Born Again Queer: A History of Gay Evangelicals (feat. William Stell)

To access the extended version of this episode, join our Patreon. Our community awaits with legs open and lips parted 🤤www.patreon.com/historicalhomos–Do all Christians hate gays?Amazingly: no. Despite how annoying we all are.In fact, millions and millions of Christians ARE themselves...very gay.So why is it that we automatically associate Christianity with homophobia?The answer lies in the brief, but fascinating history of gay evangelical activism you'll find in this episode.Before the gay rights movement, American Christians weren't more homophobic than anyone else. Homophobia was common in America, but it wasn't yet one of the defining features of American Christianity.But then: a sexy bear of a Pentecostal pastor, Reverend Troy Perry, launched a successful gay church (the MCC) in 1968. And then: a feminist evangelical lesbian wrote a book about how gays were – surprise! – people, too. Things started to change: people's hearts and minds shifted on homosexuality. And that's when the Religious Right first got organised. That's when televangelists and Jerry Falwell and Anita Bryant began to wage a campaign not just against gay evangelical activists, but all gay people.The modern assumption – that all Christians "hate f*gs" (and anyone else they deem queer) – was born. So this Christmas, while you're putting on your Sunday best (read: Elf-themed jockstrap), join Bash and his fabulous guest, Professor William Stell, as they explore this little-known corner of Christian homophobia.William Stell is a professor of American religion and queer history at NYU, and his book, Born Again Queer, will be published in May 2026.Now get ready to get wet and wild, because the gay evangelical hot tub is open and the water is a pipingly warm...human temperature.–🤑 Subscribe to our ⁠Patreon⁠, if you have the means and/or the madness to do so.📱 Follow Historical Homos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up to our monthly ⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you care about gay people, like, at all.✍️ Most importantly, if you like what you hear, please leave us a ⭐ FIVE STAR ONLY ⭐ review.–Episode CreditsWritten and hosted by BashEdited by Alex ToskasProduced by Dani HenionGuest: William StellCopyright Sebastian Hendra 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★