"I'm here with my husband," says Jose on stage before hundreds at an Hawaiian luau on the island of Oahu

Jose "comes out" on stage during a live (in drag) performance before hundreds at a Luau, in Oahu, Hawaii.

 

by Rev. Steve Parelli

April 3, 2013

Bronx, NY 



Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kupono Kwong (right) with
Pat Humphries and Sandy O of Emma's
Revolution, having just congratulated
Jose Ortiz  (left) for his "coming out"
before hundreds at a Hawaiian luau

At a Paradise Cove luau (Oahu, Hawaii), on the evening of April 1, 2013, Jose Ortiz, volunteering at the invitation of the emcee, performed a short hulu dance (in drag) with two regular performing dancers, the final show of the evening. When asked, before the hundreds in attendance, with whom he was traveling, Jose said, "I am here with my husband." Steve, Jose's husband, standing at the side of the stage (ground level) hoping to get a photo of Jose's performance, waved his hand to the audience in response to Jose's introduction of him as husband. 

 

Immediately following the show, Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kupono Kwong the minister of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, and a lesbian couple (Pat Humphries and Sany O of Emma's Revolution) who were attending the luau with him, greeted Jose and Steve with cheers of gratitude. Their smiles in the accompanying photo (above, right) tell it all. They were immensely happy to have LGBT "representation" in the show, so they said, explaining how luaus here generally fail to give any support, in their shows, to gay couples.

 




Jose Ortiz (center) in drag,
following his on-stage
performance

The luau show, so opposite-sex oriented in its story line and dance movements, gives no hint of today's reality that love is found and expressed by same-sex couples, too. Gay couples are silently ignored, especially noticeable in the words of the emcee who, asking for newly weds and marriage anniversaries to announce themselves, made no reference to diversity. Diversity, on this paradise island, is apparently lost in this Paradise Cove luau performance, as beautiful as it was in its portrayal of opposite-sex love.

 

 

Parelli and Ortiz featured in September 22, 2012, Martinique newspaper around gay marriage debate

"God loves gays!"("Dieu aime les homosexuels! »)
L.V. (Louvinia Valat) / France-Antilles Martinique 22 Sept 2012

To be Christians while remaining free to live one's sexual orientation: that is the credo of Stephen Parelli and Jose Ortiz.


FRANCE-ANTILLES MARTINIQUE
NEWSPAPER, Saturday, September 22, 2012, issue

FRANCE-ANTILLES MARTINIQUE NEWSPAPER, Saturday, September 22, 2012, issueArticle (originally in French) by Louvinia Valat, Journalist, France-Antilles Martinique
Translated to English by Stanley Hanks

TESTIMONIAL. Stephen Parelli and Jose Ortiz serve as director and coordinator, respectively, of the association "Other Sheep", a group which defends the idea that one can be Christian and gay at the same time, without betraying God or one's faith. This is the battle they have been fighting for over 15 years, both as a couple and as Protestant Christians. This is currently of particular relevance for us in view of the parliamentary debate over gay marriage.

Stephen Parelli and Jose Ortiz visited us in August for a few days before going to St. Lucia to hold a series of workshops on controversial subjects such as: Can one be both Christian and gay? What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Doesn't it treat it as a perversion, an abomination?

Stephen and Jose are, above all, a couple - and they have been together for fifteen years. They are Christians, and they have been legally married since 2008. We would never have had the chance of meeting them if their homosexuality hadn't made it necessary for them to reconsider their faith in the light of their sexual orientation.

In the US, their home country, and everywhere else in the world where Christians await their visit, Stephen Parelli
(Director of Other Sheep) and Jose Ortiz (Coordinator for Asia and Africa) do their best to show that "God is love"
(1 John 4). It is a love which is not exclusive or sectarian.

To prove this, they support their case with the Bible. But without flights of fantasy or extrapolation: instead, they
apply a scholarly approach. Both Steve and Jose have concluded Bible studies at bachelor's degree level; Stephen,
who also holds a Masters in theology, served as a pastor for approximately twenty years. They base their
arguments on the text - or, to be more specific, on a reading of the text in light of the evolution undergone by
society.

