Self-portrait by Karl Lagerfeld
No commentary here, I will just let Lagerfeld speak for himself (bolded text is the Vice Magazine reporter, answers of course are Lagerfeld):
You are against the idea of gay marriage. I totally agree with you on that.
Yes, I’m against it for a very simple reason: In the 60s they all said we had the right to the difference. And now, suddenly, they want a bourgeois life.It’s normalizing.
For me it’s difficult to imagine—one of the papas at work and the other at home with the baby. How would that be for the baby? I don’t know. I see more lesbians married with babies than I see boys married with babies. And I also believe more in the relationship between mother and child than in that between father and child.I take it you don’t want children.
If I were interested in children, I would be a godfather—or a godmother. I don’t like the idea of taking people out of their lives and their contexts. If there were a child I wanted to adopt, I would try to find the family of the child and give them the money for an education in his life and his context.What about famous gay artists like Francis Bacon or Wilhelm von Gloeden? They both had important relationships that were almost like marriages.
I knew Francis Bacon; he was the sweetest man in the world, like a Middle English lady with the finger up drinking tea in Monte Carlo. My best friend, who is dead now, was very friendly with Bacon. They gambled and drank together.Did Bacon have his protégé with him, or was it his lover?
I think that he was dead already—the famous one was dead.Ah, George Dyer.
I only saw Bacon with my friend, drinking and gambling heavily.Your best friend is…
He’s dead, too.What happened to him?
AIDS. That happened 20 years ago.How did you cope with that whole period? I’m sure you knew so many great people who died of AIDS.
I don’t want to go back through that age. In those days it was a hopeless case.It was a death sentence.
You may be a bit young to remember. It was horrible. Beyond horrible.It decimated the fashion world.
It killed a whole generation of people.You know, Fran Lebowitz said that AIDS killed all the cool people.
Yes, exactly.Which I quite agree with, because it was usually the people who were living really hard and experimenting who got hit with it.
Perhaps things went too far then. But now they want to be too bourgeois.Exactly. It’s swung back the other way. This bourgeois idea of gays wanting to take on a traditional family life—I just don’t understand it. It’s like the oppressed are becoming the oppressors.
In a way, yes. Exactly.They want to be the type of people who have always despised them.
When I was a child I asked my mother what homosexuality was about and she said—and this was 100 years ago in Germany and she was very open-minded—“It’s like hair color. It’s nothing. Some people are blond and some people have dark hair. It’s not a subject.” This was a very healthy attitude.You were lucky in that regard.
Some people make drama out of it. I don’t even understand. It’s not a problem. It doesn’t exist. It’s not a subject. For me it never was.What were you like as a child?
I was very much like a grown-up. I have photos of me as a child wearing a tie, and it’s the same as I am today. And of course I was very successful with pedophilia. I knew about it when I was ten.So you used it consciously?
Well, I wouldn’t go that far. It was impossible to touch me. I would run away and I would tell my mother about people she knew, like the brother of one of my sister’s husbands. Nothing happened, but my mother said, “You know, darling, it’s your fault. You see how you behave.”Did you ever actually have sex with somebody older?
No. It never went that far.The comedian Chris Rock once said that whenever he was at a family picnic or something and one of his cousins or uncles would try to diddle him, he would go to his mother and his mother would say, “Walk it off.”
This is a less sophisticated version of my mother. That’s why in a modern world these things shouldn’t be subjects. Children should be informed.What about your relationship to the whole political gay movement?
I have nothing to do with it. This is just a part of normal life. I mean, the 20 percent or so who are like this, made by God or by whoever, they are as they are supposed to be. So where’s the problem?The argument would be that the more organized and political they are, the more they are able to fight against things like homophobic violence.
I never met anything like this in my life. I had an overprotected life. What can I fight about? I don’t know what to do. It never happened to me, and it never happened to people I know.It’s like Marianne Faithfull says, “What are you fighting for? It’s not my reality.”
Exactly. And I’m mad for her. She’s great.I’m wondering if gay political groups have tried to enlist you.
Yes, but I’ve never voted in my life—for any kind of politics.Me neither.
I’m a stranger here; I’m a stranger in Germany. I’m just passing by.Politics is just so business-oriented.
