Never a Choice

Book excerpt: From Luann Perhaps readers of this book still believe that homosexuality is perverted and evil. I understand all too well where people with those views are coming from. It has taken me many years to accept the idea that God accepts a union between two people of the same sex. No matter how anyone feels about this particular idea, the important thing to remember is that we must stop condemning and start loving. My journey to understanding is not over. I want to keep on growing and learning, but I hope that some of what I have learned can be helpful to others who are struggling to understand and to accept. This book includes a great deal of my spiritual philosophy because that is an important part of my story and an integral part of who I am. However, I believe that because I started with so many firmly entrenched misconceptions about homosexuality and because my religious training was so rigidly anti-gay, my journey was longer and more painful than it needs to be for many others. If someone who started out as an "Anita Bryant clone" can eventually march in a gay pride parade carrying a sign, "We love our gay kids," there's hope for anyone! From Andy As a man who grew up in a time when same-sex marriage was completely unthinkable, I find being married a wonderful (if unexpected) experience. My husband and I call each other "husband" all the time; it is our preferred term of endearment. And having had the opportunity to participate in one of the foundational rituals of love and partnership has added something in my life that I never even knew existed. I hope you have enjoyed our stories--we have enjoyed sharing them--and that you might take something with you to comfort or inspire you on your journey. I look forward to the next time our paths cross.