Another progress marker, culture-wise. Azariah Southworth, host of the popular syndicated Christian youth show "The Remix," has publicly announced he is gay. He explained:
"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."
We know that gay and Christian (or otherwise religiously devout) often go hand in glove, but many religious conservatives don't. They see gay people as hedonistic self-gratifiers intent on rending the moral order. Many of these folks are too comfortable with their prejudices to ever change, which is why reaching out to devout young people the way Southworth has is so very important. Here's hoping his good news doesn't, in fact, end his Christain television career—or that he finds another way to remain both successful and an inspiration to others.