"Ex-Gay" Donnie McClurkin to Headline Boston's Gospel Fest

Grammy Award winning gospel singer and evangelist Donnie McClurkin will headline the City of Boston's Tenth Annual GospelFest on July 18, reports The Boston Phoenix. The free concert will be produced with taxpayer funds and will take place at City Hall Plaza.

The infamously "ex-gay"—or perhaps "re-closeted"—gospel singer delivered an incendiary rant against gay youth and recently out gospel singer Tonex at the Church of God in Christ's Holy Convocation Youth Service last November in Memphis. McClurkin's hateful rant went viral across the internet.  McClurkin compared LGBT youth to "vampires" and added: "I see feminine men, feminine boys, everywhere I go. These young girls are just as bad as the boys ... there are some evil young hard butch girls."

Mayor Tom Menino's office claims they were unaware of McClurkin's record, reports The Phoenix.

"Clearly, though, the choice of the Grammy-winning McClurkin for the free concert puts Menino in a bind, says local activist and Bay Windows columnist Reverend Irene Monroe. 'Our mayor is pro-gay and pro-same-sex marriage,' she says. Yet at the same time, McClurkin appeals to "the black Christian conservative community — which is a strong voting constituency." McClurkin and his 'ex-gay' message has no place at a taxpayer-funded community event, says Monroe. 'Our mayor and city hall represent all of its residents, not just Christian conservatives,' she says. 'It's fine to have a gospel singer, but given his history, it's a denunciation of inclusion.' Monroe also says there's little possibility that McClurkin could walk onto the City Hall Plaza stage and simply belt out his hits without discussing politics or his personal life. 'In gospel, it's not enough to just sing,' she says, 'We want to hear the narrative.'

At Donnie McClurkin's October 2008 performance in Barbados, the Pentecostal evangelist received "thunderous applause" after comparing gays to "drug dealers, prostitutes and gang members."

McClurkin has somewhat addressed the persistent rumors about his personal life. The gospel singer maintains he is no longer gay but recently suggested he still has same-sex urges, comparing homosexuality to diabetes: "I don’t eat sugar, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t want sugar."

Via: ChiTown Kev at Pam's House Blend

Comments

[Nathan James]

If Donnie McClurkin ever agrees to debate Rev. Kevin E. Taylor, I will televise it on my show. That is a standing invitation. It would be sit-up-in-your-seat, holy-sh*t television.

[Jai]

wow only one comment? the church queens and closet queens must be sleeping in this morning ...

[AJ Terrel]

I don't pay attention to the lives of gospel singers, but i had no idea he was "ex-gay". What makes me angry about people like that is that they almost always come out angry, hurtful, and spiteful toward gay people.

He obviously wasn't gay for long because he didn't meet real gay people. all he met were media stereotypes.

Besides, Masculinity & Femininity are just social constructs. not religious OR genetic.

I guess I'm just venting. but damn. this just made me that much sadder for black people.

[Freeman]

I'm glad that Rev. Monroe is speaking out. Despite the state's liberal reputation, Boston's black community is conservative. And many of Boston's black gays are either closeted, trying to play nice with the black straights or totally doing the "swirl" route, so they could care less about what happens in the larger black community.

[Trey]

Donnie is such a over dramatic joke to me. It's amazing, at this point, that he even still has a following. I know the church kids defend almost anything church, but his over the top tantrums alone, should be enough to turn anyone off.

[The Truth]

I really do not like this man. I had heard his anti-gay rhetoric on many occasions, but that speech at the the COGIC convention was the last straw. What angers me the most is that people will turn away from Christ because of what people like this preach. This is not behavior Christ would condone, and I absolutely despise people who spew hate in the name of Jesus.

I just would really love for this man to go away. He spoiled a whole season of Sunday's Best for me. I think the man is fake, and he is no more pius than the rest of us.

That is all, for now...I get really upset thinking about people like McClurkin.

[Procrastination_Xtravaganza]

I wanna see that Nathan! McClurklown would never agree to that though, because RevKev would slay him! Love is stronger than pride,..if you're decent. He'd never allow himself to be taken to task on his hateful rants though.

[Saadiq]

Donnie McClurkin is not a joke and we should not treat him as such. He has a platform of millions of fans and many more people in the black church and evangelical church believe you can "pray away the gay" or it only because you were molested. We might think it's a joke but the church folk don't.

[Tamara]

Great coverage! I knew none of this was going on.

[Trey]

@ Saadiq, I completely understand how the church is. I came up in it as you probably did as well. Donnie is dangerous to LGBT youth. Impressionable gay youth who listen to Donnie will always hate themselves. That's serious because it leads to things like suicide. This is why no one hear likes him....he's poisonous. Just wanted to make sure you see why people have little respect for him here.

[Kevin Perez]

There are many morons who say this queen isn't really homophobic because she has never said anything hateful to LGBT.

Apologists, apologists...

[Isis]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... "Donnie McTurncoat is a MESS!" I've loved his music in the past, but his Anti-gay rants are just TOO MUCH. He is simply NOT doing Gods work. He needs to be checked and Kevin Taylor is the BEST choice to do it. I hope he wins that Oprah show and takes so many people to task.

[robert]

he is a closeted gay man who is ashamed of his sexuality. he is jealous of Tonex because he is both out and proud of his sexuality. he is the James Cleveland of our time

[MW09]

He's so f**king stupid! I don't know this dunce isn't permanently stuck in the back of the classroom.

[MW09]

***Oops! Forget to put the "why" after "know" and before "this"! LOL!

[JustMe]

I had me Kevin Taylor a few years ago at a friends house briefly. I have one thing to say about Mr. Taylor he is truly a very gifted, out spoken and no hold bar sort of guy. Well that what i saw in him and i liked him since then.