Randy Thomas believes change is possible, and to prove it, he changes his blog roughly once every six months.
His latest blog is Confessions of an Ex-Gay Superstar, and here’s his personal video introduction to the new site:
Amid dwindling support for Exodus International, Randy Thomas stepped down as its vice-president in April this year, taking on a part-time role coordinating digital media for the organization. In June, he left Exodus altogether, saying it was a “new season” in his life and denying any connection to Exodus International’s declining fortunes.
WOW what a queen.
He bemoaned the attention he got when he was at Exodus, made a fuss about attention (he wasn’t actually getting) when he left, and now is so desperate for more attention that he uses this rather transparent stunt to get it. The world is more than happy for you to slip into your private life, Randy. How embarrassing for him.
When I first saw him [and Alan Chambers] in person at Exodus 2009 in Wheaton, I couldn’t believe it–I thought “This guy is as queer as a three-dollar bill!” I still don’t understand why ex-gay “superstars” like Randy [and Alan] wouldn’t try to “de-gay” their mannerisms–why they weren’t “healed” of that particular gay manifestation.
You’d really think that when God was in the process of taking away his gayness he would have taken care of that lithp
mmmmmmm…..methinks that no longer a poster boy in Exodus he has slackened off on his self monitoring of behaviours, mannerisms and voice. I relate.
Jerry Lieber, of the Stoller and Lieber songwriting duo, and Nick Ashford…of the Ashford and Simpson songwriting duo, died within a day of each other. I’m from a performing arts background myself and a lot of our greatest entertainers are from church music origins. Indeed, one thing that blacks in America were free to do, even as slaves, was embrace the Christian church.
Which involves a great deal of theatricality, performance and high emotional content. I can understand how those who don’t necessarily sing or dance, might go the preacher route to influence people. It’s from a long tradition between epic poets who wrote ancient Greek performance art, to the griots of the African plains.
We love a good story, well told.
However, there are some people who are pathetically milquetoast and boring, and yet…want to get attention in a similar vein, but repetition of the same story with little variation, loses it’s juice after a while.
Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas, aren’t compelling fellows. They just aren’t. And the ex gay story they keep telling won’t change. It’s history, and they aren’t doing so much with their lives that should garner applause.
I see that Stephen Bennett is embellishing his tread worn tale with more gravitas these days.
I’m ever straight, and I don’t see what the big deal is. Being one’s sexual orientation is hardly an accomplishment. It’s not achieved, it’s inherent. And transferring from one to the other is still a transference to a sexual orientation, not doing something REALLY praiseworthy, like entering marathons to raise money for cancer or AIDS cures. Or inventing something that multiples of people can enjoy… or composing something, like songs.
These guys spend and inordinate amount of time trying to get applause for doing something EVERYONE is born with: a sexual orientation.
Whoop de do.
And who’d be impressed with a light skinned black person who passed for white to escape the brutality of Jim Crow, and turned around and supported apartheid against black people?
Or a Jew who renounced their heritage, and went along with whatever anti Semitic law or religious constriction that came to fruition?
Who’d be impressed by people like that?
Not even those who shared that sentiment. Why?
Because it’s a show of the kind of character you are to be THAT weak, even while claiming it takes being strong to betray what you are and those just like you.
People like Randy Thomas and Debbie Thurman and so on show their true colors as someone who can’t be trusted.
And they want attention for all the wrong reasons, for accomplishing absolutely nothing BUT betrayals to those who retain their true identity.
I’m actually fine with a person’s mannerisms, regional accents, modes of dress that’s unique and individual. That even crosses gender in a dignified way. Mannerisms go for being black, as much as being gay, or Jewish.
It’s all a part of the flavors and spice of humanity, otherwise it would be bland and too much alike.
What we all are witnessing are people who have all the mannerisms that identify them, but then try to tell us our eyes didn’t see it, and our ears didn’t hear it.
The way Marcus Bachman is doing as we speak. He denies and denies and denies. It would be hilariously funny, but for his wife being a Senator and lawmaker and running for our nation’s highest public office. Now he’s very much in the public eye and has some concerns about how he’s seen.
But he won’t own it.
