The CNN journalist is speaking out about his sexuality in the recent release and upcoming memoir “Transparent”.
“Today I chose to step out on faith and begin openly living my own truth. And let me say right up front that I hope many of you will be inspired to do the same thing in your daily lives. Some of the things I’ve chosen to reveal in my book Transparent were very difficult to share with even those closest to me.”
There was a time when I was terrified of revealing these things to the person I love most in this world – my own mother. But when I finally mustered the courage to tell her that I had been molested as a child and that I was born gay, my life began to change in positive ways that I never imagined possible. Yet I still chose to keep those secrets hidden from the world. I, like most gay people, lived a life of fear. Fear that if some employers, co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members learned of my sexuality, I would be shunned, mocked and ostracized. It is a burden that millions of people carry with them every single day. And sadly, while the mockery and ostracizing are realized by millions of people every day, I truly believe it doesn’t have to happen and that’s why I feel compelled to share what I’ve written in Transparent.
As a journalist I believe that part of my mission is to shed light onto dark places. So, the disclosure of this information does not inhibit in any way my ability to be the professional, fair and objective journalist I have always been.
My book is dedicated to the memory of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death from a bridge after his dorm mates streamed his private business over the Internet for the world to see. Tyler might still be with us today if more gay men and women had chosen to live proudly and openly. It is also dedicated to the millions of young, gay people who believe they are alone when dealing with their own sexual identities. You are not alone! There are people, like me and many others, who are thriving in their personal and professional lives and although we sometimes have a hard time with it ourselves, we are here to show you by example that you too can overcome any obstacle as long as you stay strong and, most of all, stay alive.”
With love and honesty,
Don Lemon
May 16, 2011
Conversations Of A Sistah 
what a waste and he’s so nice looking too.
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he look gay…sad smh
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Ummm…Dont know him… Is he still at CNN????? I hope he doesnt lose his job over this coming out revelation…..
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ooh chile we livin in the last days…all these men are either woman whoring or gay. smmfh..sad!
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@PINKY, THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO BE THE LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES BUT INSTEAD THEY ARE CHASING AFTER OTHER MEN, IN JAIL OR HAVING A BECKY FEST THAT NEVER ENDS…LAST DAYS FOR SURE~
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You hit it Dead on! My beautiful black brothers are either in jail, gay, dressing up like women, or chasing beckys…Slavery and the emasculation of the black man seems to have worked…SMH
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Yea we are seeing our last days on earth.
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Awww damn
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I honestly said to myself after he once admitted on CNN he was molested by a Man when he was a child…I said Next he will come out and say he’s Gay. I know people might trip but EVERY LAST Gay man i know eventually says they were molested as a child…wow
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I dont care about who u like, just report the news fool….
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I was about to say the same damn thing…
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why fags always throwing their business out there?!!!! do us all a favor….go home, close the door, stick a dyck in your mouth and STFU!!!!!!
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well damn!
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Isn’t he married to a woman???
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Isn’t he married to a woman???
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I thought he had a wife and some kids too. That’s sooo fucked up if he do.
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Um ok. Who? Um. Congrats on coming out the closet…I guess..
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im shocked..seriously…wow…
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Born gay? I have yet to see a gay baby…GTFOH!
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I’m not sure about being born gay, but I am sure that we all were born in sin and the sin begin to shapen into inquity. Here’s the thing – its if we stay in the inquity and let it become us – then God is not pleased ONE BIT! What he did is allowed the inquity. We are not of ourselves we are all spirit in a body called flesh of a human being. This sin and inquity is not of God. he needs to seek God – his spiritual being because the flesh(human being) is fashioned after this world and this world is of the enemy. He can become a straight man as God has for him – but that’s if he truly seeks after God being of one mind and one being.
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Born gay? I have yet to see a gay baby…GTFOH!
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LoL!!!
I was thinking the same thing.
SMH….Stupidity.
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Born gay? I have yet to see a gay baby…GTFOH!
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My thoughts EXACTLY
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@Rezzie,
black communities are overrun with poverty, violence, promiscuity, unemployment, terrible education, lack of health care, ineffective political representation, ignorance, no access to wealth, no morals etc. Yet we worried about who’s gay.
I think gay people are the least of our issues.
