Worst Kept Secret: Al Reynolds Reveals He's Been Bi-Sexual

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Al Reynolds Talks About Struggling With His Truth

Let’s all take a moment to congratulate Al Reynolds today and applaud his strength to FINALLY go public about his sexuality — despite the public pretty much already knowing the deal for years now.

Now, in a lengthy and revealing exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, Reynolds is finally opening up about what took him so long to go public with his truth…

Peep the excerpts below:

On The Rumors:

Ever since I have been in the public eye, people have been speculating on my sexuality. And ‘speculating’ is a kind word for how it actually played out. With anger and disdain, people have been calling me out as gay, closeted, a sham and even nastier; much nastier.

I have come to a point in my life where I am ready to discuss my truth. I wasn’t ready to do this then — I wasn’t even ready to think about it, let alone process it. To understand my journey and how I got to this point, you need to understand a little about me.

Here’s a serious question for you guys. If Al had been comfortable owning his sexuality years ago when he first came into the spotlight — do you think the public would have been less nasty or more nasty?

On His Upbringing:

I am the youngest of six children in a Southern Baptist family. We grew up in a three-bedroom mobile home in Horsepasture, Virginia. We were deeply religious; when we weren’t in church we were in school or an after-school activity. My life was filled with vacation bible school, missionary meetings, Sunday school, choir practice and youth ministry.

Life was not nuanced or frivolous, nor did it allow any time for introspection. It was clear and proscribed, black and white, angels or sinners. And people who were intimate with others of their own gender were the worst of all with no chance of redemption, or the glorious afterlife that I was taught awaited us all.

As a black man, that message and the hate and homophobia were multiplied to the nth degree. I saw no path out that would resolve my personal feelings with my deeply held and ingrained religious beliefs.

This internal dissonance was a powerful thing, like a cancer eating at one’s soul. This resulted in some tough times — homelessness, unemployment, dependence on drugs and alcohol, public assistance, and, at the center of it all, a deep, deep shame and a feeling of unworthiness of the love of God. I didn’t believe I deserved to live a good life, and I clearly didn’t.

Do you think that Al is just making excuses or is the church to blame for closeting many “down low brothers”? Do you think Black churches should soften their stance on homosexuality? Is this issue one of simply being more accepting? Or should churches work harder to treat unmarried sex the same whether it’s between members of the same or opposite sexes?

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Al talks in detail about how his less fortunate upbringing eventually lead to him becoming an overachiever who was thrust into a world he is just now learning to be grateful for:

Along the way there have been speed bumps and sinkholes. And at the same time, I have met presidents, kings, top athletes and great entertainers. I have hit the highest of high notes and had the lowest of moments. But I have learned gratitude for the lessons my merciful Savior has allowed me to experience and process. And I have become tougher, more empathetic, more open-minded and able to love greater, deeper and better, especially myself.

On His Current Status As Openly Bisexual:

Today I accept myself as a bisexual man. I have learned that sexual orientation is not binary, at least for me. I am capable of loving both sexes, and I have done both. My relationships, all of them, have been honest and based on my attraction to the other person. When I am in love I don’t equivocate, nor do I waver.

I tell this story to both encourage my personal path, as well as give some small measure of hope to others that no matter your beginnings, no matter the obstacles, there is nothing so fulfilling and Godlike as living the life that was destined.

I will not live in fear or shame any longer. I will revel in the light of my truth and bask in the light of my Savior Jesus Christ who loves me and accepts me exactly as He created me.

Like we said, none of this is really NEWS to us, but we did think it was interesting the way he put some of his journey to “the light” as he calls it.

Do you think we should applaud him or nah? Sidenote: Is he promoting something or just felt ready to confess?