Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams are the founders of the internationally acclaimed home furnishings company Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams offering furniture, lighting, rugs and accessories designed to make people comfortable. They have a store in Manhattan at 210 Lafayette (at Kenmare Square). Mitchell is also a tireless and generous gay activist. He and I have been arguing via email about leadership in the gay activist community and about how to combat homophobia in organized religion.
In my video interview with Mitchell Gold, after the jump, you'll get two minutes about his new book (more of an intellectual approach to home furnishing than I expected), and five minutes of strong words about gay leadership and strategies. I was impressed.
I hope people are listening to this man. He has some very good and clear ideas on how to reach people. I was told by my pastor to select six titles (from my library of about 40) to put in our church library; Gold's Crisis was an easy choice among them. It tells the stories of famous people and how it felt to grow up gay. (Here's a good interview in the Miami Herald about that book.)
ReplyDeleteGold mentioned religion and science as the two ways to convince people to change their bias against homosexuality. Those are entry points that must be acknowledged and dealt with, because they are the ideas to which people cling in order to support their cultural bias. The most difficult part of this battle is giving those people something else to which to cling. They want answers, certainty, and if we don't give it to them, they're not going to let go.
Like Gold, I believe stories are the way. Of those people whose transformation I've read about or witnessed, it was knowing the story of someone gay that began their change. In fact, until they knew someone's story, they felt they had no reason to even listen to arguments. And, once engaged, they found their own answers to their struggles of faith.
This is such a complex subject, packed with emotion because we are dealing with people's very lives. I hope Gold continues to use his public forum to speak out and to teach. Every day brings one new advocate who is wondering how s/he can help. One place to start is Gold's website, Faith In America.
Here, here...
ReplyDeleteIt's a philosophical battle T. and Mitchell Gold is one of the "catalysts"... great job with the interview-very proud. Keep up the phenomenal work! I support your efforts here.
D.