Metacentricities

I’ve never subscribed to Venus Magazine - but I’d grabbed a couple of copies over time. Venus Magazine used to be the “Advocate” for the Black gay and lesbian community. In general queer magazines aren’t something I’ve found especially interesting or useful for me, although I’d buy one or another now and again. I’m generally not interested in the latest gossip on Ellen or one or another actress in the L Word, or the next gay travel hot spot. But, Venus was, I think, significant in its focus and approach. Although I didn’t subscribe, I was happy that it existed. However, it is now a magazine that helps you become ex-gay:

The new mission of Venus Magazine is to encourage, educate and assist those who desire to leave a life of homosexuality. Our ultimate mission is to win souls for Christ, and to do so by showing love to all God’s people. We believe that homosexuality is outside of the will of God. We know that many new and longtime VENUS readers have been instilled with a belief system that is in line with this teaching but are still living ‘in the life’. Many desire change and wonder if they can be accepted into the family of God ‘just as they are’. The answer is YES! These readers will find the new Venus an anointed and refreshing tool for kingdom work.

This mission statement is contradictory. It says, on one hand, that “homosexuality is outside of the will of God” then, on the other, says that people “can be accepted into the family of God ‘just as they are’”. I could go into a lot of detail into why this is all a problematic statement (like there really is no clear biblical reason why being gay and doing “kingdom work” need to be in conflict.) But I’ll not bother. There have been lots of people who already have explained all of this way more eloquently than I can.

Only a few people have written about the change in the magazine. Windy City Times has a pretty detailed article and interview with Charlene Cothran, the publisher of the magazine, who says she’s been “redeemed,” and isn’t a lesbian anymore.

The blogosphere has been very quiet about it. Daily Dose of Queer picked up on the Windy City Times story, and Pam’s House Blend picked up on it. I heard about it on a mailing list. It’s all pretty much under the radar. You can be sure if the Advocate, or Curve, went ex-gay, there’d be a blog storm.

Technorati Tags: africanamerican, glbt, religion

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed