I hear the whispers most times when I walk through the streets where I’m familiar, or visit a group of friends, with a new person in our midst once again questioning my sexuality. I had to go through the same routine of explaining to him ‘that I am effeminate and not gay’ as I had done when I first met all of my other friends.
One place I always felt confident anyway of the way I acted was in Church, in the choir. No one had any reason to question why I acted the way I did, most likely because most men who were in the choir were ‘effeminate. Most recently with the outbreak of coronavirus, there have been pictures and texts being circulated in the form of broadcasts, that the reason the world is plagued with coronavirus is has a result of God’s anger towards homosexuality and effeminate men.
The church, especially in Nigeria, has been an antagonist towards homosexuality in the country, but recently there have been tweets towards effeminate men as well.
Being effeminate doesn’t make you gay, it is definitely not an automatic ticket. The church is definitely in denial if it is yet to have the conversation that effeminate men have always been in the church, working and serving even when others wouldn’t.
Christians know effeminate men have always been in church, singing to every Sunday, taking the solos, conducting the choir, ushering you to your seats, cleaning on Saturdays, evangelizing, teaching Sunday school and preaching the gospel. You ignore all of that on weekdays, they suddenly become the one God hates.
The masculinity most often being touted as “Christian” is toxic, it is patriarchal, and it is failing. It is failing women, it is failing society, and it is failing men themselves. Rigid gender performance is a cultural construct, not a divine decree. Truly, if we are created in the image of God, we are made to transgress narrow definitions of “masculine” and “feminine” behaviour. God is neither male nor female. Though frequently referred to with masculine pronouns, at other times God is described in the feminine, as a comforting mother (Isa 66:13) or a hen guarding her brood (Luke 13:34). Even in denial, we often refer to Jesus as the ‘BrideGroom’ and ourselves, his ‘Bride’.
For too long, we have taught men a sense of gross entitlement, shunned male emotion, laughed off boyhood violence, and absolved our abuses. “Effeminacy” describes the rejection of toxic masculine behaviour, but it ought to be seen as repentance for patriarchal sins .
Benjamin Perry
It is also hilarious to state, that Christians would think God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality, even when the bible states that the sins of the land were too many, 10 faithful men could not be found in the land and that was distasteful to God. It wasn’t the first time God was destroying the land, he flooded the earth once because of its immorality. In Ezekiel 16:48–50, God compares Jerusalem to Sodom, saying “Sodom never did what you and your daughters have done.” He explains that the sin of Sodom was that “She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me.”
This is contrary to many people, thinking homosexuality is the worst of all sins, a sin that is not even listed in the seven abominations; Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things which are abominations: “haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.
I’m not saying Homosexuality isn’t a sin, but don’t be quick to judge a sect of people to think that you don’t do worse things even before our maker, God. All sin is an offense to God and demonstrates mankind’s rebellion against him. Until the Chruch normalizes homosexuality as a sin as the others to which they preach, they wouldn’t be able to save the ones they castigate against.
You lie, steal, gossip, spread strife, fornicate, commit adultery, kill and you ignore all of that and think ‘homosexuality’ is the one reason God is angry with the world and would send coronavirus to it. You definitely do not know the scriptures. One thing is certain, God did not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuals he destroyed them because of sins you still commit.
For men, God’s message is clear — act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8) Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ( Colossians 3:12) Love your neighbour as yourself. ( Matthew 22:39). If this sounds like an invitation to effeminacy, it’s only because “masculinity” has strayed so deeply into sin.