I’m in fashion. Politics is not my job. I don’t vote in France even though foreigners here can. I will never vote in my life.…
And you have no problem with porn, either.
No. I admire porn.This is another thing that we have in common.
And I personally only like high-class escorts. I don’t like sleeping with people I really love. I don’t want to sleep with them because sex cannot last, but affection can last forever. I think this is healthy. And for the way the rich live, this is possible. But the other world, I think they need porn. I also think it’s much more difficult to perform in porn than to fake some emotion on the face as an actor.… (EDITED FOR CONTENT) I think people don’t give porn actors credit. It’s not easy what they do.
I admire porn actors.Me too, and prostitutes as well. There’s a real art to it.
Frustration is the mother of crime, and so there would be much more crime without prostitutes and without porn movies.
Again, I don’t think I need to add any commentary but please feel free to leave a comment. Mr. Lagerfeld discusses much more than these three subjects in the full Vice Magazine article. He will be in my prayers today.
About Randy Thomas
Interesting. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth mouth speaks. It is interesting that Lagerfeld views it as a non-politial, non-moral and non-issue issue. Interesting.
Doesn’t it just sound SO enlightening to be cool with porn and porn actors? This art can be so vile. It isn’t just pretty bodies. Porn is so much more violent and extreme. What are they thinking?
Interesting. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth mouth speaks. It is interesting that Lagerfeld views it as a non-politial, non-moral and non-issue issue. Interesting.
Doesn’t it just sound SO enlightening to be cool with porn and porn actors? This art can be so vile. It isn’t just pretty bodies. Porn is so much more violent and extreme. What are they thinking?
Bizarre.
Bizarre.
With all due respect, what does this have to do with anything? Is it because he is depraved? There are many depraved people in the world. Just look up the latest Lady Gaga interview. Is it because he is a gay man with views that are outside the gay political norm? Why is that a surprise? Gay people are as diverse as heterosexual people. Heck, I know several ex-gays (or post-gays) who support the legalization of same-sex marriage, even some heavily involved in Exodus. It’s certainly an interesting interview and people like Karl Lagerfield are in my prayers, but I ask again respectfully, why is this on the Exodus blog?
With all due respect Jay… why wouldn’t we highlight this?
This man is pop culture iconic, internationally, as a fashion designer who is out and unashamed about his sexuality. Many of the gay blogs, of note, mentioned this today and I think it helps shed light on the fact that not all people who identify as gay hold to the same ideology/worldview.
He touches on issues of marriage, parenting, adoption, porn, the devastating early affects of the AIDS pandemic … all topics our folks our interested in. This post highlights Lagerfeld’s opinions and lets them stand on their own. I was also interested to see what kind of response this would generate… and it has been varied in the different streams I have seen on Facebook. I have only had two folks question (attack?) my motivation for posting it and make assumptions (from silence) that it was a negative motivation.
With all due respect, what does this have to do with anything? Is it because he is depraved? There are many depraved people in the world. Just look up the latest Lady Gaga interview. Is it because he is a gay man with views that are outside the gay political norm? Why is that a surprise? Gay people are as diverse as heterosexual people. Heck, I know several ex-gays (or post-gays) who support the legalization of same-sex marriage, even some heavily involved in Exodus. It’s certainly an interesting interview and people like Karl Lagerfield are in my prayers, but I ask again respectfully, why is this on the Exodus blog?
With all due respect Jay… why wouldn’t we highlight this?
This man is pop culture iconic, internationally, as a fashion designer who is out and unashamed about his sexuality. Many of the gay blogs, of note, mentioned this today and I think it helps shed light on the fact that not all people who identify as gay hold to the same ideology/worldview.
He touches on issues of marriage, parenting, adoption, porn, the devastating early affects of the AIDS pandemic … all topics our folks our interested in. This post highlights Lagerfeld’s opinions and lets them stand on their own. I was also interested to see what kind of response this would generate… and it has been varied in the different streams I have seen on Facebook. I have only had two folks question (attack?) my motivation for posting it and make assumptions (from silence) that it was a negative motivation.
