How Gay art fights the New Homophobia by building Gay identity.
The New Homophobia is about denying Gay identity.
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Introduction: Gay art builds Gay identity.
As people following the Gay Partisan X (formerly Twitter) account know, a slogan I often use is “Gay art builds Gay identity.” https://twitter.com/PartisanGay
By representing our desires and our love as art, they make our identities variously beautiful, spiritual, and philosophical. Gay art gives our identities a metaphysical dimension.
They strengthen our Gay identities.
The New Homophobia is about denying having a Gay identity.
I have been doing investigations into the Dallas Fort Worth, Texas area anti-Gay churches and their activities. One thing I have been investigating is the networks which are attempting conversion therapy. The networks of persons and churches hoping to eliminate homosexuality in a person may have their centers is the Dallas area, but they are national in extent, and possibly internationa. Click on this link.
One network, re:generation, is one of the new conversion “therapy” networks I just finished documenting. Its rhetoric about homosexuality is fairly standard for the New Homophobia and can serve as an example to explain what the New Homophobia is, and how one of its major components is eliminating Gay identity.
https://www.regenerationrecovery.org/
One of their programs is to be regenerated and recovered from “same-sex attraction.” This is their webpage for the elimination of Gay identity.
https://www.regenerationrecovery.org/struggles/same-sex-attraction
There are four components to the New Homophobia.
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[1] LOVE THE SINNER
The, “Love the Sinner, but Hate the Sin,” is already a well known part of Christian homophobia and is one of the major parts of the New Homophobia.
It is part of the strategy of re:generation.
First thing to note is that their homophobia is wrapped in the language of love. The introduction of the above page is:
God deeply loves people with same-sex attraction. Sadly, many churches have ostracized gay-identified people. God doesn’t see people with same-sex attraction as greater sinners than others.
The first bullet point item is: “God loves gay people.”
God loves gay people: God so loves the LGBTQ community and anyone with same-sex attraction, that He gave His only son to be crucified so that any may be redeemed and restored to an intimate relationship with Him (John 3:16). Christ gives new life to all who trust in him (1 Cor 6:9-11). [Boldface in the original.]
Homophobic Christians have realized that their previous public snarling and hostility towards Gays has hurt their public image. Also, parents and relatives of Gays are conflicted over being anti-Gay and so the homophobia has to be represented as a form of love.
The following are examples where homophobes have modified their homophobia so as to not alienate parents and relatives of Gays.
Example One:
For example, a popular Christian originally wrote in a book, “Praying God’s Word,” 2009 edition, that homosexuality was a part of Satan’s plotting. It is quite lurid. She pulled all of that out for the 2016 edition.
In a blog this was part of her explanation, and like the real reason, she sells happy talk Christian pulp and was realizing this wasn’t good marketing.
I also heard from some heartbroken mothers about their kids who were having a hard enough time feeling ostracized as it was.
Example Two
This is one item I just got notified about today (5/3/2024). It is from another Christian group to oppose Gays. The title is, “Helping Parents Love.”
https://www.centerforfaith.com/helping-parents-love
Basically, it is about not driving away your child with your homophobia, while still remaining a homophobic Christian.
You have to dig a little into the webpage to find this condemnation of homosexuality. Even then it is a little indirect.
https://www.centerforfaith.com/about/statement-of-faith
Example Three
She gives classes at churches across the nation and has a book, “Uncommon Love: Heart for Christian Parents of Gay Kids.” It is about being able to love your kids, but hang on to your homophobia.
http://marycomm.com/consulting/resources/uncommon-love-bible-study/
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[2] DON’T APPEAR TO BE TARGETING GAYS.
From the re:generation page.
Every time the New Testament references homosexual practice as a sexual sin, it is within the context of other sins. He offers the same redemptive plan to all people. He discourages any sexual sin (regardless of gender attraction) outside of His plan for sexual expression because He loves us and sin is destructive.
