CHU AT SU

Jeff Chu, Fast Company’s editor-at-large and author of “Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America” was hosted by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications to speak about his journalistic experience that put him on an unparalleled professional and personal journey.

Raised in a Baptist family, Chu shared with attendees his family’s struggle to accept his homosexuality, as devout lovers of Jesus. Being both gay and Christian, Chu shared with the audience how he grappled with reporting on something so personal to his own life. Accustomed to wearing objective reporting lenses, Chu shared how until writing his book, he had never endured such difficulty writing objectively. He said, “It’s easy to put on the journalist persona when you’re reporting about things that aren’t about whether or not you’re going to hell.”

Jeff Chu’s talk was invaluable to Newhouse students, speaking to them on both professional and personal levels. His messages about reporting, and his struggle to report objectively as a journalist given such a personal matter, resonated with students and other attendees.

"Christianity &the experiences of gay people are so diverse...I was writing abt whether or not I was going hell...it was emotional" #ChuatSU

— Kate Brodock (@Just_Kate) October 15, 2013

Chu reflects on his relationship w/ his family. He is glad he didn't walk away from his family when he came out. #ChuatSU

— Ian Simon-Curry (@incrediblyian) October 15, 2013

"Reporting is finding other people's stories" #ChuatSU

— JaShel Jones (@JaShelJ04) October 15, 2013