MANHUNT GAY SOCIAL WEBSITE PROFESSIONAL
The shoot was very professional and relaxed. I was with Wilhelmina for about ten years prior to the Manhunt shoot- so I’ve done random projects here and there… Have you done any modeling prior to the MANHUNT shoot? It’s amusing to me, as was my involvement with the calendar. I am thrilled to be a part of the site as a model. My profile on the site is a little different however, since I am primarily relationship-oriented. There is a major disclaimer next to my picture. I have been an off and on member of Manhunt since I came out, about a year after my mission. How does it feel to become a MANHUNT model? Are you a MANHUNT member? Doesn’t the church have bigger fish to fry? They claim that they excommunicated him because of reasons outside the calendar- something that Chad has told me is a bold-faced lie. It’s sad to me that all of this would happen to him over something so ridiculously innocent as a shirtless calendar. I, too, graduated from Brigham Young University, and wholeheartedly disagree with both decisions. Not only was Chad excommunicated, but they decided to strip him of his degree from Brigham Young University. The creator of the Calendar, Ched Hardy, was ex-communicated from the church, was that fair in your view? It was the final straw that caused me to finally say “you’re not Mormon any more.” That being said, I hope that people understand that there are many, many good and decent members of the Mormon church that understand our struggle and support us in every way and I hope we can separate the mistake of the leaders and some financially excitable members from those in the church as a whole. While I respect the Mormon church for instilling the values I carry with me today, the passing of proposition 8 has caused me to lose my affinity for the church and left me feeling almost like I’ve lost a good friend or family member. This has caused a huge divide in my family (I’m not going home for Thanksgiving anymore) and has forced me to call into question everything about the institution I was raised a member of. Their usual non-involvement rule in politics was abandoned for a sickly impressive campaign that ended in the taking of basic fundamental rights from me and my friends. I was deeply disturbed and saddened by the overwhelming involvement of the LDS church in support of prop 8. Growing up Mormon and gay has to be one of the most difficult social and spiritual conundrums anyone can be subjected to. What are your feelings on the recent rift and on Proposition 8? To say the gay community and the Mormon Church haven’t been getting along lately is an understatement.
I’m thrilled that I’m able to support them through this project.
It was an incredible experience and I connected with the staff and the families in need on deeply personal and spiritual level. I served a two-year mission for the Church in Western New York and while I was in Buffalo I volunteered a great deal there. Why did you choose the Ronald McDonald house for your charitable donation? I’ve heard that some of the other models in the calendar have had interviews regarding their involvement, but none have been ex-communicated as far as I know. I was called by my Stake President (a local leader of the congregation in L.A.) but never returned his call. December’s a good spot.ĭid you run into any trouble with the Mormon Church as a result of your involvement with the calendar? I wondered the same thing- Chad, the calendar’s creator told me that my picture seemed like the perfect bookend to the other pictures. We ended up in DNA magazine this month as well, with a four page spread- not too shabby. I was recruited for The Men on a Mission project by one of the original 2008 models and it started out as sort of a joke to me, but Chad and his team were very professional and it is now something I’m proud of being a part of. How was working on the Men on A Mission calendar? To read a transcript of the interview, follow the JUMP:
Read about what he had to endure while growing up gay and Mormon the consequences he faced as a result of the decisions he made in life and how he became Manhunt’s newest model. Exclusive Interview with MANHUNT’s Newest ModelĪ Manhunting Mormon? Yup, you read that right! Hottie Michael Walker was raised as a Mormon and is now Manhunt’s newest model.