Christian Music Star Jennifer Knapp Says She Is a Lesbian

[Ian David]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A rising star on the Christian music scene is returning to the public eye with a new identity after a mysterious seven-year absence spent mostly on the other side of the world.

Jennifer Knapp is not only coming out with a new album, she is also "coming out," a term the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter considers "very bizarre" as she nervously relaunches her career.

The 36-year-old Kansas native, who dated men during her college days, is braced for a backlash from religious fans who faithfully shot down whispered rumors about her sexuality over the years. On the other hand, she said in a recent interview with Reuters, "I'm definitely getting a lot more friendly winks from the girls (at her concerts) than I have in the past!"

No other singer of Knapp's renown in the Christian music genre is openly gay. In the past, the industry looked dimly on those who deviated from the straight and narrow. Radio stations and retailers quickly dropped Sandi Patty and Michael English after they admitted to (separate) extra-marital affairs during the 1990s. Amy Grant was also blacklisted when she went through a divorce later that decade. All have since been forgiven to varying degrees.

Knapp is taking a preemptive stand anyway. She has recorded a mainstream album, and is not specifically targeting Christian radio stations and retailers.

<snip>

Still, Knapp considers herself a "person of faith" and recoils at the suggestion that she is turning her back on the church, an accusation that dogged the likes of Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin when they left gospel for pop stardom.

More:
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=10364584



Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/glbttimes/status/12130489677

[rurallib]

1. Wonder if they will try to get her to go to one of those places

where they claim they can change gay people?
Or as I suspect she will get some compassion, a lot of hate and some ignore.

[Sebastian Doyle]

2. The "Christian" music world is about to stab her in the back, unfortunately.

They did exactly that to King's X frontman Doug Pinnick when he came out. King's X was never exclusively a "Christian" band, but they had a large following in that world, and the band members had worked with other Christian musicians such as Petra and Phil Keaggy early in their career. Christian book stores also sold their albums, which got yanked off the shelves the minute Doug came out. I imagine the same will happen to Jennifer's albums. I'm assuming her new record contract is NOT with a "Christian" label.

[8 track mind]

5. Kings X kicked ass!

Great rock n' roll!

[yodermon]

6. OT, but Phil Keaggy absolutely kills in concert

don't know if he still tours, been a decade since I've seen him

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. One of the greatest guitarists to ever walk this earth.

Still love his playing, though I don't follow his recording career as "religiously" as I used to.

[MadMaddie]

3. Their loss our gain

Someone being true to themselves and not cowering in shame. Good for her! I might just check out her music.

[Meldread]

4. I'll be checking out her music now.

I've never heard of her before, but I'll be checking out her music and forwarding this story to others. I do my best to support LGBT and openly gay-friendly artists and celebrities. Not just because I want someone from our community to succeed, but because in their success they reach tons and tons of straight people who might not know anyone gay. Just like Ellen, I'm certain there are millions of stay-at-home Mom's around the country who watch Ellen every weekday. They might not know a LGBT person, but Ellen being an open lesbian, a genuinely good individual, and a likable personality makes it easier for some straights to connect our issues to people they know. So that stay-at-home Mom might say to herself, "You know, if I vote Yes on this anti-gay measure it's going to hurt Ellen and her wife. I like Ellen and I don't want to do this to her."

The same might be true in this case. Jennifer Knapp reaches into a segment of our nations population that is being indoctrinated to distrust and hate LGBT people. Here is an individual who they may like and admire who bravely steps forward and admits she is a lesbian. At least some of her fans - likely mostly those who are fence sitters on the issue - might be persuaded to our side because of her.

I would like to thank Jennifer Knapp for coming out. I know it's hard on anyone who is a celebrity, but I am certain it is exceptionally hard for someone who is best known in the Christian music business. I hope she continues to reach into that audience, but also hope that she finds commercial success with an even larger segment of our population. Best of luck to her. I'll be checking out some of her past work.

[moose65]

8. The "Christian" music establishment is hypocritical

When one considers that the Southern Gospel music world is full of gay men. I watch on cable "Living Faith TV" which I find enormously entertaining - full of big-haired women and "goodhair" men who sing and wave their hands at Jesus, and I am amazed at all the queens I see on the screen. The entire scenario is so campy - the theatrics, the hair, the crying - that it's virtually a magnet for gay men. I'm sure it's the biggest open secret in the music world!