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@Rezzie
That’s exactly why the BIBLE tells us not to act as beasts do. GOD put humans above the beasts of the world to rule them, not act as them. I mean some wild animals eat their own feces and eat their young at birth, does that make it acceptable for us HUMAN BEINGS to act as such…NO!!!!
I swear people will use any excuse to try and rationalize homosexuality and it’s just sad.
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I swear people will use any excuse to try and rationalize homosexuality and it’s just sad.
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amen!
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@AngelHair
All I’m saying is MAN is ABOVE beast and should act as such and again, STOP tryna justify homosexuality!
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This issue is a serious PANDEMIC !!!… SERIOUSLY !
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This issue is a serious PANDEMIC !!!… SERIOUSLY !
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Not really because not that many people are gay and 98% of the world is going to continue to remain heterosexual. The rest is hype IMO.
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In reality most people don’t have a taste for the same sex.
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I like watching his news segment.
It doesn’t matter to me if he’s butt fucking some dude. that’s between him and his god.
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🙂 LMAO @ “It doesn’t matter to me if he’s butt fucking some dude. that’s between him and his god.”
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I agree @UncleEd,
This man is a terrific news anchor. What does it matter as long as he isn’t harming anyone. I always sensed he was gay, who cares.
That’s his life ….
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I agree that his sexual orientation has nothing to do with how he performs his job of being a reporter. Keep up the good work Don! I’ll still be a faithful viewer.
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Who cares. I judge him by his work not his sexuality.
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Think about it, you have NEVER seen two male cats or two female dogs, or two male birds etc. getting together ! Humans are THE ONLY ANIMALS who do such UNNATURAL things!!!
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Um sorry but i have seen two male dogs…..one sucking the other off….yeah….sucking him off….
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Oh and @BigBelly,
There are animals that have homosexual actions! Justsaying
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Maybe these niggas are born with a chemical imbalance.
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damn another nigga wit dookie on his dick*
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🙂 LOL!!!~
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Ugh…so sad.
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smh
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No one is born gay, it is a choice. SMH…We are definitely living in the end times, this is disgusting!
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Gay ain’t okay.
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Gay ain’t okay.
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No its not especially in the eyes of God! Becuase sin was already in the world when we all were born. We were born in it. But the good news is we don’t have to stay in it. Once we decide to stay in it then we chose the lifestyle of the enemy and that’s not God’s will. We will all be held accountable for the behavior and lifestyle that we’ve lived on this earth.
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No such thing as being born Gay. Niggas don lost they minds behind this shit!
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Civil, I agree 100%.. From what I have seen and know a lot of my friends that told me they are gay have usually had some sort of trama in the childhood like molestation or something like that. Its really sad 😦
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Don Lemon was molested as a child. That explains a lot. You are less than a man if you are gay.
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Don Lemon was molested as a child. That explains a lot. You are less than a man if you are gay.
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yeah but in this case this man had no control over the fact that he was molested. IMO that’s still not an excuse to live the life of homosexuality. Look at Todd Bridges he was molested but he shunned that lifestyle because he knew it was unnatural.
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@Yvonne,
I agree and I’m disappointed in Don and his choice! FOr the intellifence that he claims to have – he lack the real TRUTH!. Because someone molested you as a child shouldn’t give reason to life the lifestyle of being Gay. Unless you are a really happy person!. There are those born in the ghetto, but never allowed the ghetto to become them. Its a mental thing. You chose to live that way. You need to be taught the full truth and even if being taught you still don’t get it – you still don’t have the right to live the way you are or even encourage others to be that way. IT IS NOT GOD’S WILL DON!
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I agree Ladies, homosexuality is an abomination, and the more our community becomes infected with homosexuality the further we continue to degrade ourselves. It’s not like we don’t have enough problems in our communities already. Now, we have the gay brigade. Heaven help us.
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Good for him to be honest and true to himself. All the best to Don Lemon!!
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More power to you Don! Love your work…
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DAmn ia all dem niggas @ CNN gay?
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who cares? Gay is so 2008!
Who comes out the damn closet at 40??
Attention whore!
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LOL !
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Aw he look so sweet in that picture..
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WOW HE WAS GAY AND AFRAID TO ADMIT IT!
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I didn’t know he was gay, but good for him for feeling confident enough to come out. God bless him.
