Calling all willing homosexuals!!!!

[JewishHobbit]

No... this is not a solicit.

As some of you know, I write novels as a hobby and self publish them. I'm nothing special, though one book is doing decent for a nobody like me and another is starting to pick up steam. But I like to write. I am also a Christian (though I struggle with my faith, I admit) and usually write secular stories with some sort of Christian content mixed in... usually not in a preachy way, but you write what you know. I am also a supporter of gay rights.

All this to say that I've thought up a book idea that I might write in a couple years (once I make my way through other books that I want to write first). I understand most Christians' stance on homosexuality based on Biblical teachings (whether I agree with it or not) but loath how many of them/us handle it. I want to write a fictional story of a gay person in an overly Christian town, getting into various people's heads, and try to get an eye-opening take in how both sides work. I don't plan on making it anti or pro homosexuality or Christian. My goal is primarily to create something that will 1) let gay people (particularly young people) know they are not alone or scum, and 2) try to make Christians see homosexuals as people and not objects. I plan to challenge Christian stances on homosexuality and Homosexual stances on Christianity but while leaving the discussion open ended for personal contemplation.

As a Christian who supports gay rights, I get my side of the story. As a Christian who used to be very opposed to gay rights... I also get that side of the story. I've read quite a bit about homosexuals but still feel I know little about that side of it.

What I'm asking for the sake of research is if any homosexuals here on the hype could share their experiences, fears, concerns, etc. about life, religion, afterlife, love, etc. Really, anything that you feel could help me give an accurate depiction of a homosexual man or woman in the world. The more detail the better. It doesn't have to be in this thread, as I understand privacy, and if you'd rather talk over PM that'd be fine. I promise to keep all said a secret.

Thanks in advance, and if no one would like to talk about it, thanks anyway.

 

[charl_huntress]

Shouldn't this go in the political section...or somewhere else? It just seems inappropriate for the community forum....but what do I know.

 

[bullets]

YouTube is a good source for video blogs that could give you different perspectives.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

You could always go undercover. way undercover

 

[Schlosser85]

Um, I don't know....if you ask me specific questions, I'll do my best to answer.

 

[Donnie Darko]

This thread title seemed like a Craigslist personals as. I was wondering where it was going.

Speaking of... I was thinking of you earlier (haha, no, not like that). I remember you had another thread a while back about some of your other novels, and I meant to check one of them out. Could you give me the titles of your other books so I could look them up?

I actually work for a self-publishing company, so I feel like I also really need to get some of my ideas down while I have a discounted resources available.

 

[KevanG]

I love the title, it's like an ad for a gay guy who's desperate for a prom date. Can't help you though, sorry.

 

[JewishHobbit]

This thread title seemed like a Craigslist personals as. I was wondering where it was going.

Speaking of... I was thinking of you earlier (haha, no, not like that). I remember you had another thread a while back about some of your other novels, and I meant to check one of them out. Could you give me the titles of your other books so I could look them up?

I actually work for a self-publishing company, so I feel like I also really need to get some of my ideas down while I have a discounted resources available.

HERE'S a link to my amazon page with all my books. All 5 are eBooks and 3 of the 5 have paperbacks with the other two's paperbacks coming very soon.

You could always go undercover. way undercover

My wife swears that I'm in denial, so I might be able to pull that off

Um, I don't know....if you ask me specific questions, I'll do my best to answer.

I don't have any specific questions in mind. I'm mostly just wanting to get a personal take on a typical homosexual's mindset outside of all the cliches. Maybe you can answer some of these:

1) What was it like building to the moment of 'coming out' (if you have) and how did that go?

2) What is your opinion of Christians... all inclusive, individual, etc.?

3) How do you feel people of faith see or think of you?

4) What sort of adversity have you faced due to your lifestyle?

5) What type of positives have you faced due to your lifestyle?

Again, you don't have to anything if you don't want to. I'm just trying to get into people's heads to better understand and represent them.

 

[bullets]

My wife swears that I'm in denial, so I might be able to pull that off .

 

[Schlosser85]

JewishHobbit,

I'm about to go to bed and I don't have the mental focus right now to give your questions the time they deserve, but I will address them ASAP.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Take your time. Like I said, this isn't an immediate project for me.

 

[Donnie Darko]

I downloaded the Cicada Song e-book last night. Looking forward to getting around to reading it eventually. Sorry I was the cheapskate who picked the one free download first.

 

[Schlosser85]

1) What was it like building to the moment of 'coming out' (if you have) and how did that go?

The first person I ever came out to was a girl in high school who I knew was bi. Like many homosexuals, I first claimed to be bi, then later admitted I was just plain gay. I wrote a letter and gave it to her, and she wrote me back later.

The big nerve-wracking one was my mother. I tried to summon the nerve to tell her a hundred times, even after I was pretty confident she'd accept it. It's probaby the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done in my life.

2) What is your opinion of Christians... all inclusive, individual, etc.?

I try not to paint with a broad brush. Sometimes I get heated and probably fail at that. I used to have very civil debates with a conservative Christian about homosexuality, where he was never disrespectful to me and I wasn't disrespectful to him. We also just chatted about other things, like The Lord of the Rings.

I also know a woman who considers herself a conservative Christian who I would testify under oath is one of the most open-hearted and non-hateful people I know. 2/3 of her close friends are non-Christians and/or gay. She has her beliefs, but having different beliefs doesn't stop her from being friends with people.

There are also gay Christians; I live with a practicing Catholic, and my ex is married to a pastor-in-training. So gay and Christian aren't mutually exclusive, something some people on both sides have a tendency to forget.

Like I said, I know I get heated sometimes and don't do a good job of following my own advice, but when I see people making blanket statements about Christians (as I've probably done myself sometimes), I think about the Christians I know who are not hateful people at all, and for that matter the gay Christians I know.

3) How do you feel people of faith see or think of you?

Well, I think I pretty much answered this one above. I admit, when I know someone is devoutly religious it does make me wary/skeptical of how they see me or would see if they knew I was gay. I try not to stereotype people, but it's kind of a gut reaction.

4) What sort of adversity have you faced due to your lifestyle?

I can't honestly say I've faced much, especially in comparison to many other people. The worst part was when word got around in high school. I had confided in a couple of girls, one of whom was a loose-lipped gossip, and other people ended up finding out. My homosexuality pretty much became an open secret in the last couple months of high school (which was probably good timing). My high school was very homophobic (and racist for that matter). It hurt to see people huddling in a corner shooting looks at me and know they were talking about me and we'd been at least friendly beforehand but now I was like the pariah they weren't coming near or talking to but definitely talking about. It made me feel really uncomfortable and self-conscious and singled out, like I had a scarlet letter on my forehead or something. No one ever threatened me, harassed me, or beat me up though, and I graduated shortly after, so I can't really complain much. I don't walk into a room and announce I'm gay, but I don't really make it a secret, and at every workplace I've been in it's become common knowledge among my co-workers sooner or later. I've never encountered a homophobic co-worker anywhere I've worked. If anyone had a problem, they kept it to themselves.

5) What type of positives have you faced due to your lifestyle?

I like to think I'm a little more open-minded to other "alternative lifestyles" because I'm gay. I'm not saying straight people can't be open-minded, but I think being gay gives you a level of understanding of how it feels that a straight person would be hard-pressed to truly understand. I've also realized there are a lot of Christians and a lot of people out there in general who are not homophobic and really don't bat an eyelash at it, which is a nice realization.

Feel free to ask for more elaboration or any other questions you have. I hope I gave you something helpful, though I don't think my life's been very fraught with adversity or very dramatic compared to some LGBT people.