From anti-gay preacher Jerry Falwell to the gay-rights directors
of HRC, PFLAG, and Soulforce, Clausen’s personal journey as a Lutheran pastor
forces difficult choices between the exclusionary status quo of his church and
the inclusive commitment of Jesus.
In Straight Into Gay America people share their lives with the Guinness World
Record–holding pastor who unicycles 1,000 miles for equal rights. Through
roadside encounters and overnight stays, this is the story of everyday people
living through the most polarizing political and religious battles of our times.
Lars Clausen is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
America, and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest unicycle tour (9136
miles). He received his Master of Divinity degree from Pacific Lutheran
Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and holds degrees in Mechanical
Engineering from U.C. Berkeley and from Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois.
Along with his own writing, he currently works with American Author to help
authors promote their work online.
Writing expresses Lars Clausen’s hope to foster community and discover a deeper
personal honesty. His first book, One Wheel – Many Spokes: USA by Unicycle is a
"stepping-out" story, depicting his unicycle journey through all 50 states,
exploring Native lands and history. Straight Into Gay America: My Unicycle
Journey for Equal Rights, is a "coming-out" story, combining personal
exploration with active advocacy.
Clausen lives with his family in Chelan on the east side of Washington’s Cascade
Mountains. Every morning he wakes up to the greatest gift he can imagine, life
with his wife, Anne and two children, KariAnna and Kai.