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@Joanne: How can you say God Bless Him! DOn’t you know that God despises this lifestyle.
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I don’t believe that people are born gay but to each it’s own. If that’s the life style you want to live don’t try to blame it on being born gay, cause that’s some BS and has nothing to do with why you still wanting to live the lifestyle now in the moment.
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wow..and that is all for now.
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Still love his work tho…Peace
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Don done got that azz hole busted sooo wide open he wants to tell the world. Gays are liars that use people until they find some one they want to come out. Even gays laugh at the grand announcements. All gay men should be given a box of tampons as an announcement gift. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT DON!
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@Point
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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i wonder if him and anderson cooper ever “popped off”?
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i wonder if him and anderson cooper ever “popped off”?
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You know they prbly humped butt-holes in the wall at CNN! These gay men are turning little boys to the point they are absolutely no good to females forever …dang azz hole ripping must be horrible!
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He used to work here in Philly…He didn’t have to inform anyone..I think we all knew.
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Trey-Gay, can we all say! Faggot ass!
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We knew u was gay dog.
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HE WAS MOLESTED AS A CHILD? WOW
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We knew this man was gay, yet we don’t care.
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For those who say u choose to be gay how u sound? Yes these folks choose to be hiding themselves from the world, yes these folks choose to wake up everyday in fear of getting picked up, yes Matthew Shepherd wanted to be tied to a fence and beaten to death…yes these ppl want to be disowned by family members for liking the same sex, and yes…these people want to feel worthless, and useless with low self-esteems because they like the same sex.
Yall sound like that chick in the group that try and give relationship advice when she ain’t never had a man, stop it.
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WOW – I was shocked at Anderson Cooper and now Don?? I would never have guessed. I am truly in shock!! You just never know these days…
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Wow this is this man’s private business, but maybe he is just selling books and feel the need to share what everyone already knew. Just because he was molested as a child doesn’t make you gay.
You never let another man’s sin change who you truly are. This man need “Deep spiritual intervention”.
No one is born gay, that’s a choice son.
Don’t believe the WORLDS HYPE.
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You aren’t born gay, you chose to let the devil tempt your pathetic mind into thinking you are gay. Get it right people, we all have choices, make the right choice and ask God to keep your path straight, until you get right with God you will be easily tempted by the Devil!
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You bring up the bible go to church once in a while yet out doing sinful things I guess “no sin is greater then the next” isn’t true. Pick and choose muhfuggas.
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If God can turn a CRACK ADDICT AWAY from Addiction, He certainly can turn a Gay person away from being Gay. Get right people!
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I think my ex is gay.. I’m not sure why he keeps up a charade when it’s evident to me… Men we will still love u if you’re gay.. WE JUST DON’T WANNA MAKE LOVE TO U.. so everybody come on out!
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COSIGN
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Not surprised… what else is he gonna tell us next, that he’s black???
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imo If he is gay its his business.
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don’t care if he’s gay. I think he’s the best journalist on CNN.
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Stop the madness, born gay? God gave man the task to be fruitful and multiply. How can two gay people multiply without the aid of the opposite sex?
Bottom line; no one has a memory from infancy; you may remember from when you are 3 or 4 and that may be your earliest memory and that is why you BELIEVE you were born that way — because as long as you have KNOWN YOURSELF you’ve felt that way. So I find it hard to believe when folk say they were born that way because in creation, it takes two of the opposite sex to duplicate themselves; my problem is that if your parents were gay, you could never get here, nor can you be fruitful . . . so while I feel for those unable to live their own truths; we all were born into sin and have a thorn in our flesh that must be dealt with. The only way is through Christ — no matter the religion, color, gender. Christ is the answer and if you’ve got a better way, good luck with that.
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Bottom line; no one has a memory from infancy; you may remember from when you are 3 or 4 and that may be your earliest memory and that is why you BELIEVE you were born that way — because as long as you have KNOWN YOURSELF you’ve felt that way. So I find it hard to believe when folk say they were born that way because in creation, it takes two of the opposite sex to duplicate themselves; my problem is that if your parents were gay, you could never get here, nor can you be fruitful .
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That’s deep! well said!
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Amen @Sue, PREACH!
The Good News is this – we don’t have to allow the sin to become us or allow it to be our lifestyle. And I think this is what Don has done.
