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Gospel Stars Karen Clark Sheard and Deitrick Haddon to Headline NOM Rally at U.S. Capitol

The National Organization for Marriage will conclude its summer hate tour on August 15 on the steps of the United States Capitol in Washington. The "Summer Marriage Tour" has been poorly attended so far but the final event may draw a crowd: Grammy Award gospel megastar Karen Clark Sheard and Dietrick Haddon.

Sheard is the former member of the The Clark Sisters, the best-selling female gospel group in history. Their iconic 1980's hit "You Brought The Sunshine" was the among the first gospel singles to became a major crossover hit on contemporary R&B radio. Sheard has performed with Donnie McClurkin and last January, the duo received a Grammy for Best Gospel Performance. Sheard is a member of the Church of God in Christ—the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States and well known for attracting many closeted black gay men, many of whom are her biggest fans, adds Darian Aaron. 

Sheard and her siblings are often credited for blending the sound of popular music with gospel. Sheard's brand of gospel music along with her daughter's, gospel sensation Kiera Sheard is no stranger to gays and lesbians and can be frequently heard inside gay clubs. If there was any doubt regarding where Sheard stood on LGBT rights, despite being apart of an industry and a religious denomination overflowing with gay and lesbian people, her upcoming performance in support of stripping a segment of the American population of their civil rights will deliver a strong answer. It's a sad day when a voice that has the power to heal and unite people is being used as a weapon of mass destruction.

Detroit-based gospel singer and minister Deitrick Haddon will also perform. Haddon was the first major name in black gospel music to speak out against fellow gospel singer Tonex's confirmation of his long-rumored sexuality. "All Gospel singers are not Gay as I don’t have a sissy bone in my body," Haddon ranted on Twitter.

NOM is apparently attempting to partner with the rabidly anti-gay COGIC, which is the nation's second-largest black denomination. In June NOM presented the top two COGIC male and female leaders with an award. And last week, COGIC's San Diego Bishop Bishop George McKinney issued a statement—curiously, through NOM—blasting Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker's Proposition 8 ruling. 

Alveda King, niece of slain civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King, headlined NOM's poorly-attended Atlanta rally over the weekend. But the August 15 rally will be undoubtedly have the largest marquee names on NOM's hate tour. Will Karen Clark Sheard and Deitrick Haddon be able to attract a crowd? And will Karen Clark Sheard's performance at the NOM rally hurt her standing among her many Black gay fans? The first question remains to be seen but sadly, I think we all know the answer to that last question ...

UPDATE: NOM is no longer advertising Karen Clark Sheard's appearance. NOM's website now only lists Deitrick Haddon for August 15.

"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

WATCH: Gospel Singer Tonex on Black Church's Hypocrisy on Gays

More on the story of Tonex, the Stellar Award-winning gospel singer/songwriter and minister who recently confirmed his long-rumored sexuality becoming the first to do so in black gospel music and shattering its well-guarded glass closet doors. Tonex addresses his critics in a new video interview with Atlanta-based blogger and activist Darian Aaron.

Tonex says: "Every person has to come to terms with their own self in their own time. I still am. Day by day I am getting 'deprogrammed' by someone's else's second-hand information or someone's archaic interpretation. I'm just getting to know God for myself and know that He loves me, I am able to be free of who I am as a person."

Tonex says the black church and gospel industry are "full" of gay men and responds to the so-called Christians who called him derogatory names, such as gospel singer Deitrick Haddon : "Now, officially, I am a grown azz man. You can't be a 'sissy' or a 'punk' when you're being honest. That says a whole lot about the person. ... Everyone in the church isn't being honest."

The San Diego-based minister adds that many church folk are "no longer speaking" to him but he is getting support from many others. Darian adds: "I believe his story has the ability to empower the black LGBT community or anyone who identifies as LGBT and is struggling to reconcile their sexuality with their faith."

Here, here. Too bad so many others in the black church will not preach or cannot hear that same message. PART ONE of the three part interview, WHEN YOU JUMP. Full interview at LOLDARIAN.

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Gospel Singer Deitrick Haddon: "Not a Sissy Bone in My Body"

"All Gospel singers are not Gay as I don’t have a sissy bone in my body." That's singer, songwriter and minister Deitrick Haddon on Twitter, becoming one of the first major names in black gospel music to speak out against fellow gospel singer Tonex's confirmation of his long-rumored sexuality.

Blogger and activist Darian Aaron reports the Detroit-based Haddon delivered the rant during an online discussion "responding to repeated taunting and accusations from some of his Twitter followers regarding the large amount of closeted gay men within the gospel music industry. The controversial tweet posted September 15 has mysteriously disappeared from Haddon's timeline but it was obviously present long enough for EJ of gospelpundit.com to pen a piece asking those within the industry to 'take a moment to examine our hearts and live life more carefully.'"

Darian spoke with Tonex regarding anti-gay slur. Says Tonex: "I'm a little disappointed with the response. I can't get mad at anyone's conviction. As a theologian myself I wish we would use the WORD in a way that wasn't violent or abusive. I think the term "sissy" wasn't necessary but as a brother of mine (Deitrick) no love is lost here", he added.

WWJD? He probably wouldn't use the word "sissy". But thanks for confirming your heterosexuality, Deitrick. You keep telling yourself that when you offer women Twitter tips on how to keep a good man.

WATCH: Gospel Star Tonex Confirms Rumors and Same Sex Attraction

Anthony Charles Williams II, the Stellar Award-winning gospel singing artist, producer and minister better known by his stage name Tonex, confirms his long-rumored sexuality and admits that he "is" attracted to men. Tonex's admission on the popular The Lexi Show, a popular gospel and Christian YouTube show, is perhaps the first time a gospel singer has confirmed their homosexuality, writes Darian Aaron, the Atlanta-based blogger and gospel music fan.

"Tonex boldly opens the closet door in a way that I could never imagine anyone else in the gospel music industry having the courage to do. As a childhood victim of molestation, Tonex refuses to blame his same-sex attraction on this experience like many of his colleagues who "struggle" with homosexuality (i.e. Donnie McClurkin) and corrects the interviewer when she attempts to frame the discussion in this way. 'It wasn't a struggle. And then people like to blame the struggle on molestation. No. Just say you were attracted to men and be honest and quit blaming it on that experience', says Tonex."

Although Tonex does not come out and say he is "gay". But several times in the interview he emphasizes that he "is attracted" to men and that is "not a struggle". On numerous previous times, the flamboyant recording artist has denied that he was gay, most famously on the 2007 video of The Naked Truth and an infamous YouTube video where he swore and used profanity. "I take ownership for that," Tonex now admits.

Tonex also blasts the black church for its hypocrisy and its mistreatment of LGBTs: "The church has completely faggotized everybody who's gay, sends them to hell over the pulpit and the church literally screams hooray and are happy about that. And yet, we celebrate the pastor who has a clean record and a clean look, but yet he is still doing the same thing that the same gender loving people are doing."

Tonex addresses his sexuality around 4:50 on Part 2. Watch, WHEN YOU JUMP.