A former writer for Entertainment Weekly has posted a video on his YouTube channel discussing his experience as an openly gay Christian who has chosen to abstain from sex.

In an adjoining blog post, Grady Smith writes:

I choose to not act on my gay desires because I think scripture makes it pretty clear that that’s not God’s ideal plan for people. I’m not angry or jaded about that fact, nor do I look at sacrificing my own sexuality to God as a tragedy. To me, it’s simple obedience — and it is not shame-based.

I know that I was fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Heck, I was created in His very image! (And so were you!) But, like every other Christian that’s ever lived, I’m simply in the ongoing process of learning how to not give in to every natural desire that I feel — whether that has to do with sex or not.

Smith also discusses the years he spent "feeling tortured by my own feelings, addicted to pornography, and deeply ashamed of my nature" and insists "various friends" have confided they are going through a similar struggle.

While he maintains he's not trying to dictate how anyone else should live their lives, we have to point out that people don't film YouTube clips for their own amusement. They do it because they think they have something to impart to others.

If Smith really wasn't trying to tell gay people they can (and should) bury their natural orientations, why did he make this clip?

And on the other side of the religious spectrum, a new Vatican document calls on the Catholic Church to be less judgmental towards gays and lesbians and to welcome the children of same-sex couples.

Reuters reports:

While the new document did not signal any immediate change in the Church's condemnation of homosexual acts and its opposition to gay marriage and to the adoption of children by gay people, it used language that was remarkably less judgmental and more compassionate than past Vatican statements.

It said that while bishops remained opposed to governments "redefining" marriage by permitting same-sex unions, the Church had to find a balance between its teachings on the traditional family "and a respectful, non-judgmental attitude towards people living in such unions."

Pope Francis has been working to change the tone of the Church's views on homosexuality—whether it's a real evolution or semantics remains to be seen.

Jazz Jennings, one of the Young Trailblazers at Logo's inaugural Trailblazers awards, is now a published author!

She, co-author Jessica Herthel and artist Shelagh McNicholas have published I Am Jazz, a new title aimed at explaining the trans experience to youngsters. "The philosophy of the book is just to start a conversation with very young kids in very simple terms so that transgender isn't scary and it's not complicated," says Herthel.

Laverne Cox, who also appeared at Trailblazers, called the book "deeply moving" and admitted "I wish I had had a book like this when I was a kid struggling with gender identity questions."

Proceeds from I Am Jazz benefit the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Jazz's family that's committed to enhancing the lives of transgender children.

Hitting bookstores in September, I Am Jazz is available for pre-order now.

Imagine getting fired for being gay. Then imagine getting your job back—only to be fired again by the same boss who had it in for you in the first place.

Such is the winding tale of South Carolina police chief Crystal Moore, who was fired by Mayor Earl Bullard in April when he learned she was a lesbian.

Moore had the support of her community, though, and the town council voted to reinstate her—and to limit Bullard's authority. But yesterday, just head of being stripped of a number of his political powers, Bullard went ahead and hired another police chief. The new hire has signed a two-year contract.

"I have went from being ecstatic, overwhelmed, not able to speak to crushed again," Moore told WPDE.

While Bullard has denied he axed Moore out of anti-gay bias, he's been recorded going off on a homophobic rant, insisting "I'm not going to let two women stand up there and hold hands and let my child be aware of it. And I'm not going to see them do it with two men neither. I'm not going to do it. Because that ain't the way the world works..."

Can we get the Dixie Chicks to record a benefit version of "Goodbye Earl"?