We at Transracial must admit we did not know much about Donnie McClurkin until today — when the advertisement above arrived in our in-box from the folks over at Black Gay Men’s Network (The BGM Network).
It seems as if Gay and Lesbian black folk here in NYC have had enough of McClurkin — an outspoken and homophobic gospel singer and preacher who’s made a serious habit of hating on the Gays in oh-so public ways.
Moreover, McClurkin is one of the most visible members of the growing “ex-Gay” movement — folks who say they once were same-sex loving, and have now turned to the hetero side. He contends sexual abuse as a kid led him down the Gay path and via prayer and spiritual work he’s now straight.
Good for him!
However and with whom-ever McClurkin chooses to expresses his sexing is his business. But McClurkin’s endless bad-mouthing of Gay folk — especially Black Gay folk — has just got to end.
And it’s Black Gays and Lesbians here in NYC who are putting their money where their mouths are.
Today, the FULL-PAGE advertisement above ran in the city-wide Metro New York newspaper — the free paper handed out by the thousands to commutes all across town.
Supported by the Gay/Black/Christian-focused group GayByGod.net — the add essentially demands homophobes like McClurkin stop hating on the Gays and begin to do God’s real work of loving and supporting one another.
Most importantly, the add is a very necessary step by the Gay Black community to end the silence and anti-LGBT bigotry often preached from the pulpit.
“We want to be sure that Mr. McClurkin realizes that he is NOT God,” says BMG Network Co-Chair Sheldon DeSouza, “and we will no longer sit silently in the pews as he deflects his own personal issues”.
Bring it!
This message is overdue.
However Rev. McClurkin is in Lagos Nigeria this weekend at a huge gospel sing.
I do hope people send him copies of this ad.
here here!
Great tag on this story – thanks for spreading the word. Nice to see a compotent, comprehensive campaign like this is motion. I do feel for Donnie though, I think he’s very confliceted. I know his back story, and the statments hes made about himself and his decisions, but I’m unfamiliar with him being proactively anti-gay or pro-reform, can you share those specifics?
Heres a great rendition of Total Praise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MseQLlXf7OM&feature=PlayList&p=31109200E799B331&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=49
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I think Donnie McClurkin is more complex than we want to admit. He was raped by a man at 8 and throughout his childhood. I don’t see why his confusion and struggle for sexuality would be any different that that of a woman put through the same negative experience. I think he gets to make the call on his life. He has a church and is a successful gospel singer, very inspiring. He’s apologized for some past commentary and I think still struggles for how to deal with it. I’m not sold on him as the bad guy.