AboutMichelle Expertise I can answer/explore questions regarding: coming out; conflicts of faith for both the gay/lesbian person accepting their own sexuality as well as friends/family accepting the sexuality of someone they care about; coming out to your children; talking to your teens about being gay; coming out of a long term opposite sex marriage; history of marriage; legal recognition of same gender marriages; how ultra-conservative religious training/upbringing affects gays and lesbians; being "out" in a small, conservative community; current dynamics of religion/dynamics.
Experience I was raised in a conservative Christian church, and still am a Christian. From my earliest memories, I always had "crushes" on girls/women, but because of my background and training, believed homosexuality was a "sin" and that I was an abomination. I believed it was a "choice" and I was determined to choose heterosexuality. I married a man (claimed to be a Christian, ended up being abusive), had three kids, and was married for 20 years. I attended a Christian college (had devastating crushes there) and at the age of 26 started writing and speaking for Christian groups across the United States and Canada. After fifteen years of teaching others to "remove the masks" I finally peeled away my last mask. I lost my church, my oldest friend, my career, and quite a few people I trusted and loved--but I gained my soul. You can't fool God. I used my experience and tweny-five years of biblical studies to understand how scriptures have been misused against the gay/lesbian/bi/trans community. I am now married to a woman (seven years) and active in the gay/lesbian community. I have made myself an expert on same gender marriage issues and legal cases. I am very involved in local, state, and national politics.
Organizations HRC
PFLAG
Equal Rights Washington
Legal Marriage Alliance
Publications
Two books and hundreds of articles for Christian publishers
Publisher's Weekly
Western Horseman
Education/Credentials 2.5 years of college, including a variety of theology classes.
11 years of seminars & workshops
20 years as a writer (fifteen of which were for Christian publishers)
Question Where are you right now???
I just need you hear in my mind. Sorry
I don' know if I mess up Mic Please
I scared I making wrong decision. Please I am so scared.
I don't want to feel for anyone again. It not ok
Please stay here.
I know I should let go, but i feel you the only friend I got. sorry wrong words.
stay please I don't knwo what I am doing.
Please remind me not ok to care to love
My mom hug me and kis my shoulder That's not her
i don't know what to do.
i can't hang on. my dad told mom that i am the only one who ther.
no one can know i can't do this help me out i am freaking out i cant be important.
i so confused
The lady i met last night not "my type" very so different. I can't be attracted right?
I don't know what to feel. I want to push her away. I have tried to push her away. I am confused.
I trust you and only you now.
You should see me. I have my eagles cap on back words. My ten strands of grey hair behind my ears. My dark ass hair. You understand. I shouldn't be alive now. i need to push away new woman cuz I am the fuck up. god, i wanted someone for sex. I never wanted anyone who was a good person but then again that stupid cuz i can find good in anyone.
I don't think I learned well. You supposed to trust but not.
Mic, my mom is never coming back. She left before ...
Mic, my heart breaks from mad at her, to mad at me I have to forgive i thought I knew how
My heart breaks now.
i keep drink, keep listening to bad music. i hope it all kills me
Is it wrong to want to give soul for someone elses?
I guess though if your sould is so bad it can never pay for the other!
I can't stop crying. the pain is somewhere deep inside where it won't go away.
I caused all this fucked up mess. I tried to fix all the history
i sorry
what is wrong with me?
i sorry
Answer Kim, I'm right here...haven't moved, haven't left, and won't. Yes you can feel, yes, you can need. In fact Kim, it doesn't matter if you WANT to need or care or be attracted or not...you don't get to choose it. But it is very normal to be afraid of it...and the only thing you can do is to let it happen if it is going to happen. Let your mom need you if she will, let yourself be attracted to this new woman if you are...don't try to control the response because it is the attempt to control responses that makes you feel so helpless, alone and afraid. When you give up the need to control then it makes it easier to accept the outcomes. Some are not going to be good outcomes, some will. They will happen regardless, so we learn to absorb them and form us. Fighting them doesn't stop them, it only wounds us...
You didn't cause any of it, Kim...you are just living it like we all are. Can you stop fighting them, let them just be? If so, you will just "be" too. It will hurt a lot less. It will be growth.
I'm here, Kim, and there is NOTHING wrong with you...