What kind of magazine is this “Vice”? It sounds like they talk about things the Bible would call vices, such as porn. I appreciate you only included one of the pictures! lol
Sorry to hear someone who possibly represents many, so calloused to sin. Wow. Same sex attraction the same as hair color? Hmmm… I appreciate Janelle Hallman’s explanation of it much better – sociological influences combined with personality traits and choices and vows we make to prevent pain. Some vows made as powerless children are still held to vehemently as adults who can respond better if we choose.
Pedophilia? Prostitution? All totally ok? Even respected as an art? Wow. I have heard that France is pretty far gone, but this really puts it in perspective for me. Sad. For the children.
K
Thanks for the comment. I had never heard of Vice before today so I am not sure. I didn’t surf around their site though :-/
What kind of magazine is this “Vice”? It sounds like they talk about things the Bible would call vices, such as porn. I appreciate you only included one of the pictures! lol
Sorry to hear someone who possibly represents many, so calloused to sin. Wow. Same sex attraction the same as hair color? Hmmm… I appreciate Janelle Hallman’s explanation of it much better – sociological influences combined with personality traits and choices and vows we make to prevent pain. Some vows made as powerless children are still held to vehemently as adults who can respond better if we choose.
Pedophilia? Prostitution? All totally ok? Even respected as an art? Wow. I have heard that France is pretty far gone, but this really puts it in perspective for me. Sad. For the children.
K
Thanks for the comment. I had never heard of Vice before today so I am not sure. I didn’t surf around their site though :-/
Will try to keep this short…
1) I don’t think The Lagerfeld is saying that paedophilia is OK. I think he’s saying how parents and others often blame the child. He was blamed for older people trying it on with him when he was 10 years old. It’s still normal for parents to blame a child for being raped or abused long term, because the parents are in denial, or have no understanding. A friend I had blamed the abuse she went through at the age of 2 by one of her uncles because “I was always a pretty child”.
2) Re prostitution… I think The Lagerfeld is refering to high class prostitutes. I don’t agree with his views at all. But he’s definately not talking about the prostitutes I have met and worked with, who live on the streets and are physically dirty, or live in a homeless person’s unit, who wash, but have bodies like prisoners of war. I also don’t think he’s actually talked with high class prostitutes or porn workers that much… about how desperate they are, how they didn’t do well at school, how they have no respect for themselves…
He’s talking about how gay people are being all bourgeouis now, but he’s the same, choosing what touches his life and what doesn’t. Of what truths touch him and what don’t. I hope for him to have a revelation of God in his life.
Will try to keep this short…
1) I don’t think The Lagerfeld is saying that paedophilia is OK. I think he’s saying how parents and others often blame the child. He was blamed for older people trying it on with him when he was 10 years old. It’s still normal for parents to blame a child for being raped or abused long term, because the parents are in denial, or have no understanding. A friend I had blamed the abuse she went through at the age of 2 by one of her uncles because “I was always a pretty child”.
2) Re prostitution… I think The Lagerfeld is refering to high class prostitutes. I don’t agree with his views at all. But he’s definately not talking about the prostitutes I have met and worked with, who live on the streets and are physically dirty, or live in a homeless person’s unit, who wash, but have bodies like prisoners of war. I also don’t think he’s actually talked with high class prostitutes or porn workers that much… about how desperate they are, how they didn’t do well at school, how they have no respect for themselves…
He’s talking about how gay people are being all bourgeouis now, but he’s the same, choosing what touches his life and what doesn’t. Of what truths touch him and what don’t. I hope for him to have a revelation of God in his life.
It’s interesting when Karl Lagerfeld states at the end of this article:
“ Frustration is the mother of crime, and so there would be much more crime without prostitutes and without porn movies.”
I once watched a program some time ago in which a lady ran a non- profit organization to help men and women get out of prostitution and out of the porn business. She said, close to 90% of male and female prostitutes were sexually abused when they were children. Close to 90% of women in pornography were molested when they were children. Pornography and prostitution are industries that contain victims of crime. And they are being victimized repeatedly over and over again being degraded with extremely low self worth. I never understood how men liked watching films in which women were being degraded and being extremely used and not feel any remorse. That is a human being not a piece of garbage!
