On April 16, 2008 I came across an interesting article on Perez Hilton titled “What Would Jesus Do?” It was about a twenty-one year old named Azariah Southworth, who hosted the popular Christian music show, THE REMIX. The fascinating twist was that after a year and a half of hosting and producing a syndicated show seen in 120 million homes worldwide, Southworth wrote a press release announcing to the world he was gay:
“This has been a long time coming. I’m in a place where I’m at peace with my faith, friends, family and more importantly myself. I know this will end my career in Christian television, but I must now live my life openly and honestly with everyone. This is my reason for doing this. I know I will be cut off from many within the Christian community, and if so, then they didn’t get the point of the life of Christ…”
Southworth spent his teen years struggling with his homosexuality and met with church leaders for weekly meetings in an attempt to “cast out gay demonic spirits.” Their goal was to make him “ex-gay.” But Southworth says the meetings only perpetuated “a cycle of failure” and when he turned eighteen, he left for Nashville.
During his time in Nashville, Southworth began his career in Christian television. In a withjosh exclusive, Southworth admits some knew he was gay and asked him to keep it a secret to keep THE REMIX on air. However, it became increasingly more difficult to keep his homosexuality a secret, and eventually he knew he had to come out and live in the freedom and peace only his honesty could provide him. Although it meant losing fans and his prized job, his painful journey of self discovery helped him find the strength to have courage to be who he feels he was meant to be.
Since coming out, Southworth has participated in several demonstrations for gay rights and participated in Soulforce Q’s 2008 Equality Ride. He’s currently writing a book and making a living as a public speaker sharing his story at colleges, churches and events around the country. He stresses that his journey and faith should remind us that we are loved, valued, and heard just as we are, not as others think we should be.
| Posted by Josh on December 14, 2009 @ 11:42 PM |  |
Thank you, Josh, for an excellent article. Mr Southworth is a brave soul. If people were real christians, they would accept him for who he is, not his sexual preference. I have been a Christian for many years and although I am heterosexual, I find myself questioning my christian beliefs just because of things like this. Thank you Mr Southworth for taking a step in the right direction and hopefully it will be the beginning of a new era.
Comment by Judy — December 15, 2009 @ 8:08 PM
I love you and your articles. I had no idea christians were so judgemental. Haha
Comment by nikki leonti — December 15, 2009 @ 11:05 PM
Hi,Josh:
Hey! i love the interview with 2 parts!!!!
well, i think that he seems a great and spiritual person who knows what is the way or his way; it`s important in 1 world where sometimes we`re a bit lost into our spiritual way to be. I`m catholic, and sometimes i think that the persons into this church are a bit close when you must think what you can be; i listened to 1 cardenal named Bergoglio (in my country) and he said some terrible things bout the gay persons; i think that you can be like you feel, cause who can say what`s the real love?, God sees your spirit and not your sexual preference.Sometimes peoples are thinkinghow judge you, cause the human species are so unjust.
God doesn’t want what we deny what we ‘re, in this times when everybody could feel there is not predjuice, and all the people talk about the aceptation to the diferents life styles, there’s false aparence. the world is more unjust, and the world are everybody, we must to acept to ourself and to others.
Congratulation for this interview, it`s one of the betters, specially in this christmas time, when we`re searching 1 reason to BELIEVE.
I Believe!!
Dheniss from Argentina.
Comment by Dhenice — December 16, 2009 @ 12:51 AM
I said:”the human species are so unjust” i was unjust when i said it, cause sometime we can crush on some special people, and this person will be incredible like you.
THANX, Josh!
Comment by Dhenice — December 16, 2009 @ 12:53 AM
i LOVE THIS INTERVIEW!
Comment by romix — December 18, 2009 @ 5:30 PM
nikki leonti wrote:
I love you and your articles. I had no idea christians were so judgemental. Haha
In fact, all peoples are judgemental, and it`s a bad. But we can change it, ever!
Comment by dheniss — December 19, 2009 @ 4:45 PM
Hey, Dheniss: you reply to Nikki Leonti? what happen with you, “SARPADA”?
Yes, all people say:the gay is bad, but for me i`isn`t good to say cause all person have the posibility to be in the form that we want.
Comment by Belinda — December 22, 2009 @ 1:45 AM
I love this discussion about the religion and sex preference. We must be more tolerant. regarding gay marriage, this is a legal right that many people necesitan.Justo girls joshitas and I are discussing this. we must be more progressive.
Comment by GaiaGirl — December 23, 2009 @ 2:53 AM
nikki leonti December 15, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I love you and your articles
?????????????……
Me too!
Comment by Mandy — December 23, 2009 @ 4:34 AM
Happy christmas for all persons who`s celebrate it in their hearts.
All my love for you Josh.
Joshitas with you from Argentina!
Comment by denice — December 24, 2009 @ 6:43 PM
I like the same band that Azarian: “Six pence none richer” it is hits “Kiss me” and “there she goes”wow!
Comment by dheniss — January 26, 2010 @ 11:53 PM
congrats cause you take a hard conversation, many people enthusiastic about the subject
Comment by kary — February 12, 2010 @ 5:50 AM
Bravo! remarkable story
Comment by eve — April 14, 2010 @ 1:34 PM
Now all is clear about what happened with Azariah, thanks for an explanation.
Comment by I.J. — April 15, 2010 @ 4:41 AM
I consider, that you have deceived.
Comment by injup — April 15, 2010 @ 2:36 PM
Deceived? Injup (is that your name?) you’re an ass! I bet you didn’t even watch the interview. #NOH8
Comment by Sara — April 15, 2010 @ 5:16 PM
I suppose (too) that this video don`t talks only about gay peoples; it talks bout one more deep assunt: about the comprehension into the love: yeah, if is hard to listen one critize about your love to one people in the distance, respect your musical, political or religious preferences, i suppose is more hard that peoples acepts your way of love; and i say “way of love” cause itsn´t 1 sexual choice, it`s about the love. Many peoples think that gay are 1 desviation of 1 sexual choice, and it`s stupid. When Azarian say how he talked with his mother about himself it shows the truth of the assunt: it sn`t choice, nobody choose be gay or heterosexual, but you can choose 1 thing: acept to yourself. Here, in my country (Argentina) this assunt is one social discussion cause exist many cases of gay wedding and it`d one revival with the Ricky Martin`s confession. Respect it, i was listening somethings. Last week some girls said in the street: “i love to Ricky Martin, but now i dont know cause he`s gay…” What???!!! Is the gay condition one reason for change our perspective about the person?. If you love to 1 person, your love isn`t respect to this person loves to one man or one woman, you love to this person for other aspects like the capacity to be sincere, comprensive, good people. If Ricky Martin is good person, cool,beauty or sexy it doesnt change with his confession; the change is in the girls who decides judge him. Why?, cause peoples think that we´ve the answer about what is correct, but only God has the answer, Said:”You must love you”, dont said:”Men, you must love to women and women you only must love to men”. The only important are the things that you`ve in your heart, it`s the uniq answer to the ask: “Can one christian be gay?”.
And i want say the last reflection to Christians and specially to the christian gays: Jesus said:”if the peoples hates you, remember that first, they hated me”.Yeah, exist many predjuice, but Peoples: Be in the way that you`ll be more happy; exist peoples who dont judge just yet!, the important isn`t the condition, preferences or ways of life, the important is when you can give your love and recive love for who you`re; the important is the feelings that you can give. Who really loves you never change the love to you; they`re believes on you, in your heart. This persons are very pride of you, i´m sure!:) I`m !
Comment by Dhenice — April 29, 2010 @ 3:18 PM