Biography: Gay and Christian

Joe's Bio

I was born on October 12, 1967 in Demopolis, Alabama. I was baptized into the Churches of Christ in May, 1975. After my parent's divorce and several episodes of abuse (sexual and physical), I ran away legally by attending the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama. My emphasis was on theater, and I attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi to pursue a theatrical career. During this period, my sexuality found a transparent closet to dwell in -- I never made much fuss about it, but I was definitely going after male relationships.

While in Jackson, I had a crushing relationship with a friend, purportedly straight, which sent me reeling back to my childhood beliefs. I switched colleges and majors: International Bible College in Florence, Alabama, studying Bible. I graduated in 1990 with a BA and nary a clue. I moved to Indiana to be a part of a gospel quartet (which failed), stayed there two years working with the small congregation in Plymouth, and returned to graduate school in Memphis to study Christian theology.

Harding Graduate School of Religion was a low point in my life. I found another "straight" man to fall for, and within a year I was going crazy. My lifelong attempt to ignore my desires and serve Jesus was killing me. A brief stint with counseling convinced me that to stay alive, I had to integrate my homosexuality with my religious viewpoints.

It's been a uphill struggle. After dropping out of grad school, I moved in with my grandparents in Evergreen, Alabama for a summer. I worked in a convenience store there until I had had enough of that. I escaped to Montgomery, God bless me, where I finally gave up on being a part of the Churches of Christ. I continued to explore my sexuality in Montgomery, where I found so many people like me -- broken, shattered, and empty -- that I despaired of either option. I moved to Birmingham when I got a good part in a show at Town and Gown Theater. The director got me another part in a show in Nashville, where I met my now-ex boyfriend. We were together for three years, and though we could not work out our differences, still I found myself in the first adult relationship I had ever had, and that was nice. I moved here in March of 1996, and even attended Watkins Film School for a while. I have worked out at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater for over three years, and am hoping to break into bigger companies in town next year.

And That's Me!

joenobles@earthlink.net