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Time for Anderson Cooper to man up and come outta that translucent closet.
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He is “out the closet”. Been out for awhile now. and his mother was pissed!
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Booooo!
It’s dark in that monfuckin closet too.
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too much time devoted to the gay agenda ….no more debate ..ill just vote “NO” everytime
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Rachel Maddow is gay?!?!?!?
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Rachel Maddow gay????? Stevie Wonder can see that!!!!
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Oh and duh! I thought he’d already came out long ago….
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WOW!! really!!!nooooooooooooooooooo!! you don’t say? I just learned how to make fire…those damn cavemen had it all wrong…(blank staring while sipping coffee)
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brave of him to speak up about something so personal.
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at any rate I figured he was possibly gay after he discussed being molested as a child by a male family friend…
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just wondering, HOW does being molested by the same sex make you gay?
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EXACTLY, HE’S FULL OF SHIT!
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just wondering, HOW does being molested by the same sex make you gay?
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No, I don’t think it MAKES you gay per se…I’m not an expert nor have I been molested by anyone of the same sex, but I think it can definitely awaken something that may have lied dormant…I don’t want to get too deep in my beliefs about it though, not here to offend anyone at all
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9 times out of 10, he was molested by a male. Wouldn’t that make him hate and resent men? But he’s gay? Ok Don. Whatever bro.
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No Surpise here, now that his door is kicked down.. just waiting on Kween Perry to come out the closet…..
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well he looks gay
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I’m tired of people coming out. Why is a grand announcement necessary??? Just introduce your boo and keep it moving. Just live your life, ala Queen Latifah. I think straight people should start marching and coming out as being heterosexual. I’m serious.
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I’m tired of people coming out. Why is a grand announcement necessary??? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
cosign!
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He SAID…
“It’s about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You’re taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away.”
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And I say: ACTUALLY Being a Disgusting DL Brutha is about the WORST …
AND you’re USUALLY TAUGHT (Back in the Old-Skool DAYZ) to ACTING LIKE a MALE and NOT a FEMALE …
And EXACTLY Who are these people who “Think You can Pray Gay Away”
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Hey E.
You know Church folks think they can pray the gay away. I also believe that being a DL man is far more worse than being a gay man.
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God is not mocked.
If your right hand causes you to steal CUT IT OFF ( not literally, but yeah cut it off )
If you are praying consistently to the Lord about yourself, HE will help you. But if you decide in your heart that you enjoy your ways too much to ask God to help you fight it off, then God will give you over to those ways whereby you will be so spiritually blind that you will ignore verses from the Bible that speaks against your ways, AND you will start to come up with reasons such as ” I was born this way ”
God is not mocked. HIS WORD WILL STAND.
Don’t let satan snatch heaven from you.
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So do you think if Mr. Lemon loves a man he should burn in heLL?
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@REZZIE
All homosexuals are not the only ones in danger of going to hell….
ALL LIARS
ALL FORNICATORS
ALL ADULTERERS
ALL WITCHES/WIZARDS
ALL MURDERERS
ALL THIEVES
ALL IDOL WORSHIPPERS AND ATHEIST
ALL CHILD MOLESTERS
ALL RAPISTS
ALL PIMPS/PROSTITUTES
ALL DEMON WORSHIPPERS
NEED I GO ON…
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Hello All. Just because one is molested as a child does not make one gay. Trust me, I know.
“Baby I was born this way.” I was born straight, no matter what road I take or will take. I can’t say that for you or you or you, or him. Peaceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
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You are better off remaining single ( without fornication) for the rest of your life, than to be in a relationship with another man.
The Word of God is CLEAR. You either accept it or you don’t. Your choice.
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I believe some people may be born gay but I do believe some people are turned on to the lifestyle by other gay people and possibly by pedophiles who prey on children.
Nonetheless he is an excellent journalist and I love watching his Sunday night specials. I wish him well…
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He didn’t have to come out the closet…who didn’t know he was gay? 😦 that was plain as day to me
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He probably came out because someone looking for a come up was about to out him. I could care less if he or any other person is gay.
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Why do ppl have to “come out”. How does this make my job, your job, my life, your life or any one else’s life different? I just dont understand. I dont run down the street screaming “HEY I’M STRAIGHT I’M STRAIGHT. I LOOOOVE THE DICK”. I mean really come up off it already.
