure was done by deliverance from God and a restoration of his manhood by becoming the biological father of a child.

However, in 2010, Pastor McClurkin's homophobic past came back to haunt him. McClurkin was billed as the main event in the 2010 Boston Gospelfest, and many African American LGBTQ people did not attend the event; neither was the mayor. Every year then-Mayor Tom Menino's Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events put on its annual Boston GospelFest at City Hall Plaza. Because the Gospelfest was a public and taxpayer-funded community event, it was open to all—including the African American LGBTQ communities.

"I learned yesterday—through the Phoenix article regarding the City of Boston Gospel Fest— of the depth and breadth of Donnie McClurkin's views on the gay community," Burns emailed me. Julie Burns was then-director of arts, tourism and special events for the mayor's office.

"I am embarrassed to say that I was not aware of this, and we obviously should have vetted him further. Gospel Fest is in its 10th year and is arguably the largest gospel event in New England. Minister McClurkin was recommended to us by a number of people, and we were swayed by his artistic honors. Of course, this does not excuse the situation that we now find ourselves in! Please rest assured that Mayor Menino did not know anything about this and would never condone 'hate speech' of any kind."

Menino had the trust and respect among both African American and LGBTQ communities. However, when it came to moving Boston's Black ministers on LGBTQ civil rights, Menino's struggle had been and was like that of other elected officials and queer activists— immovable. His absence from that year's Gospelfest was another example of how Boston's Black ministers—an influential and powerful political voting bloc of the mayor's—would rather compromise their decades-long friendship with City Hall than denounce McClurkin's appearance.

In 2013, McClurkin was scheduled to be one of the singers at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial during the "Reflections on Peace: From Gandhi to King" event. But D.C.'s mayor, responding to LGBTQ activists' outcry of McClurkin's appearance, withdrew the invitation.

On Uncensored, McClurkin didn't come out with a full-throated statement about being gay or bisexual. Instead, he spoke about his sexuality in terms of marriage.

"Honestly, the only thing in my life that is missing is marriage. The only thing that is missing in my life that can cause real family is marriage."

While McClurkin refers to heterosexual weddings, he does, however, know about same-sex marriage because he was an opponent of the marriage equality movement.

In 2021, I am still asking these three questions:

1. Why can't we as an African American community tell the truth about our sexuality?

2. What price do we pay in telling the truth?

3. And what role does the church play in perpetuating not only unsafe sexual behavior but also demonizing its members of the LGBTQ community?

My answer: ministers like McClurkin.

McClurkin admitted he still has sexual urges to be with men but won't act on them. He compares his gay desires to diabetes: "I don't eat sugar, but it doesn't mean that I don't want sugar."


This article shared 3777 times since Tue Apr 13, 2021
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

VIEWS Mike Johnson: The smiling face of Christian tyranny 2024-02-14
- Mike Johnson wants to rewrite the constitution to make the United States a Christian nation. James Michael Johnson, Republican from Louisiana's Fourth District, is the 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was ...


Gay News

VIEWS Parents, not legislators, should be making decisions about medical options for children 2024-02-06
By Jeffery M. Leving - No matter the medical issue, when it comes to kids, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said something last December that every lawmaker in the country should realize when it comes to medical decisions for children. "Were House ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Sundance items, Green Day, 'Wednesday,' Queerties, 'The Wiz' 2024-01-26
- At the Sundance Film Festival, Jodie Foster told Variety that the $1.4-billion success of Barbie helps confirm that Hollywood no longer views women directors as too much of a risk. She said, "With a big success ...


Gay News

VIEWS Is the Pope Catholic? Francis faces opposition in steps toward LGBTQ+ inclusivity 2024-01-02
- The recent change in Vatican policy allowing priests to bless same-gender couples has provoked an unprecedented backlash against Pope Francis and his openness to LGBTQ+ people—a backlash that some fear might devolve into a schism in ...


Gay News

Bring Chicago Home: Guess who's saying no again 2023-12-04
Commentary by Bob Palmer and Mark Swartz - Chicago is ushering in an era of change with a new progressive mayor with a vision to invest in communities long ignored and a significant increase in like-minded city council members. We are excited to see ...


Gay News

Pope Francis's community of transwomen 2023-11-28
- It's a rare opportunity to meet the pope. It's even rarer if you're a transgender Catholic. However, on Nov. 19, in Torvaianica, Italy, a community of transwomen, many of them sex workers, were welcomed and seated ...


Gay News

Banning the Banning of Books: Illinois and California lead the way 2023-10-26
- In June, at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation banning book bans in Illinois public libraries. This legislation, initiated by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, passed the Illinois House and ...


Gay News

OPINION Renewing state's Invest in Kids program is investing in anti-LGBTQ+ hate 2023-10-23
- In February 2020, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield warned transgender students in the Diocese's educational system that they "may be expelled from the school" if they live their lives authentically. Lansing Christian School ...


Gay News

Gilbert Baker Foundation reacts to death of shop owner who flew the rainbow flag 2023-08-29
--From a press release - In response to the murder of Laura Ann Carleton over flying the Rainbow flag in her shop in California, the Gilbert Baker Foundation released the statement below. Facebook refused to post the statement as it did not "...meet their standards." ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT U.S. higher education under siege; freedom of inquiry and speech at risk 2023-07-03
- The Covid pandemic threw a harsh spotlight on higher education in America, exposing forces eating away at the foundations of college and university learning, calling into question the traditional purposes of such education in our post-modern, ...


Gay News

Guest essay by Florida mom Nicole Pejovich: What's Happening to Florida's Public Schools? 2023-06-19
Related video below - A queer Florida parent answers questions about recent laws, how Floridians are coping, and how you can help Books pulled from school library shelves by the dozens. All evidence of inclusivity stripped from classrooms. The politically ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT For divorced parents, transgender children's health can present tricky dilemmas 2023-06-12
- Over the last few months, issues impacting individuals who identify as transgender and non-binary are getting a lot of attention in the media and among some politicians. Sadly, because it's become a political issue; a lot ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT War in the 21st Century: mercenaries, private military companies, private armies 2023-05-20
- In 2022, $407 billion of the Pentagon budget—representing half of that year's funding —were obligated to private contractors, of which a significant number were Private Military Companies (PMCs) involved in ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT Telling the world about my mental health disorders 2023-05-04
- Over the years, coming out as a lesbian hasn't been that hard for me—because I was always too busy hiding something else. Confessing queerness can be a breeze compared to revealing mental illness. But I decline ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT German bishops endorse blessings of same-sex couples: Ancient rituals retturn 2023-03-31
- This March, at a national meeting of leaders of the German Catholic Church (referred to as a synod), a document titled Blessing Ceremonies for Couples who Love Each Other" received overwhelming support: 176 votes in favor, ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.