Sally Kern's son denies reports he is gay

Complete coverage: Oklahoma legislator's anti-gay comments stir hostile reaction :: Kern cites support from GOP :: OSBI reading Kern e-mails :: Local gay organization denounces Kern's comments against homosexuality :: Anti-gay remarks blasted

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OKLAHOMA CITY -- The son of a state lawmaker who has condemned homosexuality as a worse threat to the U.S. than "terrorists or Islam" said Friday he wants it known that he is "straight and not gay."

Jesse Kern, son of Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, said information purporting that he is gay, which has appeared on several blogs, is damaging to himself and his family.

Kern, 31, said he feels the media has a responsibility to seek out the truth, then report it.

Kern, who said he is affiliated with the Des Moines School of Metaphysics, said that he chooses to be celibate, but he is not homosexual.

"First of all, no one's sexuality is anyone's business. It is not even my mother's business," he said. "I practice celibacy to give to my God," he said.

Kern said metaphysics helps teach him such things such as concentration, which has helped him keep focused with all the adverse publicity surrounding his mother's comments.

Kern said his mother's comments apparently were taken out of context. He has not chosen to listen to the audio version that has been disseminated widely throughout the nation.

Kern's views differ from those of his mother, although he applauds her for standing up for what she believes, and thanks his parents for his good upbringing. His father is a Baptist minister in Oklahoma City.

He said the purpose of sex is reproduction, and it is the function of the animal body.

"But we are more than animals, and we can use sex for a tool of deep relationship with another person."

Kern added that what is more important than whether it be a relationship with someone of the same sex, is that there "needs to be honor in any relationship whether it is a straight or gay relationship."