OPTIMISTIC

This page shows some of the optimistic and positive
aspects of being gay or lesbian.


Quotes

A Star fell from Heaven and showed me the way,
How to be contented and gay.
(From A star fell from heaven, Feiner and May)

Am I ashamed to follow nature's way
Shall I be blamed if God has made me gay
(From Girls were made to love and kiss, Lehár)

I am what I am
(Jerry Herman)

The path to God is not always straight.
(Author unknown)


Bible views relating to being gay or lesbian

Article by Paul Halsall on Pro-Gay Texts in the Bible
Some of the arguments seem to be stretched.

The Bible accepts same-sex attraction because it
accepts men being deeply in love with men, without any
expression of disapproval by God or the biblical author.  
In the David story, Jonathan was totally in love with David.

Eunuchs and gay men

It’s possible that Jesus was referring to gay men when he
mentioned born eunuchs – without any condemnation
(Matthew 19:12).  In Bible times, such men were
anatomically whole but were unable or unwilling to have
sex with women.  They were either not interested in sex or
were attracted to other men.  Also, many or most of the 46
other Biblical references to born or natural eunuchs
(sometimes translated as officer or chamberlain)
probably include gay men.

The "Born Eunuchs" site, compiled by Faris Malik, has a
very detailed look at eunuchs in the ancient world (quoting
many sources) and claims that born eunuchs were gay
men.


Positive principles in St Paul’s letters which
could apply to being gay or lesbian:

1 Corinthians 7: 20  Each man must remain in that
condition in which he was called [by God]. (NASB)

1 Corinthians 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I
am, ... (NIV)

1 Timothy 4:4-5  Everything God created is good, and
to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at
and thrown out. God's Word and our prayers make every
item in creation holy. (The Message)



Church views on being gay or lesbian

God made all of us, gay or straight, in his own image
to reflect his kind of love. Whenever two people love each
other enough to commit their lives together “till death us
do part” they are expressing the deepest and most
godlike instinct in human nature.
The Dean of St Albans, Dr Jeffrey John  January 2006


I don't believe it is a sin to be homosexual. I believe
that God creates us with different gifts. Some people
come into this world with affections ordered toward other
people of the same gender and some people come into
this world with affections directed at people of the other
gender.
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of US
Episcopal Church June 2006


Loving homosexual expression between responsible
adults is not sinful as such. It is simply the appropriate
way for persons of same-sex orientation to express their
need for intimacy. All of us should be judged by whether
we express our sexuality in ways that are loving,
respectful of our partners' wishes, and contribute to our
wholeness as people.
Jack Rogers, former Moderator of US Presbyterian
General Assembly  October 2003


Thank God for making you the way you are.
Robert A Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral. August 2006


Homosexual orientation has nothing to do with morality
as such, any more than left-handedness. It is simply the
way some people's sexuality is configured. Morality
enters at the point of how that predisposition is enacted.
Morton Kelsey, author and Episcopal priest


Nils Riedl states that love has the same quality in a
person’s life, regardless of sexual orientation. The ability
to love someone means being serious about the general
ethical commitment expressed by Løgstrup as “Holding
each other’s lives in our hands”.
When God sees the homosexual person his face shines
with joy and excitement and kindness.
Ragnhild Schanke, pastor of Oslo Baptist Church


Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are part
of so many families. They are part of the human family.  
They are part of God's family. …...... Sexual orientation,
like skin color, is another feature of our diversity as a
human family.  Isn't it amazing that we are all made in
God's image, and yet there is so much diversity among
his people.
Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town  
March, 2010



Spirituality

Jesus in Love promotes queer spirituality, books and arts.



Famous gays and lesbians

Some people who are thought to be gay or lesbian:

Musicians (present) – Elton John   Melissa Etheridge   
Johnny Mathis
(past) – Cole Porter   Tchaikovsky   Liberace    Freddie
Mercury

Leaders (present) – Klaus Wowereit (Berlin Mayor)   
Bertrand Delanoe (Paris Mayor)
(past) – Alexander the Great   Edward II   Hadrian

Artists (present) – David Hockney   Jeffrey Smart   
(past) – Michelangelo   Leonardo Da Vinci   Andy Warhol

Actors (present) – Lily Tomlin   Rupert Everett   Ian
McKellen  
(past) – Rock Hudson   Montgomery Clift   Dirk Bogarde

