Writer Richard Rodriguez has stirred controversy in the past with his opinions on affirmative action and bilingual education. But one topic that has always been present in his writing that he feels few have noticed is religion. In his new book Darling: A Spiritual Autobiography, Rodriguez looks at religion in the years after 9/11.

Host Maria Hinojosa interviews Rodriguez, a gay catholic, about the church. They talk about a revelation he had about the role of women in the church and how it has affected his relationship with the institution.

Richard Rodriguez is a journalist, essayist, and contributor to Harper’s Magazine, Mother Jones, the Los Angeles Times, and Time. He is the author of Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez, Days of Obligation: An Argument with My Mexican Father, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and Brown: The Last Discovery of America, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. For many years he was an essayist on PBS NewsHour. He is currently a contributing writer and editor for New America Media, a nonprofit news network. He lives in San Francisco, CA.