'Nightline' Interviews Gay Mormon Josh Weed, Happily Married to a Woman: VIDEO
Several weeks ago Brandon posted about Josh Weed, a gay relationship therapist Mormon happily married to a woman, after Weed came out to readers on his blog:
Some might assume that because I’m married to a woman, I must be bisexual. This would be true if sexual orientation was defined by sexual experience. Heck, if sexual orientation were defined by sexual experience, I would be as straight as the day is long even though I’ve never been turned on by a Victoria’s Secret commercial in my entire life. Sexual orientation is defined by attraction, not by experience. In my case, I am attracted sexually to men. Period. Yet my marriage is wonderful, and Lolly and I have an extremely healthy and robust sex life. How can this be?
Shortly thereafter, there were charges that Weed practices "ex-gay" therapy, accusations which Weed strongly denied.
I do not practice, nor do I believe in, reparative therapy or change therapy. Quite the opposite, my therapeutic stance is one that favors (but does not depend on) the idea that sexual orientation is immutable.
My therapeutic approach is to meet clients where they are--wherever that might be--and then help them to analyze the goals and aspirations that they have for their own life.
This week, Weed and his wife were interviewed on Nightline.
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...
Mormons believe they cannot achieve their own planet/become a god of their own planet unless they are heterosexually married. All "sealed" couples live together in eternal f*cking and the woman is eternally pregnant. Single people become mere angels, not gods. When your station in the afterlife is predicated on a church sanctioned heterosexual marriage, it might be a motivator.
Posted by: Gus | Jul 21, 2012 4:46:27 AM
If this guy genuinely had no religous agenda and harboured no negative moral views about people living openly and actively gay lives then I would be prepared to accept his choice as the one that suited his personal circumstances. However becaue he thinks it is morally wrong to be in a sexual relationship with a person of the same gender then I cannot respect his 'choice' as being a healthy and unforced one.
Posted by: Den | Jul 21, 2012 5:50:15 AM
He opened himself up to the criticism when profiling his life and CHOSEN sexuality on television. He's ASKING for opinions. We have every right to express ours.
Posted by: Jackson | Jul 21, 2012 6:46:20 AM
He did this interview not to show how happy he is (who does that? who does an interview to declare how happy their heterosexual marriage is?) he did this interview with the backing of the Church to send a loud message to homophobes saying "gays can be in heterosexual marriages, they choose NOT to" and it's a blame the gay tactic. It fuels the fire for haters and that's exactly what he wanted to accomplished by this orchestrated interview.
Posted by: Los Angelino | Jul 21, 2012 6:48:17 AM
If he was truly happy...why is he making the media rounds to decalre his happiness? could it be because there's a hidden Mormon influenced homophobic agenda behind this attempt? All signs point to yes.
Posted by: Tanner | Jul 21, 2012 6:49:38 AM
Are we really being asked to NOT correlate his militant religious views with his current -fabricated- heterosexual relationship? I mean are we seriously being mistaken for fools right now?
Even HE knows his mormon faith is what led him to be in this hetero marriage.
Posted by: D.G | Jul 21, 2012 6:51:00 AM
Actually, I believe he is hurting gay people by making it so boldly known that he's a gay man in a straight marriage. That is in it's own way sending a clear message that is a gift to the anti gay crowd, and don't you ever, for one second convince yourself he doesn't know it either. He and his church knows e-x-a-c-t-l-y what they are doing by conducting this interview.
Posted by: Real Talk | Jul 21, 2012 6:52:45 AM
Love, that is the guiding feeling Josh is talking about. It can indeed conquer all. It doesn't need to make him straight, but it can and does enable him to love his wife. I don't understand it. I accept it.
Posted by: UFFDA | Jul 21, 2012 6:53:17 AM
like hundreds if not thousands of us he going to wake up one day and say I cant live like this anymore. that whole family is in denial
Posted by: Richard Golden | Jul 21, 2012 7:05:27 AM
Most people don't just live life, but rather start out following examples they are given. Then to some extent we begin to make our own rules. The road is different for those of us who don't fit neatly in. I know two bright successful New Yorkers, from religious backgrounds, who are not straight, yet tried to follow their family's desire to have an arranged marriage consistent with their cultural heritage. They argued that arranged marriages have been proven to be more successful. One is male and he was open with the arranged dates about being gay and he had one taker. For her he was an amusing, bright guy with similar interests. He was her best choice given her options. I don't get judging this guy because his culture is so different. Strong family ties help us all through and hold us back as well. There are many different possibilities.
Posted by: Markt | Jul 21, 2012 8:40:35 AM
"Jason" is gay? I don't believe it. Where's the proof?
