For thirty-five years, The Rev. Dr. Mel White struggled to "overcome" his homosexual orientation through prayer, fasting, various aversive therapies, exorcism, and even electric shock. A victim of misinformation and biblical misuse, Mel thought his same-sex orientation was a sickness and a sin. During those "closet years" Mel served the Christian church as a prize-winning television producer and filmmaker, a best-selling author, a pastor, seminary professor, and ghost writer to religious leaders including Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell.

After a time of terrible depression, Mel finally reconciled his Christian faith and his sexual orientation. In his autobiography, Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay And Christian In America, Mel announced, "I'm gay. I'm proud. And God loves me without reservation."

For the past six years, Mel and his partner, Gary Nixon, have traveled across the country as the UFMCC Minister of Justice seeking equality and understanding for God's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered children. In 1997, Mel and Gary received the ACLU's National Civil Liberties Award in Atlanta, Georgia, for their efforts at applying the "soul force" principles of Gandhi and King to the struggle for justice for sexual minorities. Consider joining their interfaith, ecumenical Network of Soulforce Friends by visiting Mel and Gary's new Soulforce web page.

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