Were there queens Byzantium? | Orthodox and gay

Contents:

• THEMSTORY: THE HISTORY OF GAY MARRIAGE OM THE BYZANTE EMPIRE TO PRENT DAY
• HOW A MULTIETHNIC GAY PEASANT BEME A ROMAN EMPEROR
• BYZANTE EMPIRE, HOW A MULTIETHNIC GAY PEASANT BEME A ROMAN EMPEROR
• GAY & LESBIAN VAISHNAVA ASSOCIATION

THEMSTORY: THE HISTORY OF GAY MARRIAGE OM THE BYZANTE EMPIRE TO PRENT DAY

A nversatn wh Stephen Morris about the attus toward male homosexualy  different s of Byzante culture and the prospects for an orthodox regnn of same-sex marriag. He is the thor of “When Brothers Dwell Uny”: Byzante Christiany and Homosexualy, published by McFarland 2016. In the cultur of the ancient world, there was no need for signatns such as LGBTQ+ bee there was no difference noted between what is now fed as "homosexual" and "heterosexual" relatnships.

There are not even words the ancient languag which translate to the morn-day "homosexual" and "heterosexual" which were only ed 1869 CE. The Greek term arsenoko, translated as "homosexual" the Bible for the first time 1946 CE, never existed until was ed by St. Scholar Col Spencer not, "Bisexualy the male was accepted as natural and never drew adverse ment, but passive homosexualy ma the Egyptians feel uneasy.

The tale of Sodom and Gomorrah om the Book of Genis is also monly ced attacks on the gay muny, but even Church Fathers such as Sat Ambrose (d. Comg om a background Classics, I ially assumed there’d be a large pool of evince for (and high scholarly tert ) Byzante homosexualy, but after a year of graduate-level study I’ve never seen eher scholars or historil sourc talk about for more than a sentence or two, ually to say was illegal.

HOW A MULTIETHNIC GAY PEASANT BEME A ROMAN EMPEROR

I know that nuchs were often acced of homosexualy - though aga, I’m not sure exactly which sourc - but prumably this impli that there were beard parti volved as well? After Basil and John were joed together, she would be named “Kg’s Mother, ” and she would name Basil’s son her of , when asked to thk about the history of same-sex marriage, will probably ll up a few more recent ton: Edie Wdsor’s 2013 Supreme Court w, perhaps, or Goodridge v Department of Health, the 2004 se that legalized gay marriage Massachetts.

[1] The word queen may raise a few eyebrows for some people that is equently viewed by many people, gay and straight, as havg negative nnotatns. The term homosexual is que clil and the word gay is a very morn novatn, and so Profsor Smythe chose the word “queen” to dite those homosexual men who were very open about their same-sex sir. Bee gay people uld not be open about their same-sex sir, Byzantium was the first closeted society, Smythe nclus.

Homosexuals and exprsns of homosexual love and sire have always existed every time and place sce the begng of time. The only qutn that tly remas when studyg homosexuals durg the Byzante perd is, “were the sir and passns of the Byzant not like those of other people throughout the history of mankd? From historil documents we know that stratn was the listed form of punishment for “passive” homosexualy the Empire.

BYZANTE EMPIRE, HOW A MULTIETHNIC GAY PEASANT BEME A ROMAN EMPEROR

[4] And so we mt nclu that if there laws prohibg homosexual behavr and punishments btowed, pecially upon “passive” homosexual acts, there mt have been those who had and exprsed same-sex sir. It never seiz to amaze me to what extent telligent people went, and will go, to ny the existence of homosexual love and sire. ”[5] Perhaps that is why Hler and Msoli fell om power bee the Soviet Unn was able to eradite homosexualy.

The Soviet Medil Encyclopedia, published 1929, suggted que a remarkable “cure” for homosexualy, to transplant the tticle of a “healthy” heterosexual onto the “diseased” homosexual. No, for every gay, lbian, bisexual and transgenred person knows their heart that they were created wh sir that nnot be eradited, for they are sacred and given to by our Creator. As I wre this reflectn, Pope Francis has mented that the Roman Catholic Church spends too much of s time and energy focg on gay people stead on preachg and livg the Gospel of J Christ.

GAY & LESBIAN VAISHNAVA ASSOCIATION

Gay and lbian Roman Catholics should wele the change tone which is a steppg stone to thentic listeng and dialogue.