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.

Featuring interviews with luminaries like Billy Porter, Questlove, and Dionne Warwick, the film aims to introduce Bean's remarkable story to a wider audience. As Congresswoman Maxine Waters notes, "The Black community has changed because of Carl Bean." His legacy of unwavering faith, community service, and LGBTQ+ advocacy continues to inspire.