I once spoke to a man who was a gay porn star on the internet some months back. He would not give his name. Anyway, I asked him questions about the gay porn industry because I wanted to know what was the real, raw truth. It is completely ugly! He said he has Aids and received Clamydia. He also said, that 60% of the gay men in the porn industry are infected with Aids, and infected other men because they are not honest about their health. The pay is not that much, but once you are in the porn business, it is difficult to get out. Also, he said the porn industry does technical manipulation on pictures etc. to create this phony imagery t entice people. There are a lot of drugs being encouraged during filming which eventually gets many hooked on drugs. He said, many, many men in the gay porn industry have a lot of psychological problems. Over all, sexual transmitted diseases in both straight and gay pornography are enormous. He said, once the porn companies feel they are done with you, you wind up becoming a prostitute to make money, or turn to drugs and become destitute. He said he became a hired escort, and he said his wealthy and famous clients don’t care if he has Aids. The just want to have sex.
In addition, I know of a gay man who was once a prostitute. He said it broke his spirit . He said he’ll regret it for the rest of his life.
Lagerfeld justifies the world of pornography and prostitution as a benefit to society because it reduces crime? So in order to reduce crime, there needs to be people whose lives needs to be sacrificed and destroyed in order for society to be a much positive, and safe place to live in? The roots of many rapists started watching porn becoming addicted to it. Serial rapist, Ted Bundy stated this factor in his life before going to the electric chair. Also, Lagerfeld states, including the interviewer, that they both admire prostitutes and porn stars? It is amazing how contorted their mindsets are when they point out wounded human beings being enslaved who have low self esteem are one of the admired ones in society, Uh? Huh? I think this article is a good example of those who are of the world, are truly confused and who live in darkness.
All prostitutes I have met and/or worked with were sexually abused. Apart from the male friend I have who, but his reason for becoming a stripper and prostitute was issues of identity. He returned to living fully in Christ years ago, and now outreaches in a team, where he used to work, and has a lot of good conversations with the guys.
Like a prison officer from a sex offenders jail here in the UK said, “Not everyone who watches porn goes on to be a sex offender, but every sex offender has used porn.”
I think it was OK and a good decision for Randy to post this interview.
a) It’s Herr Lagefeld – a big cultural icon, especially with Arts students/workers.
b) It’s a view we need to hear, to think about and debate. Maybe change our view, or think about why some people have views other than our own.
20 years ago, very few people would say they watched porn. Why have views changed so radically? I hung out with a load of anarchists, most of whom were LGBT, a couple of years ago. They were anti-bar coding people, anti-labelling, anti-seeing people as commodities to be used. But most said they watched porn and were totally OK with people watching porn. Which seems like a little bit of a contradiction of their core beliefs to me. People not being commodities to be used. Again, it’s people being their own god and picking and choosing their own morality.
It’s interesting when Karl Lagerfeld states at the end of this article:
“ Frustration is the mother of crime, and so there would be much more crime without prostitutes and without porn movies.”
I once watched a program some time ago in which a lady ran a non- profit organization to help men and women get out of prostitution and out of the porn business. She said, close to 90% of male and female prostitutes were sexually abused when they were children. Close to 90% of women in pornography were molested when they were children. Pornography and prostitution are industries that contain victims of crime. And they are being victimized repeatedly over and over again being degraded with extremely low self worth. I never understood how men liked watching films in which women were being degraded and being extremely used and not feel any remorse. That is a human being not a piece of garbage!
I once spoke to a man who was a gay porn star on the internet some months back. He would not give his name. Anyway, I asked him questions about the gay porn industry because I wanted to know what was the real, raw truth. It is completely ugly! He said he has Aids and received Clamydia. He also said, that 60% of the gay men in the porn industry are infected with Aids, and infected other men because they are not honest about their health. The pay is not that much, but once you are in the porn business, it is difficult to get out. Also, he said the porn industry does technical manipulation on pictures etc. to create this phony imagery t entice people. There are a lot of drugs being encouraged during filming which eventually gets many hooked on drugs. He said, many, many men in the gay porn industry have a lot of psychological problems. Over all, sexual transmitted diseases in both straight and gay pornography are enormous. He said, once the porn companies feel they are done with you, you wind up becoming a prostitute to make money, or turn to drugs and become destitute. He said he became a hired escort, and he said his wealthy and famous clients don’t care if he has Aids. The just want to have sex.