Writers (present) – Edward Albee   Gore Vidal
(past) – Walt Whitman   Oscar Wilde   Gertrude Stein  

Sport (present) – Martina Navratilova   John Amaechi   
(past) – Bill Tilden  Tom Waddell

Religious (present) – Rev Troy Perry   Bishop Gene
Robinson  
(past) – Jonathan   


Some short lists of famous gays and lesbians

About: Gay Life (profiles and illustrations)

Notable Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual People


Some long lists of famous gays and lesbians

The Great Queers of History (illustrated)

Rob's gay info (illustrated)

List of famous gay, lesbian or bisexual people (profiles)

Wikipedia List of Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual People
(illustrated)


Academic and scholarly views on being gay
or lesbian

God so created humans that they develop with a great
variety of both gender identities and sexual-object
choices. …… Always and everywhere a certain
percentage of men and women develop as homosexuals
or lesbians. They should be considered a part of God’s
creative plan. Their sexual orientation has no necessary
connection with sin, sickness, or failure; rather, it is a gift
from God to be accepted and lived out with gratitude.
John J. McNeill, "Homosexuality: Challenging the Church
to Grow," in Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of
the Debate, ed. Jeffrey S. Siker: 1994, p. 50.


Five reasons why homosexuality is positively good
and morally beneficial:

First, homosexuality can be a source of pleasure, and
pleasure is a good thing.

Second, homosexuality can be an avenue of interpersonal
communication, and this too is good.

Third, homosexuality can be a source of emotional growth.

Fourth, and related, homosexual relationships [including
sex] promote personal and social stability. … Sex is a
powerful way of building, celebrating, and replenishing
intimacy in a relationship.

A fifth reason: insofar as homosexuality challenges deep-
seated and irrational prejudices, embracing one’s
homosexuality can be a powerful act of moral courage. It
forces one to think for oneself and invites one to
transcend rigid gender expectations.

John Corvino  The Virtue of Homosexuality


All pleasure, including beauty, sexuality, art, and work,
are God's gifts to us, and we look to God's revelation
[the Bible] for the pattern in best ordering our desires so
that in them we may find fulfillment and not bondage.
Philip Yancey, Christian author


Many writers speak of the contributions gays and lesbians
have made to our world ….. While gays and lesbians
make up probably 4%-6% of the population, a study of the
biographies of 1004 eminent people found 11% of them
to be homosexual or bisexual, with certain categories
higher: 24% of poets, 21% of fiction writers, and 15% of
artists and musicians.
David Myers, "Sexual Orientation and Science".




Views of individuals on being gay or lesbian

In 1997 Ian Roberts became the first rugby league player
to openly declare his homosexuality.  Roberts told New
Idea magazine being gay gave him a different
perspective on the world. "I honestly believe that being
gay is a gift," he said. "It makes you look at the world
through a different light."
Sydney Morning Herald  December 2001


Homosexual relationships and acts are supplemental or
alternatives to heterosexual relationships and acts.  A
long-term relationship between two men or two women
involves much more than sex.  It usually includes mutual
love, caring and companionship.  It is similar to a
relationship between a man and a woman.
Ray Collins, activist


Being gay is simply a natural characteristic like having
blue eyes or brown hair.
Paul Varnell, gay columnist and activist


Gays and lesbians have the advantage that, if they wish,
they can see things from the viewpoint of an outsider.  
They can be like an immigrant or tourist traveling to a new
country.  They have the advantage of having experienced
how people interact in their original or natural culture
(homosexuality) and, at the same time, also being able to
experience social and other interactions in a different
culture (heterosexuality).
Lance Ritchie, activist


The fact that we are in a same-sex relationship means
that the predetermination of roles by gender, sometimes
so destructive a force in heterosexual relationships, is not
relevant to our lives.  Each member of a same-sex couple
is free to act from individual interests, predilections, and
skills, rather than having to choose between conforming to
or rebelling against the cultural norm.  We are able to see
the mainstream culture from a greater distance and a
healthier perspective.
Nancy Toder, author


The revolutionary importance of the contemporary gay
rights movement lies in its revolutionary idea of gender
[roles]; that male sexual receptivity is part of the repertoire
of a normal, adult, fully masculine male.
Ron Long, teacher of religion


An old Chinese proverb, "When people come face to
face, their differences vanish".


If you want more, check out A Gay Fairy Tale and true
gay stories.