And:
The only relationship where a sexual union is celebrated is within the confines of a monogamous heterosexual marriage between one man and one woman. All people are called to flee any sexual activity outside of this boundary.
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[3] ERASING GAY IDENTITY
This is one of the new elements the of New Homophobia.
This is where Gay art is a defense against the New Homophobia.
From the webite of re:generation, this is the new and key concept of the New Homophobia.
Desires do not determine identity. We are not a sum of our attractions and desires. God created each of us for a purpose. He gives us a choice to live in his intended design for life or to go our own way. God gives those who turn to Christ, a new identity as children of God—forgiven, righteous and clean. Christ’s blood preeminently determines the value and identity of a Christian. (1 Cor 6:9-11)
Your identity is Christian but never homosexual or Gay, explained here:
You are not denying your true identity if you follow God’s plan instead of your same-sex desires. Jesus’ invitation to all is to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23-25). Following Christ often demands sacrifice in all areas of life (including sexuality), but also promises great eternal rewards. To answer Jesus’ call is to accept an identity defined by God and to follow Christ fully. [Boldface in the original.]
I have seen this as a core concept of the New Homophobia in other Christian writings.
For example in this book, “Homosexuality and the Christian: A Guide for Parents, Pastors, and Friends,” the promo for the book on Amazon says the following:
Mark Yarhouse gives honest and accurate answers to parents and pastors who have questions about homosexuality. Throughout the book, the author uses a new framework for understanding the issue, carefully separating the concept of "same sex attraction" from a "gay identity."
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UEXFSA
The strategy of the New Homophobia is that there are no homosexual or Gay individuals. You are a Christian who happens to have some “same-sex attractions,” like you might be attracted to running, chocolate or harpsichord music. Notice that re:generation talks about “Gay-identified” persons and not Gay persons.
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[4] THEY DON’T PROMISE TO CHANGE YOUR SEXUALITY.
This is one of the new elements the of New Homophobia. They say Christ might change your sexuality, but they also say that Christ might not change your sexuality. From the re:generation page.
Those who accept Christ receive a new Spirit and new identity defined by Christ’s work on the cross. God may or may not remove a Christian’s same-sex attraction, but the Holy Spirit will give him or her a supernatural ability to resist temptation and live joyfully in God’s will. [Boldface added.]
And:
Self-denial of sexual desire is counter-cultural, but Christ says we must deny ourselves and follow Him in order to live.
Gay art makes Gay desire beautiful and art inherently adds an extra-dimension.
Art gives things a metaphysical depth. A painting of fruit or flowers is more than a photograph, it is a contemplation of fruit and flowers and a vision of fruits or flowers. Even such a subject that might seem simple like fruits or flowers, offers an experience to contemplate them, not just view them and art, not being a photography, extacts aspects of fruits or flowers for viewing and contemplation. An Old Masters painting of fruit and flowers draws you into a contemplation.
A Gay painting, sculpture, drawing, or photograph places our desires outside ourselves to see them and contemplate them. Sometimes it is simple beauty or the intensity of desire. Desire is the great gift of life and we can feel it. Gay art asserts that desire is good.
Gay paintings can depict loving couples, mythological themes, supernatural themes, sexual action, everyday life. Gay paintings and make Gays feel that being Gay is part of the cosmos, reality, life, the richness of existence.
Gay paintings can make you feel your Gay identity and feel it positively.
Gay art builds Gay identity.
Artists creating for Gays need to know that they perform a vital function and they are on the front lines in fighting the New Homophobia.
I am not asking them to do anything they aren’t doing already. I just want them to realize that what they do is a glorious defense of the Gay community and keep doing what they want to do as Gay artists.
I want artists creating for Gays to know that they are appreciated and valued.
The rest of us need to value Gay artists and realize that they are a key defense against the New Homophobia and support them.
This is a directory post with links to the artists I have showcased so far and to which artists will be added.
Thanks for sharing, superb post as usual! 💯