User blog comment:UnderAPineapple/The Official Season 2 Submission Blog/@comment-25429296-20180114013821

​Name (Age): Solomon Flemming (31)

​Hometown: Springfield, Illinois

​Occupation: Barista

​Personal Claim to Fame: My personal claim to fame is just being me! I am gay, I have a boyfriend of ten years, and I am also a Christian man. There is a lot of tensions between the two groups and there aren't a lot of people like me out there - it's tough just walking a day in my shoes. From each group (LGBT+ and Christians) there are people who hate my guts and want me to "pick a side". It's really hard to wake up every day and know that there are thousands of people who hate me and what I believe and what I stand for.

​Inspiration in Life: That would have to be our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He died for my sins and I am forever grateful and thankful for him.

​Hobbies: I love spending time with my boyfriend and worshiping our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - sometimes simultaneously! Besides that I love hiking, biking, and sight seeing.

​Pet Peeves: I really have a distaste for stereotypes of any kinds. I dislike LGBT+ people who think all Christians are homophobic and I dislike Christians who think all LGBT+ people should burn in hell. Why can't there be a happy medium?!

​3 Words to Describe You: Competitive, spiritual, & accepting

​SURVIVOR Contestant You are Most Like: I guess you could say I'm like Josh and Reed from San Juan Del Sur because we're all gay Christians. However I don't anticipate my gameplay will be similar to their train wreck of a game in their season. I would compare my ideal gameplay to Cirie in all four of her seasons. I don't think I will do all to well in challenges because while I am a great runner and swimmer, I am quite skinny so I don't have the muscle mass needed to perform in a lot of the strength-based challenges. Cirie was atrocious in challenges but she has this social charm and strategic mind that I hope to replicate in my game.

​Reason for Competing on SURVIVOR: I want to go on this show because I am a huge fan and I've never lost my child-like sense of adventure. I also would adore to have some money in my pocket. My boyfriend and I would love to adopt a child soon because we believe God is calling us to, and adoption is not cheap.

​Why You Believe You Will Become the SOLE SURVIVOR: I will be the Sole Survivor because I have the big man upstairs on my side. God will be looking out for me and giving me guidance. But of course, God may not have that big of an interest in the game of Survivor, so I will hope that my strategy to emulating Cirie's game will lead me to a win because she has been super close to a win three times.

​Additional Information (to allow me to know more about him/her):  Solomon realized he was gay when he was in middle school, but decided not to come out to his friends, family, and church until he was 16. His parents could not handle this information and kicked Solomon out of their house, leaving him to the streets. Solomon bounced around from friend's house to friend's house for a couple of months until he found himself in the foster care system. That is where he met his current boyfriend, Malcolm, who was also thrown out of his house for being gay. Solomon being a shy and timid teen, found strength through Malcolm's friendship as well as God's guidance. While it was a traumatic few years for Solomon in between being thrown out of his house and attending college, he says that he is somewhat grateful for it as it has made him a stronger person.

Solomon has not spoken with his family since he was 16, and relies on the love and support of Malcolm, their friends, and his congregation. They are all rooting for Solomon as he attempts his dream of Survivor, and hope he brings home the big prize so he and Malcolm may adopt the child they dream of.