Charlene E. Cothran is an American journalist, publisher of the magazines Venus (named after her friend Venus Landin, who was killed by an Ex-Girlfriend in 1993) and Kitchen Table News (not to be confused with the feminist, activist publishing company Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press), and a former Lesbian and Gay rights activist.
Venus Magazine
Cothran launched the first edition of Venus in January 1995. The magazine was based in Atlanta, Georgia, and distributed to seventy-two locations across the United States and Europe.
Venus was tailored to the interests of LGBT people of African descent. The magazine was credited with breaking ground in several editorial areas, such as educational resources for HIV and AIDS prevention and care, dialogue between closeted and open LGBT populations, politics concerning homophobia, and the relationship between Christianity and homosexuality, among others.
Venus featured a roster of significant writers, contributors, and interview subjects, including Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman), Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories), James Earl Hardy (B Boy Blues), Shirlene Holmes (1958-2023), Patrik-Ian Polk (Noah’s Arc), and Shay Youngblood (Talking Bones).
Following a religious conversion in 2006, Cothran changed the editorial policy of Venus, and began to promote what is popularly called the Ex-gay movement through the magazine. Cothran's abrupt renunciation of her historical views in favor of evangelical proclamations led to a decline in advertising revenue. Following these events, Venus Magazine ceased operations in 2007.
Personal
Charlene Cothran is a former lesbian.
Today I am celibate. Again, I don’t say I will never have a man in my life, I’m not saying I will never be married to a man. Who knows what the Lord has in store for me. But there is one thing I can say and one thing I will go on record and say—I will never be entangled with the bondage of lesbianism again.
— April 2007 interview
Cothran established The Evidence Ministry, Inc., an evangelical mission that encourages people to renounce homosexuality.
References
- ^ Cothran, Charlene (9 April 2007). "Interview With Ex-gay Charlene Cothran" (Interview). Interviewed by Clay Cane. Clay Cane. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012.
- ^ rutledge, emerald faith (September 6, 2023). From the Black Queer South to the World. Across its twelve-year lifespan, Atlanta-based Venus magazine brought southern voices to the larger Black queer print media network. JSTOR Daily.
- Venus Magazine for Lesbians and Gays of Color (Atlanta, GA), Feb Jun-Aug/Sep 1995; Feb/Mar, May; July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov 1996;, Box: Venus Magazine. Gender and Sexuality periodicals collection, Q-Periodicals. Special Collections. https://archivesspace.library.gsu.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/160582 Accessed November 26, 2024.
- Shirlene Holmes. Georgia State University.
- Official Obituary of Reverend Dr. Shirlene Holmes, March 7, 1958 ~ June 26, 2023 (age 65). Lewis Funeral Service.
- ^ Cothran, Charlene (23 March 2007). "The Rebirth of Venus". Christianity Today (Interview). Interviewed by Amy Tracy. Christianity Today International.
Following the issue featuring my testimony, the gay political machine pressured my ad agency to drop us. ... By Monday afternoon, several thousand dollars' worth of advertising were canceled. My business pretty much died that week.
- Wooten, Amy (January 31, 2007). Venus Magazine Becomes Ex-Gay Pub. Windy City Times.
- "About: Our Founder". Evidence Ministry. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
External links
- The Evidence Ministry, Inc.
- Venus Magazine at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- Cane, Clay (10 April 2007). "Ex Gay Aftermath". Clay Cane. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013.
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