IMPOSSIBLE TO BE "EX-GAY"For these two men, their battle necessarily possesses a very personal component. For years, formerly convinced
that their faith was incompatible with their love, they had attempted to stop being gay! They had tried, for instance,
by attending support groups for "Christians who are trying to overcome their attraction for people of the same sex",
praying constantly and waiting for a miracle which was not to occur - until they finally had to give up. "We finally
came to realize that it is impossible to be 'ex-gay'."

However, their mission is not a crusade for homosexuality. Rather, they are fighting for the fundamental right to be a Christian. Neither are they defending a Protestant approach as opposed to Catholic "certitudes", for, in their view,
"all Churches are concerned".

That is what inspires the two to take up their pilgrim's rod and travel the world to meet with Christians everywhere.

Their goal is to exchange views with them in a series of workshops, using materials edited and published by Other
Sheep, in the hope that these Christians will grow to understand that "God accepts gays, lesbians, bisexuals and
transgender people".

To contact Steve and Jose, or to find further information, you can visit the website www.othersheepexecsite.com.

My husband Jose and I met in February of 1997, 15 years ago this month

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY to all lovers, friends and significant relationships of whatever type -- however you define and experience your togetherness!

How Jose and Steve met: 

An Ex-"Ex-gay" Love Story

By Rev. Steve Parelli, Bronx NY, September 7, 2005

[Excerpt]

February 1997.  Calvary Baptist Church, 57th Street, Manhattan, New York. A Tuesday evening "ex-gay" support group called HOPE led by an "ex-gay" deacon of Calvary Baptist Church. That's where Steve and Jose
met.

Steve had arrived early that evening. Perhaps as much as forty-five minutes early. He had come in from New Jersey, about an hour and half travel time away. Though this was his first time to this "ex-gay" meeting, it was by no means his first attempt at "ex-gay" help.

Read more . . .

Jose Ortiz, left, and Rev. Steve Parelli
participants in the Soulforce Action at
Bishop Eddie Long's church.
Here, seated in the Hospitality Suit of
the church where the meeting
with the Bishop took place.

[Excerpt]

Steve stood and spoke intently with the first person who entered the room there on 57th Street, Manhattan. Then a second person entered and a third. The two of them stood close by and engaged in conversation with each other. Out of the corner of his eye, Steve noticed the third man, a handsome dark-skinned man of moderate height with Caucasian features, a Spanish-African New Yorker of Puerto-Rican decent. His name was Jose.

Read more . . .

We are the Unseen Outcasts within the Church

Written by Jose Ortiz, Dubai International Airport, July 1, 2011

Edited by Rev. Steve Parelli, Classic Ave. Hotel, Trivandrum, India, July 4, 2011

Our Other Sheep 2011 work in India actually began while in flight from New York to Dubai where we made a connecting flight to Trivandrum, India. Our seating – in a row of three-seats – placed me right next to a middle-aged Indian who I will call Deepak. Deepak, who has lived in America for 16 years, is a nationalized American citizen originally from Chennai, India. He was returning home to India to attend a wedding. His wife and children had returned earlier for the special event. He was happy to be joining them.

Jose Ortiz, left, and Steve Parelli
Jose typing out his composition from his handwritten notes
Dubai International Airport
July 2, 1011

Deepak had noticed the Bible Steve had passed to me to place in his seat pouch. He soon asked if we were Christians. When we answered “yes,” he responded with a broad smile (reminding me of that joy I would feel upon discovering a stranger to be a Christian) and said, “I am, too.” His spontaneous smile communicated to me his sense of enthusiasm in finding another Christian. I told him Steve had been a Baptist pastor and I . . . , but, as if on cue, he interrupted and immediately told us about the Baptist Church he attends in Florida where he lives. He asked if we had heard of his pastor, giving the pastor’s name and ministry.

At some point he asked us why we were traveling to India. After learning that we did human rights work for gays and lesbians in religious contexts and that we were a gay Christian couple, he politely said he would have plenty of questions for us during our flight. We welcomed this and said we would be glad to discuss anything he desired.

Read more . . .