In addition, I know of a gay man who was once a prostitute. He said it broke his spirit . He said he’ll regret it for the rest of his life.
Lagerfeld justifies the world of pornography and prostitution as a benefit to society because it reduces crime? So in order to reduce crime, there needs to be people whose lives needs to be sacrificed and destroyed in order for society to be a much positive, and safe place to live in? The roots of many rapists started watching porn becoming addicted to it. Serial rapist, Ted Bundy stated this factor in his life before going to the electric chair. Also, Lagerfeld states, including the interviewer, that they both admire prostitutes and porn stars? It is amazing how contorted their mindsets are when they point out wounded human beings being enslaved who have low self esteem are one of the admired ones in society, Uh? Huh? I think this article is a good example of those who are of the world, are truly confused and who live in darkness.
All prostitutes I have met and/or worked with were sexually abused. Apart from the male friend I have who, but his reason for becoming a stripper and prostitute was issues of identity. He returned to living fully in Christ years ago, and now outreaches in a team, where he used to work, and has a lot of good conversations with the guys.
Like a prison officer from a sex offenders jail here in the UK said, “Not everyone who watches porn goes on to be a sex offender, but every sex offender has used porn.”
I think it was OK and a good decision for Randy to post this interview.
a) It’s Herr Lagefeld – a big cultural icon, especially with Arts students/workers.
b) It’s a view we need to hear, to think about and debate. Maybe change our view, or think about why some people have views other than our own.
20 years ago, very few people would say they watched porn. Why have views changed so radically? I hung out with a load of anarchists, most of whom were LGBT, a couple of years ago. They were anti-bar coding people, anti-labelling, anti-seeing people as commodities to be used. But most said they watched porn and were totally OK with people watching porn. Which seems like a little bit of a contradiction of their core beliefs to me. People not being commodities to be used. Again, it’s people being their own god and picking and choosing their own morality.
“Many of the gay blogs, of note, mentioned this today and I think it helps shed light on the fact that not all people who identify as gay hold to the same ideology/worldview.”
You needed a guy this extreme to prove this point? You could do the same thing by seeing how many gay blogs were frustrated about GOProud’s appearance at CPAC- or by its very existence.
I’ve never heard of him or “Vice” before today, and I’m under 30. None of the gay blogs I read mentioned him except for this one. I’m also confused as to what this has to do with anything in general, and Exodus in particular. Really. I’m absolutely baffled. I second all of Jay’s remarks.
Emily, this isn’t a “gay” blog but I saw mentions of this story on Towleroad, AfterElton and The Advocate. I wonder why the other blogs, especially the very liberal ones, didn’t cover it?
Again, it is interesting that you are questioning me personally, who didn’t add any commentary, instead of addressing the assertions Lagerfeld is making. And Emily, maybe you didn’t see this post but I did mention GOProud, another “pro-gay” viewpoint, in regards to the controversy last December. It was in the context of LaBarbera/Barber’s quote but it still highlighted the fact there are people who identify as both gay and conservative.
We will raise awareness of different cultural perspectives on different topics that are of interest to people within our networks.
“it is interesting that you are questioning me personally, who didn’t add any commentary, instead of addressing the assertions Lagerfeld is making.”
My question isn’t about Lagerfeld. I don’t have any questions for him. It’s pretty clear what he’s about. And there are people like him that exist. No point in questioning it.
My question is: What is the point of you posting this on Exodus’ blog? And since you posted it here, only you, not Lagerfeld, can answer this question.
Now, once you said “to see what reactions I would get.” But this is a weak answer. The kinds of reactions you would get on a blog like this will be a natural opposition to his stances. And if I took this to the Jewish gay organization I attend occasionally, they would also mostly likely be opposed, even though they are a different religion and openly gay.
I don’t frequent “the more liberal blogs” so I can’t respond to that. But what you have done – whether you realize it or not, whether you meant it or not – is akin to somebody on a left-wing blog posting an article about a right-wing Southern politician caught sending racist emails. It’s throwing red meat to the crowd. It’s like giving an audience what they want to see: a justification to consider gays an “other” who are sick and need “transformation” of some sort. And while I understand very clearly that “everyone is sick because all are fallen short of the glory of God,” posting this article is not at all making that clear. It’s isolating and separating a “sick” gay person from a “sick” un-”saved” person.
