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 365gay.com on June 3, 2011 Many years ago I was invited to present a paper at a philosophy conference. As usual, a respondent was assigned: a Professor Robin Somebody (I don’t recall the last name). I found out about the assignment by mail, and I remember wondering immediately, “Is Robin a man […]
When Gender Matters Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on May 27, 2011 Not long ago I encountered an old acquaintance while waiting in an airport for a flight. He noticed that I looked tan—I had recently been to Mexico—so we started chatting about vacations. “Have you ever been on a cruise?” he asked. “Not since I was a teenager,”
The Trouble with “Don’t Say Gay” Read More »
First published at Between the Lines News on May 26, 2011 By the time you read this, the Rhode Island House will have passed a civil-unions bill that no one seems to want. Many gay-rights advocates in the state, led by Marriage Equality Rhode Island, are opposing the civil-unions bill because it doesn’t go far
Civil Unions Better than Nothing Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on May 13, 2011 Many years ago, when I was about 10 years old, my father was driving me to school one day when a story came on the radio about a man convicted of abusing his own children. I said something like “I can’t believe a father would do that
What Makes ‘Real’ Parents? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on May 6, 2011 I’ve spent the last two weeks helping my sister care for my 5-month-old niece, Tess. I have two nieces: my sister’s baby, Tess, and my partner’s sister’s baby, Hadley. They were born a few weeks apart, and Mark and I have been reveling in the joys of
Biological Bonds and Gay Marriage Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on April 29, 2011 In response to my last column [http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-what-the-bible-doesn’t-say/], a reader comments, “I’m sorry, but every time I read anything by Corvino I can’t help but think ‘What a sell-out!’ I personally don’t see him as helping our community at all. He is an apologist and I for one
So, you Think I’m a Sell-Out? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on April 22, 2011 Gay-rights advocates often complain that our opponents are selective in their use of the Bible. Indeed they are. But so are our allies. I confronted this problem recently after a talk I gave in rural Pennsylvania, when fielding comments from two audience members from opposite sides of
What the Bible Doesn’t Say Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on April 15, 2011 A friend recently asked, “Do you ever have doubts about the whole transgender thing?” My friend has a habit of referring to anything she hasn’t wrapped her mind around as a “thing,” which has the unfortunate effect of making whatever it is sound like a trend or
The Meaning of Transgender Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on April 8, 2011 This column is about anal sex. So if you don’t like reading about such things, stop reading now. Many years ago I lived next door to a young born-again-Christian rock singer. (He probably would dislike reading about anal sex. Glad you’re still here, though.) While Jason strongly
Is There One ‘Real’ Kind of Gay Sex? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on March 25, 2011 I’ve been in Mexico for the last few weeks. I’ve met people from all over North America, who occasionally ask me where I’m from. In the past, such conversations have often gone like this: Me: “I’m from Detroit.” Stranger: “No, really, where are you from?” Me: “Detroit.”
Why I’m Proud that Detroit is my Home Read More »