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July 24, 2014
In an effort to convince more LGBT officers to join Fort Worth’s police force, the Fort Worth Police Department has released a humorous four-minute video starring openly gay police detective Chris Gorrie.
“You may be asking yourself, ‘What does this 30-year-old white guy have to do with diversity?’” asks the eight-year veteran. “Well, the short answer is, I’m gay.”
[Detective Chris Gorrie and his partner Justin]
Watch his video and check out our exclusive interview with Chris below:
The Gaily Grind: What made you decide to come out to your colleagues?
Chris Gorrie: Initially, I only came out to coworkers who asked or that I felt close enough to to tell. I’m sure many other coworkers suspected since I never knew what was happening in the world of sports or never talked about a girlfriend or wife, but they carried on like no big deal.
I had one academy classmate flat out ask me one day at the jail…one of those typical, “Can I ask you a question…?” (and we all know where that question leads.)
Another coworker and close friend (we would always ride two-man (person) on Wednesdays and one day), she was driving and my phone rings…dead silence in the car…and Justin (my boyfriend) yells through the phone, “Hey sweetie!!!” She heard and I filled her in.
As for this Youtube project, I was approached by two people who I have always had great respect for…my class counselor (Det Cleveland) called and asked how I would feel about being “out” and if she could recommend me for the project headed up by another Detective, Mike Carroll, who I’ve always looked at as the example of what a good detective should be…After discussing it with Justin and deciding that we were in a good spot and I was comfortable with myself as a person…a gay male cop…I decided that doing this project could only be a good thing and a challenge.
TGG: Are there other LGBT officers you know who are not openly gay?
Chris: I do. I had to think about it, and I was one of those cops for the longest time. Fortunately, I had a fellow officer who I look up to and now has a wonderful family…he told me to be myself and not worry about what other people in the department think…*Rob and Selso and Noah Picture* but I do know of some who aren’t comfortable in their own skin. It has nothing to do with the people in the departments they work for, it has more to do with who they are and how comfortable they are with themselves.
TGG: How did you come out?
Chris: I came out in spurts. Mostly just to some select friends who I knew wouldn’t care or were gay themselves at first…social media also helped with some of that.
TGG: How did your family react to your coming out and how did you come out to them?
I came out to my family at age 23. Roughly 9-10 years ago. I was living at home at the time since I had just graduated college and it started out as a petty argument over some dishes between my mother and I right before I had to leave for work at the private security company I just started at. She mentioned, something about getting married eventually….and I retorted…”who said I would marry?”
She asked, “You don’t want to get married?”
“I don’t know…”
“Do you even like girls?”
“What if I didn’t…?”
“Are you gay?”
“What if I was…?
(The previous two questions went around about 3 or 4 times.)
She finally said, “we would still love you!”
So I finally said, “yes mom, I’m gay!” And out the front door I went to work. My sister later told me that she cried the normal “mom” cry and told the rest of my immediate family (which made it easier for me) and over the years, both my parents have become more comfortable with me being gay and have even accepted Justin as a member of our family.
TGG: What were their initial reactions?
Chris: Initially, it was just something that wasn’t talked about. I know it was initially upsetting to my mom, but over time, my younger sister (who was still living at home) began to joke and talk about it with my parents and over time they realized it wasn’t as big of a deal.
TGG: How long have you and your partner been dating?
Chris: Justin and I have been together for almost 6 years now.
TGG: How did you both meet?
Chris: We met at a party at a mutual friend’s house. He was the quite “wall-fly” and I was the social guy cracking all the jokes. He says he fell for my “contagious laugh”…and the rest is 6 years of loving history. :)
TGG: Would you someday like to have the right to marry Justin in Texas?
Chris: I would! Although every time we talk about it…he jokingly says it’s always “7 years away”…EVERY time :) But the idea of formalizing any union is something that I, one day, look forward to.
*****
Even, deep in the heart of Texas, it's a brave new world!
"Fear Eats the Soul"
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