Antoine Dodson, the flamboyant "YouTube sensation," went on another media blitz this week to discuss his alleged renouncement of homosexuality and materialism. His many statements painted an unclear picture about his intention to marry a woman and if he might still be more attracted to men than women. He made it plainly evident, though, that he was on some type of religious path of self-discovery.
On May 2, Dodson wrote on Facebook:
"I have to renounce myself, I'm no longer into homosexuality I want a wife and family, I want to multiply and raise and love my family that I create. I could care less about the fame and fortune, I've giving all that up to know the true history of the bible. For I am the True Chosen Hebrew Israelite descendant of Judah. And as True Israel I know that there are certain things we just can't do. And I totally understand that now. I don't need a Mercedes Benz, I don't need a big house in Beverly Hills all I need is the Most High and my family (Israel). I have been awaken by the great and so should you...."
On Friday, gossip site TMZ interviewed Dodson and asked him several pointed questions about his confusing announcement. He said he wanted to "stop classifying [himself] as a homosexual," and declared homosexuality "foolishness" which needed to be moved aside just in case he should meet a woman to marry. He attributed his new "heterosexual" persona to lengthy biblical research and a revelation that Jesus was black and the "tribes of Israel" had included black people. He said:
"I just been searching for myself to find out who I was."
Dodson said he had been with a woman before, and claimed that, if he saw another woman who was "nice-looking" or "presentable," he might continue on to something further. In a separate HuffPost interview, he seemed emotionally distraught about not having children like his siblings. He indicated to TMZ that he was never the type of person to sleep around. In contrast to these assertions, Dodson also seemed to indicate a lingering attraction toward men:
"To be truthful, I'm not going to lie to you. I still like --. When I see a presentable male walk past, I be like, 'Oh, my God!' But then I think like, 'Come on, getting it together. Let's get it together, you can move away from that.' It's not going to happen in one day...."
One of his most passionate personal issues seemed to be a distaste for his recent years of "dressing like a girl," even though he appeared in both interviews to have long, accented braids. Dodson told Huffington Post that:
"Before I even came out as saying that I'm gay..., I was dating women.... This is not new to me. I know women. I always liked the art of a woman. And I guess it got so much to the point that..., instead of trying to be with that, I was trying to be that."
Dodson told TMZ that he grew up in a homophobic, suppressive Chicago "hood," and that, for some reason, he now feels uncomfortable with the level of acceptance gay people are receiving in today:
"For now, everybody be like, 'Yeah! Praise gay, praise gay!' It kind of looks suspicious to me."
For gay rights supporters, much of Dodson's charm had wore off last July. At that time, Dodson sought media exposure as a vocal supporter of Chick-fil-A restaurants while others were actively pressuring that company's head, Dan Cathy, over his antagonistic views and affiliation with anti-gay marriage organizations.
Antoine Dodson's insistence that bible study can cure homosexuality comes one week after John Paulk publicly retracted his support for an ex-gay group he once led. Paulk was another well-known religious man who claimed for years to have successfully suppressed his homosexuality. In April, Paulk apologized for all the pain he had caused.
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who has lodged a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, the owner refused to let her try on any bridal dresses, telling her "Sorry, we don't allow men to wear dresses here."
