In college it’s easy to get pigeonholed based on stereotypes: frat boy, theater nerd, crazy Christian, gay best friend.
 

In real life though, away from the university bubble, you may find yourself redefining who you are. For gospel singer Ray Boltz that meant coming out publicly. No big deal, right? It seems like celebs are coming out of the closet left and right these days (although Clay Aiken, we’re still waiting on you…)
 

But for Boltz there’s one minor difference. He’s a Christian and not just one of those “woo hoo it’s Christmas, so I love Jesus” kind of Christians. He’s the kind that’s sold 4.5 million LPs, cassettes and CDs based on Christianity. A lot of times the whole homosexuality thing doesn’t go over so well with the religious thing. Gay and Christian is as hard to admit to as Gay and Fraternity Guy usually is. Still, Boltz couldn’t keep pretending.
 

The Washington Blade has the story:

“I didn’t make a big deal of it,” Boltz says during a 90-minute phone interview from his home in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “But I was trembling. I’d kind of had two identities since I moved to Florida where I kind of had this other life and I’d never merged the two lives. This was the first time I was taking my old life as Ray Boltz, the gospel singer, and merging it with my new life. Emotionally it was kind of a big deal to think about that.”

Ray Boltz was tired of living a lie.

It’s not too surprising that Boltz kept his secret gay identity in Florida. After all, the state is home to South Beach, the gay mecca of America (outside San Fran of course).
 

Congrats on the bravery Boltz. At OTR, we salute you.