Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern’s Son Denies Gay Rumors
Much talk has been made about Oklahoma State House Representative Sally Kern's remarks that the "gay agenda" was more threatening to the country than terrorism. Rumors began to circulate after the media frenzy about her remarks erupted that her son, a 31-year-old affiliate of the Des Moines School of Metaphysics, was gay. This week, however, Jesse Kern denied those rumors-saying he is not gay, just celibate.
Last week, The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund posted a YouTube video featuring Kern speaking out against gays to a group of Republicans who had invited her to express her views about homosexuality.
(View this YouTube video for a local Oklahoma television news report on her comments.)
In the speech, Kern accused homosexuals of pushing a "gay agenda" and trying to "indoctrinate" children as young as 2-years-old through tolerance education and gay-straight alliances, and suggested that homosexuality is the next wave of terrorism.
After the video was released, a former classmate of her son at Oklahoma Baptist University suggested to reporters that he was gay.
A blogger on the Oklahoma City Topix forum stated, "I find it hilarious that Salacious Sally is such a bigot. Her son Jesse was the biggest queen on the campus of OBU in the mid-90's. Twice he almost was expelled for making inappropriate advances in the library toilets."
Another commenter and supposed classmate stated, "[Jesse]'s attendance at Oklahoma Baptist University was marred by his repeated censure for cruising the school's toilets. Had he been able to live his life openly he would not have had to engage in such actions."
Jesse Kern responded to the allegations in an article with Tulsa World, saying that the gay allegations were harming his and his family's reputation.
Kern explained that he has chosen to be celibate, but is not gay. "First of all, no one's sexuality is anyone's business. It is not even my mother's business. I practice celibacy to give to my God."
Rep. Kern reiterated her son's comments, telling the Tulsa World that he is "artistic, very musical, and not one to play on the football team," but that he was not gay.
Jesse Kern explained that while he did feel it necessary to clear up rumors about his sexuality, his views on homosexuality differ from his mother's. "[There] needs to be honor in any relationship whether it is a straight or gay relationship."
He also stated he wanted to quash any false stories that he was charged with a sex crime in Oklahoma in 1989. A variety of gossip blogs and web sites had connected him with court records under the name of "Jesse Jacob Kern." His middle name is, in fact, Aaron and he was 12 years old and living in a different state at the time.