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“HEY IM STRAIGHT IM STRAIGHT. I LOOOOVE THE DICK”.
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Cosign, Cause I do too 🙂
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Yes, as a female i enjot sex with men
DONT JUDGE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee
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Yes, as a female i enjot sex with men
DONT JUDGE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee
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Don’t start, you’re going to make all the hetro’s come out the closet.
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He probably came out because someone looking for a come up was about to out him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No one was after him or blackmailing him. His co workers, family and friends already knew.
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First the fat boys break up…now this 😦
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This is very shocking to me…he revealed that he was molested as a child but never once eluded to this.
What happened to don’t ask, don’t tell?
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I still think that there is something wrong with having so many blk males feminized…
Once you remove the male head from the house, the body will follow.. As a result, look how many single homes and “feminized men.
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true!
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Sorry, i find it hard to believe u were born gay when u were MOLESTED as a child…smh
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Okay thank you for letting us know you are gay this will mos def get my bills paid on time and omg Im certain this new will allow me to sleep better at night – I mean I’m all for folks doing them – but sometimes less is more imo
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Mr. Lemon is an clean-cut, articulate, educated, well-dressed, well-employed black man….of course he’s gay!!!
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Mr. Lemon is an clean-cut, articulate, educated, well-dressed, well-employed black man….of course he’s gay!!!
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Sarcasm?
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Mr. Lemon is an clean-cut, articulate, educated, well-dressed, well-employed black man….of course he’s gay!!!
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Right? LMAO!
‘Cause we all know that intellect, fashion sense and jobs don’t come in heterosexual. *side eye*
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Maybe this gave him some sense of relief. Or maybe he feels this will help sell his book. Either way, I dont see why its important.
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HAVEN’T READ WHAT ERBODY SAID YET…BUT DUDE LOOKS GAY! SMH
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I betcha he date white men ONLY
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Damn shame. what in the world makes a man want to get near another man’s balls?
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Wow. This shit has GOT to end. All these gay men is NOT the business. What the fuck is really going on? It’s already bad enough almost half of Black men are incarcerated.
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YES!!!
Many are in prison, while a large number are homosexual.
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I agree that, the pickens are already limited. Either they are gay, thugs, mamas boys or date/marry any non black woman. FYI, so many women think that Sean from Elgin Charles show is a waste of a man because he is gay.
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You attract what you put out Ladies.
So for all you black women saying you can’t find a good man, let me give y’all an address of a lady who might be able to give you some advice on that:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C., 20500
Ask for the lady named “Michelle”
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So for all you black women saying you can’t find a good man, let me give y’all an address of a lady who might be able to give you some advice on that:
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aint no more barack’s out here either!
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You attract what you put out Ladies.
So for all you black women saying you can’t find a good man, let me give y’all an address of a lady who might be able to give you some advice on that:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C., 20500
Ask for the lady named “Michelle”
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Sorry boo. #FAIL. Black women want REAL men, not puppets who do as they’re told, while the white man pull the strings. Thanks.
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Ask for the lady named “Michelle”
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There are too many single family homes. Boys are not being raised to be men. A woman can’t raise a boy to be a man, no matter what they think. Nothing wrong with providing a mentor for a male child, unless his name is Eddie Long Stroke. LOL.
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Did Kanye come out yet? No? OK I’m Going back to lurking…
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Ole’ Fruit Cake…..
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I’ve seen people destroy themselves attempting to hide something that quite frankly the world already knows – and doesn’t care – about.
Teens don’t need to commit suicide over sh*t like being gay and too many often do.
Kudos, Don. I hope you inspire others to stop hiding.
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Why do gay people have to announce their sexual preference and then start demanding their “rights”? Probably only his mother and father really care.
I’m not sure why this is news.
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If this doesn’t prove that gays are made not born, I don’t know what else does. He said he was molested by another male when he was young during the whole Eddie Long scandal. But of course, that isn’t why he is gay. This is a sickness, period.
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If a person desire to live Godly, it can happen. But its up to the individual to choose for themselves. We live the life we choose cuz that’s the life we want to live. Stop blaming God for the choices we make.
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If ya’ll couldnt see he gay than shame on you.
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