That’s one of the core challenges that this book issues – to see ourselves larger, bigger than our current conception because our identity says we are homosexual. It begins with what we think about ourselves. Raymond: I think it begins with our identity. The new gay hero’s journey moves through various stages of awareness, until we get to this point where we fully integrate our role as evolutionary leaders.Īde: What do you think are some of the things that stop many gay men from integrating into this role as evolutionary leaders? Each of us will have a different array of gifts and roles, but it is about understanding, acknowledging and consciously employing our role as evolutionary leaders for humanity. To step into social purpose and social roles, and to recognize what it is we do for society. The new gay hero’s journey invites gay men to go beyond. As I conceptualized the gay hero’s journey, I began thinking, “ what do we currently agree on?” “What’s our story?” “What do we tell each other about what it means to be gay?” The gay hero’s journey as it currently stands begins with being painfully repressed, and you move through stages of awareness, and then you come out and you fully integrate your sexuality, and it ends there. Could you talk me through those stages of awareness? We can lead humanity through the new way forward when we become aware of our capacities, what we’re currently doing, and then using those skills purposefully.Īde: I guess this ties in with what you call ‘ the new gay hero’s journey’ and the stages of awareness. It really struck me as very core to the essence of gay men – what we’re really doing, without even conscious awareness by coming out and by living openly. This idea of a “ new way forward” is one that integrates balance of masculine and feminine, human activity and nature, and individual rights and group responsibility. It struck me as the essence and the core of what we’re really about, which is – introducing new ways of being in the world.Īlso, at a time when we’re so out of balance because of patriarchy, with the masculine running amok and the feminine devalued. It was at the end of writing the book when this phrase “ the new way forward” appeared. Raymond: I wrestled with the title and had about 6 different working titles throughout the whole process. Ade Adeniji, Co-Founder of The Quest, talks to him about the unique gifts gay men have as a result of being different.Īde: I think a good place to start our conversation would be on the title of your book “ Gay Men and the New Way Forward”, how did you come up with it? Rigoglioso is the author of “Gay Men and the New Way Forward” and Founder of “Gay Men of Wisdom”. The Quest In conversation with Raymond L. Gay Men and the New Way Forward – why being different is a gift