Welcome to the outside-the-closet world, Jennifer Knapp:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A rising star on the Christian music scene is returning to the public eye with a new identity after a mysterious seven-year absence spent mostly on the other side of the world.
Jennifer Knapp is not only coming out with a new album, she is also “coming out,” a term the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter considers “very bizarre” as she nervously relaunches her career.
The 36-year-old Kansas native, who dated men during her college days, is braced for a backlash from religious fans who faithfully shot down whispered rumors about her sexuality over the years. On the other hand, she said in a recent interview with Reuters, “I’m definitely getting a lot more friendly winks from the girls (at her concerts) than I have in the past!”
No other singer of Knapp’s renown in the Christian music genre is openly gay.
Of course, there will be those who lose their minds and take Jennifer’s CDs to Baptist bonfires, but even though Jennifer doesn’t seem to want to be an activist (which is okay), I think this will probably be good for some of her younger fans in the Evangelical world. Their parents and church leaders lie to them so much about LGBT people, and they get away with it because there is still a cloistered segment of society where people who don’t look, think or act like them are suppressed, if not driven away completely. Since we know for a fact that the mere fact of knowing a gay person makes people exponentially more likely to support us, maybe for some of those kids/young adults, Jennifer Knapp can be the one they know. And especially for those gay kids and young adults who are still trapped in that world and who are still very closeted, Jennifer’s courage in simply being honest will encourage and maybe even save a few of those kids.
Knapp’s new record, Letting Go, will be out May 11. Here’s a live YouTube recording of the title track (and Jennifer chit-chatting with the audience):
(Photo credit: Reuters)
This young woman can’t have been a fundamentalist! She’s too well dressed and has a decent hairstyle!
Well, she looks much better than she did when she was closeted, in the CCM world. They like their women de-sexed. It’s the Christian version of a burkha. Just take away all the sensual/sexual aspects of a real woman, and you have the ideal fundamentalist. Muslims get the bad rap because they subjugate their women in more obvious ways than Christians do. But don’t kid yourself: Fundamentalist Christian women are forced to wear the burkha too. But instead of stealing their visibility, they choose to rape/steal the entire person instead.
[...] wrote earlier about Jennifer Knapp coming out of the closet and relaunching her career in the 100% more authentic [...]
Jennifer ISN’T the first singer in contemporary Christian music to come out. There are quite a few (there used to be a website devoted to them, but I can’t seem to find it anymore.
Most of them eventually move towards more secular pop music-apparantly the whole “forgiveness” thing isn’t high of the list of Christian values for their fans.
@Bill S – so you agree that there is something to be forgiven for?
2.Jennifer You are loved and it was so beautiful to see how in a difficult moment you and the pastor continued to demonstate Gods love to one another. I wanted to clarify a point that wasn’t clear in the interview “in sin” we are separated from God. That is written in the Holy Bible. No matter what the sin (sin is sin)at that moment we are separated from God (The Father, The son and The Holy Spirt) and cannot have a relationship with Him. Hence, as a Christian we all fall short and sin, yes, but we are called to repent and turn away from sin and with Gods Grace are forgiven. I believe that is what the pastor was saying to you and all of us during that interview. It’ time to return to Him so God can use you for His Glory!
All in His Love! A Believer in The Truth. God Bless you in your journey back to Him! BTW I love your music.
Y.A.L, you have a very small god if he needs people to deny themselves innocent love in order to satisfy his arrogance.