Former CBS news reporter Aleen Sirgany publicly came out as a lesbian and introduced her longtime partner, Andrea Deeb, who is fighting stage 3 breast cancer, during an emotional town hall meeting in North Miami to discuss anti-gay bulling and marriage equality on Aug. 8.
“I never spoke out, ever, ever, ever,” Sirgany said. “But it's really the death rate of these kids that's so troubling to me. I could sit in the comfort of our home and read The Herald and rant or see what's going on and say, 'This is terrible.' But shame on me for not saying something sooner.
The town hall meeting at Temple Beth Moshe in North Miami was moderated by synagogue Rabbi Jory Lang. Other panelists included Jhae Hakimian, the wife of conservative pastor Jack Hakimain, Joshua Dunkelman of SAVE Dade, Lisa La Monica of Safe Schools South Florida, Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins, senior pastor at Sunshine Cathedral MCC in Fort Lauderdale, North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin, Tobias Packer of Equality Florida, and Father Patrick O'Neill of the Archdiocese of Miami.
During the meeting, 21-year-old gay Haitian-American broke down in tears, sharing his story of trying to defeat his homosexuality.
“For 18 years, I was always searching for a way to change me,” Louis said. “Believe me when I tell you that I went to a lot of places to try to cure me. The last places I went, and I went to God in person to hear me because I did not want to cause my mother any pain.
Even now she's still in Haiti and she's still in pain. I'm sorry. You see the color of my skin? I did not choose that. If I could change to be straight, I would choose to be straight because I do not like the pain I am causing my parents.”
Jack Hakimian, who preaches that homosexuality is a sin and urges gay people to “repent,” jumped from his seat to try to comfort Louis. Many in the crowd of about 75 heckled Hakimian.
Most of the discussion at the forum focused on marriage equality and bullying, which is what prompted Sirgany to speak out.
“These kids are getting bullied to death and it starts with a message like the pastor has: 'You're a sinner'” she said. “That message is really spreading like cancer with very little empathy to what these kids are going through. And not just kids. Adults, too. But if the pastor is saying it's okay, and the kids go to school and those other kids say he's right, they get bullied. The parents say it's okay, the pastor said it. Shame on the pastor and shame on me for not having the courage to speak up sooner.”
