Azariah Southworth, Popular Christian TV Host, Announces He Is Gay

Out & About Newspaper:

Local Nashvillian and host of The Remix, a popular Christian youth show, Azariah Southworth, announced today that he has come out.

"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," Southworth says.

Southworth has been hosting and producing the popular Christian TV show, The Remix for a year and a half. It is in syndication and can be seen in more than 128 million homes worldwide. It averages more than 200,000 viewers weekly on one of three networks. It has featured major Christian acts such as Jars of Clay, Avalon, Superchick, Building 429 and Rachael Lampa.

Southworth has been featured in national publications such as Charisma Magazine and many other national Christian media outlets.

"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. I believe by me living my life honestly and authentically now, I am able to be a better person and a better Christian. We all know there are so many other gay people in the Christian industry; they're just all scared. I was scared, but now I'm no longer afraid," notes Southworth.

Read the whole story: Out & About Newspaper

Comments

[avicenna]

I really hope he is severely underestimating the "Christian community" in assuming that they will cut him off after all his work for their cause because he happens to be born a homosexual man. There will undoubtedly be those loud-mouth judgemental souls (empty cans make the most noise, afterall) who suffer from a god-delusion and think their blind perceptions on someone else's life has any kind of validity in the greater scheme of things; but I do hope he is proven wrong and embraced by everyone - including his show - and be given his due accolades for his honesty with himself and everyone else. That is the main message, is it not?

[Boringat]

Kraft are moving their company HQ to Israel. Henceforth the company will be known as "Cheeses of Nazareth".­.... Elsewhere,the strike at the Gorgonzola factory has gone to binding arbitration.

[aznurse]

glad you got that out of your system!

[SugarMan]

GOD BLESS AZARIAH!!!!

[DanaGarrett]

He is an example of real bravery and integrity in the USA. This young man is really standing up for himself in an honorable way.

I'm not a religious person, but his act reminds me of the admonition of Christ to "Love your neighbor as yourself." He's loving his self without judgment, accepting himself in the spirit of agape love usually given to others.

His courage is truly inspirational, and this 54-year-old coot finds himself looking up to this young man with true admiration.

[racetoinfinity]

Good for him!

[pithymaxim]

good for him

[YellerDawg]

I agree, but that phrase "Christian industry" is troubling.

[CindyKay]

Why , It is an Industry.

[situationcritical]

Bravo!

And I wasn't just talking about Project Runway.

[Lexie]

Good for him. I wish him well. I don't know what kind of a person he is otherwise, but I hope his experience has made him more sympathetic to other people who felt they had to hide their real selves, and makes him appreciate courageous people who do come out and live openly despite all the negative reaction they will get.

[DHC]

Interesting how he assumes he can no longer work in Christian television­... I guess he figures he will never be forgiven by his Christian audience. That says a lot about the state of Christianity in this country.

[JaseAllen]

In case you haven't noticed, "conservative Christians" can forgive just about anything except sex. All those people looked right past all the illegal and immoral activities of the Republicans over the last decade. They didn't blink at election tampering, wire tapping, prisoner torture, bribery--non of it seemed to matter. It was gay sex scandals that ended the Republicans control of Congress.

It's a shame, though. He's kind of cute.

[callit]

Absolutely agreed. (Including the cute part -- good news for gay Christian guys, though.)

[tea in the harbor]

They do seem to have a fascination with whose penis is where, but they also have the vagina patrol pontificating on the proper uses for that genitalia. (No lesbians, abortions, that sort of thing) and of course, they assume the right to tell us to live on in hopeless pain if we are afflicted with a terminal illness. But hey, if some guy you can't hear, see smell, or taste, especially if he's been dead for a couple thousand years, says it's right, how you going to argue with that?

[Weathermaker]

Partially correct. In my opinion it is not only sex "conservative Christians" can't tolerate. "The other Christians" are equally guilty. Evangelical Christians won't vote for a Catholic, for example. Last time I checked john hagee was still popular with evangelicals after calling the Catholic Church the "great whore".

[callit]

I agree that it's sad but unfortunately it IS the state of Christianity in this country.

[callit]

Anybody know if there are any avenues of support set up for Azariah? I know how difficult this must be for him. I have two uncles and a grandfather are Christian ministers and my father went to seminary (got his M. Div. and then went into psychotherapy). I have one cousin who is openly gay and another who is still in the closet. Half of the family accepts them and half reject them. I've seen the emotional abuse they've endured, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I hope Azariah has the support he needs. And, bravo, Azariah, for having the courage and self-confidence to come out.

[TexPenn]

I wouldn't want to be you on Judgement Day....I hope you like Heat....Yo­u will spend eternity in it,
however...­.I will pray for your soul.

As far as Mr. Southworth­....Good for him...I repect honest people,

[pdferguson]

Yeah, I liked Heat, especially the scene of Pacino and De Niro in the coffee shop.

As far as TexPenn...­.Good for him...I respect people who hurl meaningless damnation threats at people they don't know.

No, wait, I don't...

[McClellanKid]

Tex, since you just not only decided to speak for God but presumed to sit in judgment as well, I'd say you're a better candidate for the fires than whoever you're talking about.

[The5thW]

Sacred music--Josquin, Tallis,...­Superchick­?

[slobone]

Wow, I never thought somebody would mention Josquin and Tallis on Huffpo...

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

I feel for this child. It is a humongous step for him to do this. It took courage to do what he knows was the right thing. I just hope he doesn't get crapped on more than he expects...­.

[totalliberal]

Don't tell all those guys named Jesus that they are imaginary. :-)

[jalapeno]

We are all Humans who eat and poop...and like the animals, a certain percent are gay.