Religion is a problem for me. It always has been. I won’t lie about that. I’ve personally witnessed the very worst it has to offer the lgbt community and no matter how devout, compassionate and understanding a person of faith is, I always take a step back from them. They can be straight or gay. It doesn’t matter. It’s not something I admire about myself, but it is a part of me. I don’t dislike people who hold to their faith, not at all. But my gut reaction is something I struggle with relentlessly. (And as a side note: I do consider faith and religion to be two very separate things.) So, having come clean on that, I asked author Tim Bairstow to stop by. He is a gay man of faith who writes in the mm genre about these same struggles. I’m sure you’ll find (t)his post and his books intriguing. ~B
The interaction between faith and sexuality in the context of the Christian Church is a subject of enduring fascination for me. Indeed, I think it’s a pretty important ‘front line’ in the on-going battle for equality. Hence, I was delighted when Brandon asked me to explain how faith interacts with sexuality in my fiction – apparently, it’s an unusual take on things.
In the two of my novels dealing with this theme, The Shadow of Your Wings and Cloven Tongues, I thought it was important to take the faith part seriously. It would be too facile just to say that someone’s faith is deluded and set out to expose it as such. Better to accept the fact that faith in God is a deep, genuine and compelling part of someone’s life. That way, it’s possible to explore the internal and external conflicts that happen when this compelling instinct collides with the deepest need of any human: to love and be loved as they are. [Read more…] about When Gay Meets God: Faith in M/M Fiction
But can we find a time when and a place where LGBTQs were fully equal to the other humans they lived with? In the Western world we often look to ancient Greece and Rome for acceptance of LGBTQs. But when we confront the details, we find something other than acceptance and equality.
In between going to the 
So, I finally did it. I took the plunge and came out to visit a few of my fans. It was a pleasant experience. Humorous mostly. The ladies were so gentle, as if I was going to run away if the crowd got too thick. “You okay?” was a constant. And, other than a developing cold that had me running back and forth to the loo (to blow my nose) like a coke head, I was okay. The panels were informative. I got a chance to meet so many of the authors I know only online, and I got a chance to grab a few books too. I wanted more, but no one was manning the tables at times.