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 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 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 14, 2011 A diversity speaker I know (who also happens to be a dear friend) is fond of saying, “People do the best they can with what they have.” When I first heard her say this, my immediate reaction was, “Well, that’s obviously false.” In fact, I still think
When my Grandfather Learned I was ‘Queer’ 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 »
First published at 365gay.com on November 12, 2010 When I first acknowledged to myself at 19 that I was gay, there were two friends that I needed to tell right away. I told Scott first. We were fellow candidates with the Capuchin Franciscans, aspiring to be priests. (We continued to affectionately call each other “Brother”
Friendship, Gayness, and Death Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on October 22, 2010 In my work as “the Gay Moralist,” I often pursue dialogue with opponents of LGBT equality. I do this for various reasons: to understand them better, to help them understand us better, to help bystanders understand the controversy better, to promote truth more generally, and ultimately to
Why “Love the Sinner” Rings Hollow Read More »
First published at 365gay.com on August 13, 2010 “The trouble with atheism,” my friend said with a smile, “is that you don’t get any holidays.” Sometimes even tired jokes can be insightful. The friend was a Catholic priest, speaking to me (an atheist) as I spent a week with him and several dozen other priests