And to all our friends who went through that trial by ex gay fire, and came out as their true selves, I salute THAT. Because it’s far harder to be gay, than to pretend to be straight. I don’t even think our brother Petersen Toscano would be nearly as funny, charming and interesting if he was still affecting the hetero life. I really don’t. From what he’s told us, the burden of that affectation didn’t leave room for him to even be the funnier part of himself. And THAT would have been a tragedy.
Perhaps the real Randy and Alan are charming and interesting guys, but that wall of shame and disguise is too thick to know it.
When I see the words “Confessions of an Ex-gay Superstar” all I can think of is clandestine hook-ups in the hotel bathroom. I know it’s wrong, but, you know, it just reads like a bad porn title (or maybe a good one depending on who you are). Randy seems to need the glare of the spotlight (good or bad) to justify his existence. It makes me think that as hard as some of the struggles have been that I have gone through watching the breakup of a relationship that I treasured for most of its 10 years, I still feel happier, healthier and a more whole individual than the person that displays out of his incessant need for the light. I’ve said before, I truly hope that one day Randy finds happiness!
Randy only post comments of desenscion from people who have an extreme negative reaction to his blog. I wrote two rationally worded comments and neither of them were posted. So then in turn he can write, “see?? look how awful these people are to me.” Specifucally I wrote about the fact that I believe God lead me from the freedom of bondage of the “ex gay lifestyle” and I thought it was misleading that over my 10 years in Exodus never once did they express that there are entire spiritual communities living wonderful fulfilling Christian lives.
@Billy
are there any psychologists our there who can put a name to this kind of behaviour Billy has mentioned . It sounds dysfunctional to me.
Randy has always been extremely selective about the comments he allows. Sometimes he will hold comments until he has his response created and then releases them together. I guess he doesn’t want any stray ideas hanging out there without his rebuttal to close them up.
An evangelical who has met Randy told me the other day, “Randy is gayer than you.” I don’t care much for equating effeminacy to being gay, but I can see his point. Their own ministry (Love In Action) used to (still does?) require that “clients” avoid even wearing Calvin Klein underwear (among other things) because of the appearance of being gay. I don’t think Randy got the memo.
I could care less how he acts, but knowing the tripe he has saddled others with doesn’t inspire me to give the man much leeway.
@Anthony Venn-Brown
I think it’s just manipulative and passive – aggressive, Anthony. Michael Brown does the same thing. His last book — a vile screed — listed hundreds of negative comments from all sorts of venues as evidence of I know not what. In fact, they share another trait — the idea that as long as you say hateful things politely enough, they aren’t really bad. But when people respond in decidedly less polite ways to being compared — albeit politely — to someone who eats feces, well that just shows how hateful they are.
Yeah, I would say dysfunctional is a kind word for whatever is going on there.
@David Roberts
I dont think Randy got the email……..ROTFLMAO!
@David Roberts
love your work
@Anthony Venn-Brown
Right back at you, Anthony.
BTW, did anyone notice Randy’s solicitation for subscriptions to his blog — monthly fees from $5-500! Perhaps there is more to this — another “ex-gay for pay” venture. That didn’t take long.
@David Roberts Holy cow. Who in his right mind has an option to subscribe to a blog (albeit with bonus features such as getting added to Randy’s Google Plus Circle) for $500 a month?
I’m messaging Randy and telling him I’m not prepared to go over $200. $300 if he throws in the live webcam stream.
@ Dave Roberts and Anthony Venn-Brown:
I want to thank you for your very smart and thorough examinations, self awareness and sharing of experience.
Straight folks like me really NEED it. That’s why I’m not averse to telling people like Michael Brown and so on to step off and let those who are the most credible to testify to do so. As I say, I don’t want to hear about Jews from a non Jewish anti Semite, or a Jew who has renounced who they are and puts down the members of their former heritage.
What good does THAT do anybody?
I’ve heard the same religious, anti gay teaching all of us have. All my friggin life.
I’ve been tired of hearing it for a long time and don’t want to hear it any more.
I guess people like Randy Thomas…or Michael Brown never thought of THAT.
What’s next, the Broadway musical? . . .
Randy Thomas, ExGay Superstar!
lol this is a joke.. right guys? I mean come on!
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