Who was Archbishop Carl Bean?

Archbishop Carl Bean was a pioneering LGBTQ+ preacher whose 1977 song "I Was Born This Way" became a disco hit.

What is the Unity Fellowship Church that Carl Bean founded?

The Unity Fellowship Church is a progressive Christian movement founded by Carl Bean that welcomes all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

How did Carl Bean's work impact the Black community?

According to Congresswoman Maxine Waters, "The Black community has changed because of Carl Bean" due to his advocacy and community service.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Pioneering LGBTQ+ Pastor's Inspiring Life Story Captured in New Documentary

Pioneering LGBTQ+ Pastor's Inspiring Life Story Captured in New Documentary

23 Oct

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Summary

Archbishop Carl Bean's 1977 song "I Was Born This Way" became a disco hit
Bean founded the Unity Fellowship Church, a progressive Christian movement
He co-founded the Minority AIDS Project in 1985 to support people of color with HIV/AIDS

Pioneering LGBTQ+ Pastor's Inspiring Life Story Captured in New Documentary

A new documentary is shedding light on the inspiring life of Archbishop Carl Bean, a trailblazing LGBTQ+ preacher whose story has long been overlooked. Born in Baltimore in 1944, Bean faced bullying as a child for being effeminate, but he refused to let that dim his light. In 1977, he recorded the anthem "I Was Born This Way" for Motown, a disco hit that would later inspire Lady Gaga's song of the same name.

Rather than pursue fame and riches, Bean felt called to Christian ministry. He went on to found the Unity Fellowship Church in Los Angeles, a progressive movement based on Liberation Theology that welcomed all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The documentary also explores Bean's co-founding of the Minority AIDS Project in 1985, a pioneering nonprofit that provided crucial services to people of color living with HIV/AIDS during the height of the epidemic.