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Coming Out | The Love I Never Had

Posted 5 years ago Tagged coming out Lesbian Lesbian Mormon Mixed Orientation Marriage

Four years ago, I sat in St. James Cathedral in downtown Seattle and begged God to show me what to do. Here I was a gay woman, married to a man for the past 20 years, with four kids who … Read the rest here

Latter Gay Stories
Latter Gay Stories

Latter Gay Stories

10

Real Stories. Real Talk. Real People
IN or OUT of Mormonism.

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Latter Gay Stories
4 hours ago
Latter Gay Stories

Paul Reubens, the heart behind Pee-wee Herman’s iconic bowtie and infectious giggle, never wanted to be defined solely by his character. In his final, courageous act, he gave the world his authentic self.

The HBO docuseries Pee-wee as Himself unveils this truth with tenderness, drawing from over 40 hours of Reubens’ heartfelt reflections on his joys, struggles, and the steep price of fame that often demanded his silence.

With raw honesty, Reubens reveals a man grappling with his identity—his sexuality, public perception, and how comedy became both sanctuary and shield. One touching moment comes when he speaks of Guy, a man who ignited his early creativity. ā€œI saw him across the room, and it was love at first sight,ā€ he shared, voice warm with memory. ā€œThat was him. That was my guy.ā€

Yet, Hollywood’s unspoken rules forced him to step back from that love, retreating into a closet that brought loneliness to protect his career. ā€œI was as out as I could be,ā€ he confessed, ā€œand then I chose to hide again.ā€

The docuseries traces how his college days in drag and performance art shaped Pee-wee, turning pretense into survival. But fame exacted a toll. Reubens recounts the 1991 arrest, the mugshot that shattered Pee-wee’s innocence overnight. ā€œIt all backfired,ā€ he said, the pain still raw. ā€œSuddenly, I was staring out from a mugshot like some kind of villain.ā€ The media storm was relentless, and the 2002 raid—where a misunderstood art collection led to baseless accusations—cut deeper.

ā€œHe was so unfairly treated,ā€ director Matt Wolf says, ā€œand the world never heard his side.ā€

Quietly, Reubens battled lung cancer for six years, never mentioning it during interviews. Even in his final days, he thought of others, recording a message just before his passing: ā€œI made this documentary to show you who I really am… everything I created came from a place of love.ā€ He didn’t live his truth fully in life, but in death, Paul Reubens ensured his voice—kind, complex, human—would resonate. His legacy isn’t just laughter; it’s the bravery to be seen and understood.

The two-part HBO docuseries Pee-wee as Himself is available to stream on Max or watch on HBO.

#Peewee #PaulReubens #LatterGayStories
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Latter Gay Stories
1 day ago
Latter Gay Stories

Many ā€œChristiansā€ weaponize scripture to marginalize the LGBTQ community, citing Leviticus or Paul’s letters to justify exclusion. Yet they ignore the same texts’ prohibitions on divorce, gossip, or even eating pork—sins they often commit without a second thought.

This selective outrage betrays a deeper issue: a failure to grapple with the religion’s complexity and cultural context.

Jesus challenged religious elites who prioritized rules over people, consistently siding with the ostracized. He never mentioned homosexuality or gender identity, but he did command love for all, without exception.

The hypocrisy lies in using faith as a club to harm rather than a call to heal. True Christianity demands humility and self-reflection, not judgment. God didn’t send Christ to judge—I’m confident he didn’t send you either.

Let’s choose love over division, seeing every person as worthy of compassion, just as your Christ did.

#LoveIsTheAnswer
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Latter Gay Stories
2 days ago
Latter Gay Stories

Berlin’s 1920’s queer scene sparked transgender visibility with pioneering surgeries and legal protections until the Nazi’s rise crushed this vibrant culture.

This photo, taken in 1921 in front of Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institut für Sexualwissenschaft (Institute for Sexuality) in Berlin, captures a beacon of hope for transgender individuals. Later raided by Nazis, who burned over 20,000 books and records, the Institute was a global pioneer in gender-affirming care.

During the Weimar Republic (1918–1933), Berlin, known as the ā€œqueer capital of Europe,ā€ fostered a bold transgender movement. Magnus Hirschfeld, a gay Jewish sexologist, coined the term ā€œtransvestiteā€ in 1910 to describe those whose gender identity differed from their assigned sex, shaping modern transgender concepts.

Founded in 1919, the Institute offered counseling, hormone therapy, and early surgeries like facial feminization, supporting figures like Lili Elbe. The Transvestitenschein pass, issued from around 1908, allowed trans people to dress authentically without fear of arrest, it often included name changes.

Berlin’s nightlife thrived at venues like the Eldorado nightclub, where drag balls and fashion parades created safe spaces for self-expression. In 1930, Das 3. Geschlecht, the first transgender magazine, shared stories and poetry, fostering community. However, respectability politics pressured trans individuals to conform to middle-class norms, marginalizing those who didn’t. Trans men, often misread as queer women, faced unique barriers in gaining recognition.

The Nazi regime’s ascent halted this progress. On May 6, 1933 Nazi students stormed the Institute, burning its archives and using patient lists to arrest many. Trans individuals like Toni Simon and Liddy Bacroff were sent to concentration camps like Buchenwald, facing persecution or death. Rigid Nazi gender norms erased Weimar’s advances.

Weimar’s trans history underscores the resilience of gender-diverse communities and Hirschfeld’s vision. Their work laid foundations for modern trans rights, reminding us to protect hard-won freedoms.

We honor those who lived authentically against the odds—even amid a tyrannical government.
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