Sorry you don’t like my answer but that wasn’t the only part of the answer. He is a gay icon talking about important issues from a perspective you don’t really ever hear. It’s just a blog post, not a treatise and not ever presented as “sick…depraved” or typical of the gay community. You are the only one, of the two of us, quoting scripture about this post and basically describing Lagerfeld in such a manner.
I never thought that the people who read this blog would act in any way like what you describe. I saw this as informative to another opinion on the issues. Plus, and I will share this now, it broke my heart. On one level, his talking about the early days of the AIDS pandemic, I can totally empathize with in that I lost loved ones too. There were other things that stood out to me but the point of the post wasn’t about my reactions but his words standing on their own. I didn’t read this article and walk away thinking about how awful he is and I didn’t attack him personally, or the gay community as a whole, either. I didn’t post this thinking anybody else would either … well, I did expect more of a backlash (toward Lagerfeld) from the gay community through other blogs and articles.
Plus, in all fairness, this was as much an opportunity for you to respond about your beliefs on the topics he addresses as it was for any of the potential “red meat” crowd you seem concerned about.
Now about your examples: Are you saying that a regional, hypothetical, stereotypical, situation of someone getting caught in hidden hypocritical awful act of racism is the same as a gay man being quite openly, on the world stage, publicly against gay marriage? Lagerfeld isn’t a hypothetical situation. He didn’t get “caught” doing anything … that’s his very public opinion that actually breaks away from the stereotype usually attributed to gay cultural/political opinion.
Not seeing the comparison.
I did a little digging and Vice is actually a very highly trafficked website. Here is its Alexa ranking compared to Exodus and the blog you write for, exgaywatch (the lower the number the higher the traffic … this is out of millions and millions of websites.)
Viceland.com # Alexa Traffic Rank: 5,699 # United States Traffic Rank in US: 3,293 That is a very good ranking.
Exodusinternational.org # Alexa Traffic Rank: 321,047 # United States Traffic Rank: 151,005 <– not bad at all. I couldn't get blog.exodusinternational.org to pull up on its own so the blog must be combined into the main domain's overall traffic.
Exgaywatch.com # Alexa Traffic Rank: 1,130,449 # United States Traffic Rank: 382,565 <– pretty decent but far far less traffic than Viceland.
Vice certainly doesn't need little ol' me to cause any trouble for the gay community … if that interview with Lagerfeld is actually trouble for the gay community. Plus, and this is a genuine question, would you say that the three gay outlets that tipped me off to the story, are they giving “red meat” to those who oppose gay marriage and the like? It’s The Advocate where I first learned of the story.
Maybe that’s why most of the liberal blogs were completely silent … they thought this was damaging?
Our folks are interested in these topics and this post isn’t the first time I have featured pop culture gay icons.
Most of the feedback I get is through facebook or privately and they are a really thoughtful bunch of folks.
“Many of the gay blogs, of note, mentioned this today and I think it helps shed light on the fact that not all people who identify as gay hold to the same ideology/worldview.”
You needed a guy this extreme to prove this point? You could do the same thing by seeing how many gay blogs were frustrated about GOProud’s appearance at CPAC- or by its very existence.
I’ve never heard of him or “Vice” before today, and I’m under 30. None of the gay blogs I read mentioned him except for this one. I’m also confused as to what this has to do with anything in general, and Exodus in particular. Really. I’m absolutely baffled. I second all of Jay’s remarks.
Emily, this isn’t a “gay” blog but I saw mentions of this story on Towleroad, AfterElton and The Advocate. I wonder why the other blogs, especially the very liberal ones, didn’t cover it?
Again, it is interesting that you are questioning me personally, who didn’t add any commentary, instead of addressing the assertions Lagerfeld is making. And Emily, maybe you didn’t see this post but I did mention GOProud, another “pro-gay” viewpoint, in regards to the controversy last December. It was in the context of LaBarbera/Barber’s quote but it still highlighted the fact there are people who identify as both gay and conservative.
