Blacks, Gays And The Church: A Complex Relatnship : NPR

SOUTHERN GOSPEL SGER KENNY BISHOP IS NOW A GAY UNED CHURCH OF CHRIST PASTOR

* black gay gospel singers *

The 22-year-old son of a gospel sger father is clearly and proudly subvertg relig inography and mic to glorify homoerotic sire — and dog so, promptg a natnal nversatn about homophobia wh the Baptist church and Black Christian culture as a ’s more, Lil Nas X is far om the the only Black queer mician explorg the lk between relign and queerns through art. Multidisciplary artist Lazas Lynch tradnal gospel harmoni his 2020 sgle, “I’m Gay, ” on which he proclaims, “I’m so ee jt beg myself.

” His words drown out the background noise of a preacher screamg, “God n't e no men tryna be women, ” and other homophobic drivel. In Jam Baldw’s “Go Tell It on the Mounta, ” the protagonist, thly veiled as himself, wrtl wh two cril qutns: What do mean to be a Black Amerin, and what do mean to be gay?

WHO'S GAY GOSPEL MIC?

” Our nnectns and ntributns to the larger Black relig smos are secrated every time homophobic pronouncements go unchecked the holy plac of worship. For Charl Evans, “Gospel mic is tied to sufferg, black sufferg and certaly black gay sufferg.

“Those nomatns are more open to gays whout announcg , bee of s lurgy and anizatnal stcture like Pentestal church, ” Patterson shared.

The Black gay male mega-stars are always forced to go back to the closet, publicly nouncg their sexual orientatn at the church’s annual nvotn. McClurk is a three-time Gospel Grammy wner, was a revered judge on BET’s “Sunday Bt, ” a realy TV-gospel sgg petn show, and the poster boy for Ain Amerin ex-gay mistri.