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Jul 21, 2012 8:50:35 AM
He's delusional and so is ANY gay man in a "straight relationship"
Posted by: Tile | Jul 21, 2012 9:08:35 AM
This is laughable
Posted by: O please | Jul 21, 2012 9:08:46 AM
The motives here are clear. There's no reason for him to do a television interview declaring how he's gay but able to be happy in a straight relationship except for one very homophobic reason. Other than that homophobic reason, again...there's ZERO sense in doing this interview.
Posted by: Jerry | Jul 21, 2012 9:09:55 AM
I met this guy before and I found him very calculating in my few encounters. I wouldn't buy this story or anything Josh states here.
Posted by: CO Transplant | Jul 21, 2012 9:10:53 AM
LOL I feel sorry for any gay person who can't see that this is a ploy by the Mormon Church. This IS their new modernized ex gay therapy. Get a gay man who isn't interested in being in a gay relationship currently, and is in fact in a straight relationship, make a "therapist" out of him as he 'treats' gay clients and sell it off as accepting, so loving and a pillar for how other gays can live their lives.
Disgusting. Vile actually.
Posted by: Transparency | Jul 21, 2012 9:13:17 AM
Am I supposed to be happy for a gay man who is in a heterosexual relationship that he made a concious CHOICE to be in?....in a climate where our closeted teens are killing themselves? in a climate where gay grown men and women are forced to be closeted or risk being (legally) fired? in a time when families kick their children out of their homes unless they 'pray the gay away'...am I supposed to CELEBRATE this story, or ANY story that involves (...promotes. And, Ohhhh it *is*) gay folks choosing heterosexual marriage?
Maybe if I had amnesia of current events, I'd lead a more idealistic life, but knowing the thousands upon thousands of LGBT lives lost because of a rejection of our people...pardon me for refusing to celebrate a gay man who gets on a platform to scream how heterosexual his current relationship is.
Posted by: Kyle Ohten | Jul 21, 2012 9:18:45 AM
@ Kyle Ohten
AMAZING post. Every single word. Thank you.
Posted by: Jimmy | Jul 21, 2012 9:19:25 AM
Kyle Ohten-
100% agree!!!
I liked these stories of gay people in O so loving straight relationships and how happy they are to a skin bleaching story about African Americans who lighten their skin and how joyous life is now. The could just as easily see "I'm still not denying being black, but this new lighter skin tone is just truly making me happier, and I'm not suggesting others can change their skin color, just that for me....this truly brings joy for me"
And you expect people to not correlate that to self shame?
Posted by: CollabArtist | Jul 21, 2012 9:23:10 AM
@ Kyle Ohten
AMEN!
@ CollabArtist
Double amen! I find the timming of these -I'm gay but in a straight relationship, and never been happier- stories unsettling, calculating, insensitive, alarming, etc. In an era where we have enough people losing their lives over being rejected for being gay, I will and DO have a strong opinion about the glorification (in any capacity) of a gay individual being straight, or in a straight relationship. That makes you happy? do so. But that you'd want to both make an announcement about it in this most fragile time for LGBT, where we have enough people dictating who we are and who we should be; is self serving on your part and he deserves to be called out for his self serving actions.
Posted by: lazerlightbeam | Jul 21, 2012 9:27:49 AM
@Jason: THANKS
If we want the freedom to be accepted for who we are and the choices we do make (as in who to love and why), we have to give that freedom unconditionally to others.
It works both ways and every which way.
Posted by: Jack | Jul 21, 2012 9:28:52 AM
Soooo.....what's the point of him announcing this for a prominent television program? Many people I know fall in love. They don't go on a media tour for it. Other than to prove something, or make a point (which many of us can connect the dots and realize what his motives are) I don't get the reasoning behind doing a sit down interview with a journalist because you're gay and found a women you are coupled up with. Good for you. But what are you reallyyyy trying to prove here?
Posted by: Jenni-NYC | Jul 21, 2012 9:30:26 AM
WELL SAID KYLE OHTEN!
I'm glad the majority of our community see's these individuals for exactly what they are.
Posted by: Jenni-NYC | Jul 21, 2012 9:32:00 AM
No, just because I'm gay doesn't mean I HAVE to approve of everything or everyone. I'm not some genetic freak of nature that has to be accepting of every single relation that I encounter, nor does my being gay means I have to celebrate everything and anything.
I find incest alarming.
I find it completely off putting to see 85 year olds with 20 year olds romantically in their arms.
I find abusive relationship deplorable.
And I find the idea of an admitted gay man being in a heterosexual relationship sad, pathetic, and wrong on many levels.
My being gay does not strip me of my rights to viewpoints, or counter viewpoints, or dictate I automatically MUST BE FOR EVERYTHING, AND NO BOUNDARIES AND CERTAINLY NO OPINIONS.
Nope, sorry. Nice try though.
Posted by: Pauley | Jul 21, 2012 9:37:20 AM
Are we supposed to applaud them or something?
Posted by: J.J | Jul 21, 2012 9:38:02 AM