LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a recently discovered letter from 1982, former President Barack Obama offers a revealing glimpse into his thoughts on sexuality during his youth.
The letter, addressed to his then-girlfriend Alex McNear, has come to public attention despite certain parts being redacted.
Penned during his time at Occidental College in Los Angeles, the letter was allegedly written when Obama was merely 21 years old. Addressing McNear, who was his girlfriend at the time, he delved into the topic of homosexuality with unusual frankness.
The letter, which is more than 40 years old, has come to attention because of an in-depth interview conducted by biographer David Garrow. The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian successfully found and included these sections in his biography titled 'Rising Star.'
Is Barack Obama gay?
The letter, obtained by the NY Post, discloses his admission of having an imaginative attraction to romantic scenarios involving men, although these alleged sentiments were reportedly confined to his thoughts and fantasies.
"In regard to homosexuality, I must say that I believe this is an attempt to remove oneself from the present, a refusal perhaps to perpetuate the endless farce of earthly life," the letter read as per the outlet.
He said he reportedly felt a connection with men every day, but he explained it was only in his imagination. "You see, I make love to men daily, but in the imagination," he said in the letter reported by the Post.
In the letter, Obama reportedly discussed the idea of having an androgynous outlook, sharing his wish for a viewpoint that sees people as a complete whole, rather than dividing them into specific gender groups.
"My mind is androgynous to a great extent and I hope to make it more so until I can think in terms of people, not women as opposed to men," he said.
However, despite these revelations, Obama reportedly acknowledged in the letter that he has embraced his identity as a male and has opted to live according to it.
"But, in returning to the body, I see that I have been made a man, and physically in life, I choose to accept that contingency," he added. Currently, a father of two, Obama has been married to his wife Michelle since 1992.
Barack Obama influenced the legalization of same-sex marriage in the US
The former President played a pivotal role in the legalization of same-sex marriage in the US. After initially having reservations, he publicly supported marriage equality in 2012.
A landmark moment arrived on June 26, 2015, with the US Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v Hodges, legalizing same-sex marriage across all states.
Obama's administration also ceased defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court and repealed the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, enabling LGBTQ+ individuals to openly serve in the military.
Obama's presidential directives included a series of impactful measures have been enacted to protect LGBT rights.
These include ensuring visitation rights and medical decision-making for LGBT patients in healthcare settings, launching a national strategy against HIV/AIDS, and advancing equality for LGBT Federal employees by extending benefits to partners.
The presidential directives also include addressing fairness in housing and crime prevention, preventing bullying of LGBT students, and demonstrating a global commitment to promoting and safeguarding LGBT rights.
Barack Obama credits two people for shaping his views on LGBTQ+
In April 2009, during an interview with The Advocate, a prominent LGBTQ+ magazine, Obama was asked about the people who had shaped his perspectives on the community.
His response included two significant figures: his mother, and his political science professor at Occidental College, Lawrence Goldyn '73.
"He was a wonderful guy," Obama had said, adding, "He was the first openly gay professor that I had ever come in contact with, or openly gay person of authority that I had come in contact with."
Obama further said, "And he was just a terrific guy. He wasn’t proselytizing all the time, but just his comfort in his own skin and the friendship we developed helped to educate me on a number of these issues."
