Peterson Toscano's A Musing

America's Next Top Lesbian

She's smart, attractive, passionate about making the world a better place AND she is featured in the May issue of Glamour--she is Christine Bakke--America's Next Top Lesbian.

Christine stepped up to the plate and gave an interview with a writer for Glamour Magazine. It was a little over a year ago when the reporter swept into her life, and what a grueling experience. I mean, to tell your story is hard work and from the little bit I know about the interview process it was deep and intense.

I read the Glamour piece on Christine and I am impressed with the care and thoughtfulness that went into it. Clearly Stephen Fried takes his work seriously.

Christine has already gotten an e-mail response to the article which she writes about on her blog. She also shares her reasons behind doing the interview and putting her story out there with all the doubts and fears it stirs up.

It was a very deliberate decision I made to have my story out there. I knew it
had the potential to be inflammatory, unflattering and/or incorrect. I know
that's happened to a lot of folks who have talked to media. I was worried about
my family. It was one thing for me to decide I would come out nationally, but my
family didn't have a choice in the matter. I was surprised they actually agreed
to talk to Glamour. My sister, especially. I'm glad they decided to participate.

Part of my decision to be interviewed and be out very publically was that I was so pleased that a national magazine was taking an interest in a woman's story. Historically there have not been other women talking about their ex-gay experiences. Jennifer had her story featured in Fish Can't Fly, but I think that was one of the first lesbian former ex-gay stories I've seen. Now I see more women
starting to speak out and I'm thrilled about that. I think our journeys often
are a bit different from the mens' in ways that have not yet been explored, and
I'm interested in that. I'm looking forward to there being discussion on this in
the future.

And Christine is right, up until now the vast majority of ex-gay survivors coming forward have been us white gay guys, which in many ways reflect the demographics of many of the Evangelical Christian ex-gay programs. Still lesbians who've been through the movement do exist. Their stories need to be heard (along with trans folks, people of color, spouses of ex-gays, the parents, children and former/current same-sex partners).

I am thrilled that in bXg we are starting to get a growing selectoin of lesbian survivors on the Narrative page. Well done Christine for coming forward and putting yourself out there.

Also, Shawn O'Donnell did a fine job on CNN's Anderson Cooper Show tonight. He too was in Fish Can't Fly and each time he tells his story he gets more and more solid and clear. It is like watching a ghost turn into a human right before your eyes. There is a mysterious power in telling our stories.

Thank you Shawn for pressing on in your journey and in telling your truth.

Labels: bXg, ex-gay survivor, media

posted by Peterson Toscano @ 1:35 AM