Trey Pearson is a popular Christian music artist. He has toured the country and shared his message with countless people. He’s shared a lot with people, except one thing. Trey Pearson is gay. Like many who struggle with publicly identifying themselves this way, Trey hid this part of himself for a long time. Trey hid this from his fans, his conservative family, and even his wife. He hid it until he simply couldn’t hide it any longer.

Trey penned a moving letter to his fans and eventually the public at large about embracing his identity, and about the struggles he has faced. He is taking an unknown risk by being open and honest about his life. Pearson is the lead singer of popular Christian band, Everyday Sunday. The band has released several popular albums that have found success not only on the Christian charts, but even on the Billboard Hot 200. Pearson isn’t the first faith based artist to come out about themselves. The others have found their music essentially blacked out of Christian radio. But even with all of that, the thought of opening up to his beautiful wife on this, and the rest of his family – Trey Pearson decided the time was right to accept himself for who he is, and be open and honest about it. I applaud him for it and welcome him to this expansive community. For those naysayers, the LGBT community does include individuals who are all across the spectrum of spirituality and religion from zero to devout.

For most Christians, there is an understanding that an individual’s walk with God is their own, at their own speed, and at their own pace. The same is true of an individual’s understanding and acceptance of their own sexuality when it varies from what the heteronormative society considers the norm. In his letter, Trey wrote the following:

I grew up in a very conservative Christian home where I was taught that my sexual orientation was a matter of choice, and had put all my faith into that. I had never before admitted to myself that I was gay, let alone to anyone else. I never wanted to be gay. I was scared of what God would think and what all of these people I loved would think about me; so it never was an option for me. I have been suppressing these attractions and feelings since adolescence. I’ve tried my whole life to be straight. I married a girl, and I even have two beautiful little kids. My daughter, Liv, is six and my son, Beckham, is two.

…

Trying not to be gay, has only led to a desire for intimacy in friendships which pushed friends away, and it has resulted in a marriage where I couldn’t love or satisfy my wife in a way that she needed. Still, I tried to convince myself that this was what God wanted and that this would work. I thought all of those other feelings would stay away if I could just do this right.

The things that Trey talks about throughout his letter are things that are identifiable with many in the LGBT community who struggle with self acceptance and identity. Myself included. However, some of the struggles are a result of how Christians teach their followers about the subject that is human sexuality. Some, if not most, hide behind misinterpretations of the Bible and scriptures taken out of context. While this is a debate that we can talk about at a later time, its part and parcel of why many Christian children struggle with their self identity. Once they are able to find their own truth, able to accept themselves, and able to love themselves are they finally able to open and honest. It is a vastly difficult struggle for some.

I am glad that finally Trey can find that inner peace within himself. I am also glad for him that his family, including his wife, have been supportive of him in this time. “I hope people will hear my heart, and that I will still be loved,” Pearson wrote. “I’m still the same guy, with the same heart, who wants to love God and love people with everything I have.” I doubt that Trey will ever read this, but I can tell him that I was personally moved by his letter. And even though I don’t know him, I can see his heart in the words he wrote, and I am sure that he will still be loved by many. I hope that his openness leads to some new opportunities for him.

Congratulations Trey.

More tomorrow on Everyday BRAND.

-A