As a gay man, I am fed up with the so-called "experts", whether gay or straight, making general, sweeping statements about "gay culture" or "gay society". There is NO unified gay lifestyle. We are different people with different tastes, interests, values, politics, etc. To suggest that Tammy Faye and the others mentioned are icons for all gay men is ludicrous. SOME gay men may see them as such. Other gay men (who don't think much and who buy into the "gay culture" myth in order to feel that they are part of something) may accept them as such because "experts" SAY that they are "gay icons".

My icons and role models in life are my parents, certain teachers, a clergyman or two, one soccer player, people who work with the poor in third world countries, and others. I value them as PEOPLE who connect to me in ways that are human, not in ways that are "gay". To promote generalizations about any group - to suggest that all gay men have Tammy Faye and others as role models (or a photo of Judy Garland on the wall and a vase of gladiolas on a Deco coffee table in their living room) is just plain stupid.

Your point is well taken. As an evangelical man, I feel the same way about the stereotyping of evangelicals. We are also each unique individuals with different tastes, ways of dressing, different political opinions, etc. Some evangelical Arabs do not eat pork and do celebrate Ramadan. Most evangelical Americans eat pork and celebrate Christmas. Big deal! You don't come to Christ by taking on certain religious traditions or rules.

Someone earlier posted that evangelicals "demonize" homosexuals. I think that is a gross misrepresentation. Evangelicals believe that every person is born a sinner, but that does not mean that we demonize everyone on the earth. The Bible says that our struggle is not against people, but against spiritual powers. There are enough real demons to be concerned about without having to treat or view people as demons.

Every human being is a person, regardless of whether we are still in the womb or out of the womb. We are all affected by different temptations. It is sinful to engage in homosexual acts, but it is not a sin to be tempted in a particular area. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in every area that any man or woman can be tempted in, and that easily includes the temptation to sin in sexual behavior. All those different tendencies are common to man, and it's not worse to engage in homosexual fornication, lust, or adultery than it is to engage in heterosexual fornication, lust or adultery.

Evangelicals telling others about Jesus are like one group of beggars telling another group of beggars where we found bread. We've found forgiveness and new life in Christ, and we want to love everyone so much that they come to the point of finding that same forgiveness and love in the Kingdom of God! Pointing out that repentace and faith in Christ leads to eternal life is an act of love, not an act of hate - or maybe I should say that it is something usually done as an act of love, since I guess there are ways to tell the truth in hate. Again, each person identifying as an evangelical is a unique individual, and it is not fair to generalize.