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Gospel
music undeniably has a queerness at its roots that has not only
shaped the genre but it has continued to give gospel music its
enduring vibrancy
One
of black gospel’s darling and Pentecostal preacher Kim Burrell
was ousted from The Ellen DeGeneres Show, sending shock waves
throughout the African American community.
Burrell
along with Pharrell Williams were invited to promote their duet “I
See Victory” from the soundtrack of the film “Hidden
Figures”.
However,
Burrell’s homophobic homily about the “perverted
homosexual spirit” has created a tsunami of tweets and comments
on social media publicly denouncing her vitriol by a younger
generation of African Americans entertainers- both LGBTQ and
straight- not seen in previous years.
Rhythm
& Soul Music awardee Janelle Monáe stars in the film and
R&B and Hip-Hop songwriter Frank Ocean, who both are openly
queer, have had visceral reactions to Burrell’s rant. Ocean’s
mother wants Burrell removed from her son’s 2016 album “Blonde”
and Monáe took her comments to Instagram.
"I
unequivocally repudiate ANY AND ALL hateful comments against the
LGBTQ community… We cannot sit Idly by nor will we speak
silently when we are confronted with such violence against members of
our community.”
What
has always made me shake my head in utter disgust is not only how
most African American gospel church choirs of any note have LGBTQ
singers but how they also actively seek us out as ministers of music.
“The
virtuosity of gay singers, musicians and composers has been the
driving force in developing popular gospel choirs — even
chart-topping, Grammy-winning acts — that make money for a
church, help expand congregations and raise the profiles of pastors,”
NPR reported in its 2012 segment titled “Blacks, Gays and The
Church: A Complex Relationship.”
Gospel
music undeniably has a queerness at its roots that has not only
shaped the genre but it has continued to give gospel music its
enduring vibrancy.
One
of the black church denominations largest influence in the musical
genre is the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) that Burrell belong to.
COGIC is the largest African American and largest Pentecostal church
in the United States. And as the largest denominational black church
in the country it is also the loudest in rebuking homosexuality.
With
many of the gospel music industry mega-stars from COGIC, the church's
charismatic worship style shouts to a black gay male queer gospel
aesthetic every Sunday. And the church is conflicted with itself.
For
example, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, an uber-star in the stratosphere of
black gospel music, also belongs to COGIC and struggles mightily with
his sexual orientation.
“God
did not call you to such perversions. Your only hope is Jesus Christ.
Were it not for this Jesus I would be a homosexual today. This God
is a deliverer,” McClurkin exhorted with fire and brimstone at
the Church of God in Christ’s (COGIC) 102nd Holy Convocation
International Youth Department Worship Service in November 2009.
In
2010, McClurkin was dis-invited from Boston’s annual
Gospelfest, a public and taxpayer-funded community event, that’s
open to all—even the African American LGBTQ communities. But
this wasn’t the first time, McClurkin, the poster boy for
African American “ex-gay” ministries had to confront his
closeted past and homophobic presence.
In
Burrell’s unapologetic rejoinder defending her sermon about the
LGBTQ community stated, “I love you and God loves you but God
hates the sin in you and me.”
Burrell’s
theological qualifier of “love the sinner but hate the sin”
is commonly heard in our churches. This message is deleterious to the
LGBTQ worshipping community on some many levels:
It
pimps our talent yet damn our souls.
Our
connections and contributions to the larger black religious cosmos
are desecrated every time homophobic pronouncements, like Burrell’s,
go unchecked in these holy places of worship.
The
Black Church becomes an institution on the “down low.”
Our
silence, shame, and stigma around issues of identity, sexual
practices, and the lack of pastoral care to people deemed “outsiders”
are factor contributing not only to high-risk sexual behaviors and
the transmission of HIV/AIDS, but also to the silent killer of
suicide and homelessness in my community.
Gay
males, in particular, continue to find ways of being supported in the
COGIC.
For
example, “blaquebigayministers” is a Yahoo gay ministers
group, boasting 787 members since July 2000 and was founded by COGIC
Elder Ronald Kimbrew.
The
“blaquebigayministers” website states the following:
“WELCOME.
This fellowship is for support and encouragement especially of black
Christian ministers and friends who are "family" (bi or
same-gender loving) and need a place of refuge. Enjoy the
"fellowship."
A
reported following the 2009 Convocation asked “Is COGIC going
to be silent while an organized culture of homosexual ministers and
bishops populate its pulpits?
My
answer is yes.
COGIC
cannot deny that the church get its Jesus dance on and Amen shouts to
a black gay male queer gospel aesthetic every Sunday and no one knows
it better than Burrell herself.
COGIC
was formed in 1897 by a group of disfellowshipped Baptists. I wonder
if the guys were disfellowshipped because they were gay.
Sources:
Gospel
singer Kim Burrell calls homosexuality 'perverted,' Pharrell Williams
and stars from 'Hidden Figures' condemn 'hateful comments' - LA Times
Frank
Ocean's Mother Wants Gay-Bashing Kim Burrell Off Her Son's Album
Janelle
Monáe on Instagram: “I shouldn't even have to post this
Blacks,
Gays And The Church: A Complex Relationship: NPR
Donnie
McClurkin vs Tonéx: Round ONE | The Black Youth Project
Ex-Gay'
Donnie McClurkin At Boston's Gospelfest | The Huffington Post
Ellen
DeGeneres, Pharrell address Kim Burrell homophobic remarks
blaquebigayministers
– Gay Christian Movement Watch
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