Self-hatred: Hidden Homophobic Homosexuals

Ted Haggard

“We don’t have to debate over what we should think about homosexual activity. It’s written in the Bible.” The author of this opinion is Ted Haggard, the former pastor and former Chief of National Association of Evangelicals. In 2006 he resigned from all of his positions when it was revealed that he had paid a man for sex for three years.

According to research published in the scientific Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, those who are unconsciously attracted to persons of the same sex display aggressive homophobic behavior more often. Co-author of the research Richard Ryan, professor of the University of Rochester, explained in an interview with “Live Science”:

“Sometimes those who oppress others have been oppressed themselves, and we can have some compassion for them too. They may be intolerant of others, because they cannot be accepting of themselves”.

Ryan advised that, if you have a visceral reaction to an out-group, you should ask yourself, “Why?” Such intense emotions should always serve as a call to self-reflection.

Throughout the world, there are many politicians, clergymen, scientists and activists, fighting against homosexuality, but whose attraction towards the same sex has been revealed over time.

John Paulk

The advocate of conversion therapy (aiming to change sexual orientation), promoter of the “Ex-Gay” movement which aims to reduce homosexual “tendencies,” and the author of many books against gays, John Paulk’s attraction to men was revealed in 2000, when he was spotted at a gay bar. At first he admitted being there, but said he didn’t know that it was a gay bar. However there were witnesses who saw Paulk flirting with other men and when asked about his sexual orientation – said that he was gay. He later confessed that he was gay, apologized for his activities, and admitted that reparative therapy is useless and harmful.

George Rekers

Another promoter of reparative therapy, psychologist George Rekers’ sexual orientation was revealed in 2010, when he was caught with a male sex worker as a travel companion for his vacation in Europe.

Roy Cohn

In Angels in America, Al Pacino played the role of Roy Cohn, a lawyer and closeted gay, who, together with the senator Joseph McCarthy was responsible for the firing of scores of gay men from government employment in USA during the 1950s. He spread rumors about the sexuality of other politicians to silence. Cohn died from AIDS in 1986. His friends proved that he was gay.

Albert Odulele

“You can’t say that we were born this [homosexual] way… if you say so, then you say to God, ‘God, you are a liar’ ”, said UK pastor Albert Odulele. In 2011, he was charged with two counts of sexual assault involving two youths, one of whom was under 16. He confessed in the court that he had been fighting with his sexual orientation for many years.

In an interview with ABC, Ted Haggard apologized to the gay community for his homophobic behavior and expressed regret for having such an attitude. He acknowledged that his homophobic behavior was related to the struggle against his own sexuality.

In Armenia, information about homosexuals who fight against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people is on the level of gossiping, but here, the aggressive homophobic behavior also gives causes for suspicion. We can assume that the day when Armenian media will cover this kind of information is not too far off in the future.

Other Homophobes who turned out to be gay:

Hovhannes Ishkhanyan

Translated by Piruza Manukyan