John’s column “The Gay Moralist” appeared bi-weekly in Michigan’s Between the Lines from 2002-2007, and then weekly at 365Gay.com from 2007-2011. His columns and op-eds have also appeared in other venues, including the Independent Gay Forum, The Advocate, the Los Angeles Times, The New Republic and the New York Times. Most of these columns are archived here.
First published at Between The Lines News on March 12, 2009 Recently I wrote about a proposed compromise by David Blankenhorn, who opposes gay marriage, and Jonathan Rauch, who supports it. On the Blankenhorn/Rauch proposal, the federal government would recognize individual states’ same-sex marriages or civil unions (under the name “civil unions”) and grant them […]
Strange Bedfellows Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 28, 2009 There is something very satisfying about ideological purity and the righteous indignation that often accompanies it. It can be fun to paint one’s opponents as crazy and stupid (and sometimes they make it all too easy to do so). Less fun, yet potentially more productive, are attempts
Can We Find Common Ground on Gay Marriage? Read More »
First published at Between The Lines News on February 26, 2009 I’ve been a member of the American Philosophical Association (APA) for about fifteen years. I go to the annual meetings, I get the publications, and I peruse the frightfully scarce listings in “Jobs for Philosophers.” Last week a colleague sent me a petition addressed
Diversity and Discrimination Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 13, 2009 Two decades ago, when I first came out of the closet, my mother had an irritating habit of referring to my boyfriend as my “friend.” You could almost hear the scare-quotes around the word as she would speak it. “This is John’s, um, ‘friend.’” When I complained
The Power of Words Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 6, 2009 I’ve written in this column of my friendship with Glenn Stanton [http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-friends-with-the-enemy/], a Focus on the Family employee whom I regularly debate on same-sex marriage. There are different kinds of friendship, of course, not to mention different levels and layers. We’re not “best buds,” but we’re not
Hospitality, not Homosexuality Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on January 30, 2009 I don’t have children, I don’t want children, and I don’t “get” children. Some of my friends have children. I like their children best at two stages of their lives: (1) When they’re small enough that they come in their own special carrying cases and stay put
What’s Best for Children Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on January 23, 2009 When Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson was invited to deliver the invocation at the inaugural kickoff event, I expected some conservative evangelicals to complain. And they did. Forget the fact that Robinson’s invitation seemed like a token gesture after the controversial choice of evangelical pastor (and Prop-8 supporter)
Gene Robinson’s Scary Prayer Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on January 16, 2009 Why are our opponents so obsessed with butt sex? I’ve personally pondered this question more times than is probably healthy. It occurred to me a few weeks ago when a poster on a conservative blog complained that gays “expect us to approve of butt sex and call
Gay Sex Isn’t Weird. Sex Is. Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on December 19, 2008 Marjorie Christoffersen seems like a nice enough person by all reports, including those of gay friends and acquaintances. But Christoffersen made a $100 donation to Prop. 8, which stripped marriage rights from gays and lesbians in California. Now some customers of El Coyote, the landmark Los Angeles
Margie Christoffersen’s Freedom – and Ours Read More »
First published at Between the Lines News on December 18, 2008 Glenn Stanton is a friend of mine. He’s also badly wrong about same-sex marriage, and I tell him so—frequently, publicly, and sharply. Glenn works at Focus on the Family, a premier organization of the religious right. He and I regularly debate same-sex marriage at