Another Failed Attempt to Live a Lie

I've written often here about a person failing to live a honest life, where they are being true to who they are, is a recipe for misery and disaster. Here is another cautionary tale supporting that thesis:

From the San Francisco Sentinel:

For much of Jacques Whitfield’s 11-year marriage he maintained a parallel life. He cheated on his wife and, he said, cheated himself.

But that’s over. Whitfield, a veteran Sacramento attorney, quit years of therapy that he once thought would exorcize his homosexuality. Today he is openly gay and has lent his voice in opposition to California’s ban on gay marriage.

While the state Supreme Court weighs the constitutionality of Proposition 8, Whitfield said he believes the court decision alone won’t change public opinion. So he wants to help change some minds.

Exit polls showed a majority of African Americans and Latinos supported the same-sex marriage ban.

Whitfield, who is African American, acknowledged that churches, and long-held notions of right and wrong, held sway. That’s why he believes it’s important for some in his community to stop hiding.

“People like me should have been empowered to have the courageous conversation with people that look like me,” said Whitfield, who recently became board chairman of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center.

That was not a strong enough element in the No on 8 campaign, Whitfield said. There should have been more African Americans delivering a message that gay marriage is a civil rights issue, he said.

Kudos to Mr. Whitfield for putting himself out there. Hopefully his story will influence others who are trying to live the type of secret life he did, and will also open eyes of those who voted to take away a basic civil right from people like him.

Click here to read the rest of the Sentinel's story.