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Many gay men were taught that religion and sexuality are at odds with one another; either you're too gay to be religious, or you're too religious to be gay. As a result, we may have experienced religious trauma, leaving us feeling alone within our faith and the LGBGTQ+ community.
In this episode, Eric Feltes, actor, writer, and life coach, joins us to discuss his spiritual journey, balancing sexuality and faith, and how gay men can overcome their religious trauma to live their authentic lives.
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At the age of 25, Eric looked pretty happy. He had a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, a full time job as a high school Spanish and Theatre teacher, owned a house in the suburbs of Chicago, and was engaged to a woman he was with for five years. To someone looking in from the outside, he really did look happy, only much of it was a facade.
At this point, he met someone who made him question his whole belief system, and during that struggle, he realized he was living a double life. He realized he had preconceived ideas that being gay was shameful, but in that moment, he realized what was actually wrong was living an inauthentic life. Within 24 hours of meeting this man, he ended the relationship with his fiancée and came out of the closet.
Coming out was the first of many life changes that came to him, much like the ripples in a pond from a pebble. The courage from coming out nudged him to pursue his dream of being an actor, and it sat next to him in his car as he drove to Los Angeles to continue that dream.
Fast forward to today - he's built a life for himself with his dog Cadence, about twenty houseplants, and his own LA chosen family. He is able to pursue his dreams while helping others pursue theirs. Being a Life Coach fulfills and heals him in a way he hasn't felt since he was a teacher. Only now, he gets to do it from a place of pure joy and authenticity.
