So I’ve written before about all the strange emails we get here at Gay Star News. I guess this is another installation of such a story.
This time, we received an email by a guy named Lance Wells. Mr. Wells was emailing us to perhaps promote his book—which is vehemently anti-LGBTI.
The book is titled The Truth Comes Out: Laying Waste to the Lies of the “LGBT community.”
The Amazon description of the book is as follows:
‘Writer, musician, and odd-job guy Lance Wells exposes the numerous dangerous deceptions inherent in the “gay rights” movement. Approaching the subject from a Christian perspective, he refers to classic literature, children’s stories, movies, music, sports, and pop culture in this common-sense approach to one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. Some of the questions addressed include:
– Are some people born “gay?”
– Is there a connection between sexual deviancy and criminality?
– Is hate crime legislation being fairly applied?
– What really leads to suicide?
– Can a person be both homosexual and Christian?
– Can religious freedom laws help establish a middle ground?
– Is there a relationship between the “LGBT community” and the Antichrist?
… and more.
If you value the truth more than popular opinion, you’ll like this book!’
For whatever reason, he seems to have a penchant for putting terms like ‘LGBT’ and ‘gay’ in quotes.
Our email communication
This email piqued my interest because… what the hell? Why is he emailing us this? We’re quite clearly pro-LGBTI.
So I responded. And as he does, I used some quotation marks of my own.
Yeah, I was snarky. But how can I not be? Who is this man, who according to his book’s Amazon page is a mere ‘Writer, musician, and odd-job guy,’ to judge us?
He quickly replied:
It’s kind of ironic he used the saying (is it even a saying?) ‘no one wants to bake my cake.’ Ya know, considering how many Christians literally do not want to bake cakes for gay people.
He urged me to read the whole book (which is a whopping 404 pages) before jumping to any conclusions. He wanted me to have ‘an open mind.’
I didn’t respond right away. I do have a life outside GSN emails. So he sent this follow-up that made my jaw drop:
Wow, okay. First of all, I do not want to give this man money for his book. Even if it’s just a dollar. It should be noted that it’s common courtesy when asking a publication to review your work that you send them a free copy to peruse. I was not going to pay money for 404 pages of homophobic drivel.
Secondly, even if I had downloaded the book, did he really expect me to read all 404 pages in a matter of three days? Again, I do have a life.
Third, apparently by not reading his book as quickly as he wanted, I am ignorant, can’t keep commitments, and just all around dishonest.
And fourth, according to this ‘expert,’ it’s okay to not use quotes for the word bisexual because it’s not a ‘made up word’ like gay, queer, or transgender. Aren’t all words made up? Isn’t that the epitome of language?
Why do I have to have an ‘open mind’ for this guy when he clearly doesn’t grant any of us the same respect?
But don’t worry! He ‘apologized.’
Yes, it was only that email that ‘undermined your credibility.’ Not anything else at all…
Past nonsense
Then I came across this 2013 article from The Advocate about Mr. Wells.
According to the article, Wells has been peddling this book—both in physical and eBook form—for years. In fact, no bookstore in his own hometown in Idaho will even carry the book.
‘Wells has a history of hate-filled actions against the LGBT community,’ Tracy E. Gilchrist writes. ‘In 2015 he launched a benefit concert for his “Add No Words” campaign that ran counter to the movement to “Add the Words” (sexual orientation and gender identity) to Idaho’s Human Rights Act. The concert starring none other than the Wells was billed by him as a one-man show featuring “three instruments, two hours, one man, zero words.”’
‘Luckily, Wells has had little success with his crusades, considering his benefit concert sold few tickets, and that his book currently has 1.5 stars on Amazon and has sold zero copies, according to Patheos.’
And I guess that’s that. Just another angry white Christian male upset that other groups are gaining the same rights and protections he’s always enjoyed.