We will raise awareness of different cultural perspectives on different topics that are of interest to people within our networks.
“it is interesting that you are questioning me personally, who didn’t add any commentary, instead of addressing the assertions Lagerfeld is making.”
My question isn’t about Lagerfeld. I don’t have any questions for him. It’s pretty clear what he’s about. And there are people like him that exist. No point in questioning it.
My question is: What is the point of you posting this on Exodus’ blog? And since you posted it here, only you, not Lagerfeld, can answer this question.
Now, once you said “to see what reactions I would get.” But this is a weak answer. The kinds of reactions you would get on a blog like this will be a natural opposition to his stances. And if I took this to the Jewish gay organization I attend occasionally, they would also mostly likely be opposed, even though they are a different religion and openly gay.
I don’t frequent “the more liberal blogs” so I can’t respond to that. But what you have done – whether you realize it or not, whether you meant it or not – is akin to somebody on a left-wing blog posting an article about a right-wing Southern politician caught sending racist emails. It’s throwing red meat to the crowd. It’s like giving an audience what they want to see: a justification to consider gays an “other” who are sick and need “transformation” of some sort. And while I understand very clearly that “everyone is sick because all are fallen short of the glory of God,” posting this article is not at all making that clear. It’s isolating and separating a “sick” gay person from a “sick” un-”saved” person.
Sorry you don’t like my answer but that wasn’t the only part of the answer. He is a gay icon talking about important issues from a perspective you don’t really ever hear. It’s just a blog post, not a treatise and not ever presented as “sick…depraved” or typical of the gay community. You are the only one, of the two of us, quoting scripture about this post and basically describing Lagerfeld in such a manner.
I never thought that the people who read this blog would act in any way like what you describe. I saw this as informative to another opinion on the issues. Plus, and I will share this now, it broke my heart. On one level, his talking about the early days of the AIDS pandemic, I can totally empathize with in that I lost loved ones too. There were other things that stood out to me but the point of the post wasn’t about my reactions but his words standing on their own. I didn’t read this article and walk away thinking about how awful he is and I didn’t attack him personally, or the gay community as a whole, either. I didn’t post this thinking anybody else would either … well, I did expect more of a backlash (toward Lagerfeld) from the gay community through other blogs and articles.
Plus, in all fairness, this was as much an opportunity for you to respond about your beliefs on the topics he addresses as it was for any of the potential “red meat” crowd you seem concerned about.
Now about your examples: Are you saying that a regional, hypothetical, stereotypical, situation of someone getting caught in hidden hypocritical awful act of racism is the same as a gay man being quite openly, on the world stage, publicly against gay marriage? Lagerfeld isn’t a hypothetical situation. He didn’t get “caught” doing anything … that’s his very public opinion that actually breaks away from the stereotype usually attributed to gay cultural/political opinion.
Not seeing the comparison.
I did a little digging and Vice is actually a very highly trafficked website. Here is its Alexa ranking compared to Exodus and the blog you write for, exgaywatch (the lower the number the higher the traffic … this is out of millions and millions of websites.)
Viceland.com # Alexa Traffic Rank: 5,699 # United States Traffic Rank in US: 3,293 That is a very good ranking.
Exodusinternational.org # Alexa Traffic Rank: 321,047 # United States Traffic Rank: 151,005 <– not bad at all. I couldn't get blog.exodusinternational.org to pull up on its own so the blog must be combined into the main domain's overall traffic.
Exgaywatch.com # Alexa Traffic Rank: 1,130,449 # United States Traffic Rank: 382,565 <– pretty decent but far far less traffic than Viceland.
Vice certainly doesn't need little ol' me to cause any trouble for the gay community … if that interview with Lagerfeld is actually trouble for the gay community. Plus, and this is a genuine question, would you say that the three gay outlets that tipped me off to the story, are they giving “red meat” to those who oppose gay marriage and the like? It’s The Advocate where I first learned of the story.
Maybe that’s why most of the liberal blogs were completely silent … they thought this was damaging?
Our folks are interested in these topics and this post isn’t the first time I have featured pop culture gay icons.
Most of the feedback I get is through facebook or privately and they are a really thoughtful bunch of folks.