Gene Robinson was the first openly-gay bishop in all of Christendom.
Robinson is quick to point out that there have always been gay bishops in the Episcopal Church. "There have been a lot of us, let's just be clear," he said. "I'm just the first openly-gay one."
"We forget what a big deal it was and how hard it was and how many people were opposed, and the pain it caused a lot of people," he said.
"I can tell you from my own experience, and it's one of the things that led to my coming out: it's an awful thing to stand in a pulpit and encourage people to live authentic lives when you know you're not being authentic," Robinson said. "It's why I felt God called me out of the closet."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bishop-gene-robinson-on-why-god-called-me-out-of-the-closet/
