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WATCH: 'Homophobic Christian' Poses as Gay, Writes Book About It

WATCH: 'Homophobic Christian' Poses as Gay, Writes Book About It

Robertsturek

Timothy Kurek says the experience made him supportive of LGBT people.

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Once a self-described homophobic Christian, Timothy Kurek says his year posing as a gay man taught him empathy and acceptance -- and now he's written a book about it.

Kurek spoke to MSNBC's Thomas Roberts Thursday about his experiment, which began in 2009 after a woman friend told him about being disowned by her family after she came out as a lesbian. "Two words changed it all," he told Roberts. "Two simple words. 'I'm gay.'"

Kurek says he spent a year hanging out in gay bars and other venues in Nashville's gay neighborhood. He also told his family he was gay, and they were supportive but struggled with their religious beliefs on the subject.

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He admits he can't really know what it's like to be gay, but he wants to let LGBT people know he's now on their side, he told Roberts. The book is his way of saying, "I don't understand every detail of your life and your journey, but I would like to walk beside you in it from now on," he said.

He is running a fund-raising campaign for his as yet untitled book, to be self-published in October, at IndieGoGo.com.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.