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 March 18, 2011 Why does “love the sinner; hate the sin” ring so hollow in the gay-rights debate? One reason, as I’ve argued before [http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-why-%E2%80%9Clove-the-sinner%E2%80%9D-rings-hollow/], is that part of loving the “sinner” is making an effort to understand him—something our opponents seldom do. If they did make that effort, it […]
Are we Defined by our Sexuality? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on March 11, 2011 Recently I received the following inquiry via my website [http://johncorvino.com/]: “As a single older closeted gay man. I don’t understand how we can ask for marriage rights when so many gay couples don’t even understand monogamy. Care to explain?” My first reaction was, “No, not really.” That
Will Gay Marriage Undermine Monogamy? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on March 4, 2011 Let me begin with a huge Thank You to readers who weighed in thoughtfully on last week’s column [http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-is-it-time-for-the-gay-moralist-to-retire/], which pondered the changing attitudes of audiences at my “Gay Moralist” lectures. Although I have a general policy of not chiming in on the comments thread—partly because of
Gay People Have Work to do Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 25, 2011 It is a strange, challenging, and encouraging time for me as the Gay Moralist. For almost nineteen years I have been giving my talk “What’s Morally Wrong with Homosexuality?” at universities around the country. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SutThIFi24w&feature=player_embedded] I sometimes quip that the talk is old enough to vote, and
Is it Time for the Gay Moralist to Retire? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 18, 2011 I am about to commit an act of gay heresy. It wouldn’t be my first time. But it is the first time I will be challenging, not just an Article of Faith, but also a High Priestess. I’m referring, of course, to Lady Gaga, whose hit single
Should we Care if we Were ‘Born This Way’? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 11, 2011 When I floated the idea of writing a Valentine’s Day column, my friends’ reactions ran the gamut—from suggestions for themes (“Talk about what makes a successful relationship!”) to wariness (“Are you sure you want to reinforce this Hallmark holiday?”) to sheer disgust. (“Ugh. Please don’t.”) Either because
Love, Partnership, and Valentine’s Day Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on February 4, 2011 You may not know Frank Kameny’s name. You should. Frank Kameny has sometimes been called the “Rosa Parks” of the LGBT movement. Like most analogies, this one is imperfect. Parks’ civil disobedience was backed by an organized movement; Kameny had to forge a movement. Parks is in
First published at 365gay.com on January 28, 2011 I first discovered the gay-themed Doritos ads http://glaadblog.org/2011/01/25/frito-lay-distances-itself-from-gay-themed-ads/ when a friend sent me a link to one titled “Told You So” with the question: “Is it okay for me to laugh at this?” Quick answer, for those who have been wondering the same thing: Yes, it’s okay
Are Those Gay Doritos Ads Funny? Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on January 21, 2011 The recent Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy article “What is Marriage?” [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1722155], by Sherif Girgis, Robert George, and Ryan Anderson (hereafter GGA), has received considerable attention—as it should. (Jonathan Rauch’s incisive retort links to much of the discussion; see here: http://igfculturewatch.com/2011/01/12/let-them-eat-friendship-george-et-al/.) That’s because the article
What Marriage Isn’t Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on January 7, 2011 This is my first column after a month’s hiatus. I want to begin by thanking Chase Whiteside, who filled in for me while I was gone. Chase has a knack for keeping the big picture in sight while keenly highlighting details. I look forward to his future
New Year, New Family Read More »