"The New Yorker" Profiles Tonex

Brilliant. The New Yorker profiles Tonex, the Stellar Award-winning gospel singer/songwriter and minister who recently confirmed his long-rumored sexuality. Tonex became the first to do so in black gospel music and shattered its well-guarded glass closet doors.

Kelefa Sanneh writes (pdf): "Many of his fans wondered what took him so long. Maybe some of them wondered, too, what took gospel music so long, because the question that Tonéx finally answered has been haunting the genre for for the better part of a century."

Tonex, who grew up in the anti-gay and charismatic Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (P.A.W.) and is the son of pastor, describes trying to come out:

Tonéx sensed early on that he was attracted to other boys, and he spent the better part of three decades trying to figure out what that might mean for him. One day when he was eighteen, he told his parents that he thought he was bisexual. His father said, “You need to go listen to some gospel records,” and his mother just cried. Not long afterward, Pastor Williams preached a sermon in which he decried “faggots.” (The next week, Pastor Williams apologized to the congregation for his choice of words.) Tonéx says, “Perhaps he thought that by speaking on it so harshly it would make me turn the other way.” When Tonéx started preaching, he occasionally denounced homosexuality, too, partly because such denunciations work so well. “You can talk about a slut, a hussy, a heifer, a player, any other subject— you are not going to get the response you get when you start talking about fags, or gays,” he says. “It’s like a football game!”

Given the proliferation of gay men in black gospel music, it's ironic that Tonex's father prescribed listening "to some gospel records" to cure his homosexuality. And Tonex is right, there's nothing like good ole-fashioned gay-bashing to motivate many so-called "Christians" and church folk.

The profile appears in the current February 8 issue of The New Yorker. At ten pages, it's not a quick read but is captivating and should be required reading. It's also to The New Yorker's credit that they took on the black church's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" hypocrisy around gays in the church.  The article is subscription only but a PDF is here. Love to hear your thoughts.

The New Yorker: Revelations [pdf]

Some Background:
Tonex on Black Church's Hypocrisy on Gays
Gospel Singer Deitrick Haddon: "Not a Sissy Bone in My Body"
WATCH: Gospel Star Tonex Confirms Same Sex Attraction

Comments

[RC]

You are so right. It should be required reading for all black SGL people, particularly those of us who grew up in church. I may need to give The New Yorker a second look. Didn't think they would be interested in profiling a black SGL/bi singer. Great job by Kelefa.

[Former COGIC]

Rod, I just started this article and it is fascinating. I never thought the New Yorker crowd would ever touch this subject. I'm going to download to Blackberry and read on the commute home ...

And yes, a fascinating and required read for all of us who grew up "churched"...

[Diva1961]

I loved the article. At first I thought, "boy, that's a lot of historical background on contemporary gospel music", but it really helps the non-gospel reader put everything into context.

I feel for Tonex even more now. he is really on a spiritual journey right now and deserves to find hiw "pot of gold" at the end of this journey. His talent is undeniable and artistry assured, but the segment of the black church that he is involved in is something he really needs to walk away from if he is to continue to grow as a balanced human being. If not, he can become a miserable human being. I like how he says McClukin owes him an apology and a phone call. I would love to be fly on the wall listening to that call. I know he would read Donnie and tell him that he will out him or make it, at the least a little uncomfortable for him
(because Tonex doesn't really seem very hateful). He needs to walk away from his church. he sounds like he never wanted to do it anyway.

Loved the article:-)
Thanks Rod.

[Tony]

Rod, thanks for the posting the article...

[bennie]

glad Tonex has an opportunity to share his thoughts.

[W. Lotus]

The article was sad and inspiring all at the same time. Thank you for posting it!

[Whatuthink]

His father said, “You need to go listen to some gospel records,”

The ignorance of a typical black family response to sex.

[Baltimore Femme]

Rod, this was a great article. It really helped to lift my spirits and I needed to read this.

I so wish many black gay men would leave these oppressive churches. But that will probably not happen anytime soon if ever...sigh

You go Tonex!

[Ronnell]

Great article couldn't stop reading it.

There are so many in Gospel who need not throw stones. The glass closet door they break might be their own.

[TheRevKev]

READ THIS ARTICLE:

It's stunning and thoughtful and personal and insightful and real and it's one man's journey that speaks for so many of us!

Thank you so much Rod. You are just a harbinger of many worlds for us as a community. You do the work to take us places and into spaces that we might not be aware of in the living of our daily lives! YOU DA YOU DA BEST!

Much love and continued blessings to and for you!

[James M]

I loved this article. The Gospel community is just pathetic. Especially when he came out, all the well known gospel artists really started spreading the hate out there. But most of his fans contacted him with support. I will be sure to support Tonex on his new album

[Mark N.]

I have print and copied several copies of this article to pass on to friends, and co-workers. This should be required reading, especially social workers so that they can be sensitive and work efficiently with clients who may be gay.