First We Take Minneapolis

It would appear that some so-called traditional Catholics are crying foul of the latest example of what’s been described as the “gay gotcha agenda.”

According to one individual, the inclusion of the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus in a series of concerts to be staged in association with the “Vatican Splendors” exhibit at the Minnesota History Museum is an example of this particular agenda, one which, in all seriousness, he defines as follows:

. . . quietly place a gay group on the program, be it Dignity, a gay choir, or something. . . then when the thing goes forward, lo and behold, the gays and their supporters are right there making noise. Now the [Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis] is in a pickle, pull support and be decried as homophobic, say nothing and appear to give tacit support. It’s the gay gotcha. And the Chancery, in their usual statements of plausible deniability, well, they just don’t know how this happened, [and are left] clucking like court eunuchs.

It needs to be noted that the “Splendors of the Vatican” exhibit is not being brought to town by the local archdiocese. Nor is it being held on church property. That, of course, hasn’t stopped some more Inquisitional-minded Catholics from calling for the chancery to withdraw archdiocesan endorsement of the exhibit while ever the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus is somehow connected to it.

A spokesperson for the chancery, however, citing the Vatican document, “The Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons,” reminded the Taliban-like Catholics among us that, as Catholics, we are not to discriminate against homosexual persons.

Oh, really? Is this plea for non-discrimination against gay people coming from the same chancery whose leadership bent over backwards (no pun intended) to support and push for an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would not only have banned same-gender marriage but domestic partnerships and civil unions? Yes, it is, which makes the chancery’s plea for non-discrimination against gay people all the more disingenuous. (Thankfully this proposed amendment was defeated in 2006).

But back to this supposed “gay gotcha agenda.” I thought it was only leftists and liberals who were supposed to conspiracy nuts. Obviously, those on the right can be just as crazy. I mean, think about it: can you really see a group of Broadway queens conspiring to bring down the Roman Catholic Church?

Yet some Catholics really do fear that “political maneuvering” will take place once the gay boys of the chorus hit the stage; that these same gay boys will (tunefully, of course) push an “agenda” – much to the embarrassment of those “court eunuchs” at the chancery.

Oh, one can only wish! Here’s hoping some brave soul involved with the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus does indeed opt to pursue and push an “agenda.” I’m all for “agenda” pushing – especially if by “agenda” we’re talking about relating people’s lived experience, and sharing such experience so as to counter ignorance, insensitivity, and oppression.

In this spirit of truth telling and liberation, here are a few song suggestions for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus for when it performs as part of the “Splendors of the Vatican” program:

The George Gershwin classic, “The Man I Love”

“We Kiss in the Shadows” from The King and I

“I’m Getting Married in the Morning” from My Fair Lady

Image: Peter and Steve of Gay Abandon, West Yorkshire’s lesbian, gay, and bisexual choir. (Photo by Mark Weeks.)