You can purchase an autographed copy of Anything But Straight by sending a $35 check or money order to:
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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
This week, I am starting a non-profit organization, Truth Wins OUT to combat right wing misinformation campaigns, particularly the ex-gay hoax. As the author of "Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth," I have long witnessed how these groups shatter families and ruin lives. But, conversion therapy has mostly been the domain of the insane and a hobby for right wing fringe groups that exploited homosexuals with low self-esteem for political gain.
This changed on June 5 when President Bush invited Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, the nation's largest ex-gay group, to a White House press conference supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prohibit same-sex marriage in the U.S. Constitution.
The Bush Administration had always been at the intersection of Fantasy Street and Fanaticism Avenue, but inviting an ex-gay leader to a White House ceremony was beyond the pale. After all, the methods Exodus routinely uses to "cure" gay people are downright bizarre. For example, does Bush endorse youth boot camps where underwear is confiscated to 'cure' people who are gay or lesbian?
"They took away my Calvin Klein underwear," said Wade Richards, who attended Exodus International's "Love In Action" retreat. Richards said camp counselors believed there "seemed to be more of a sex appeal [issue] for men to wear Calvin Klein than it would if they wore Fruit of the Loom."
For decades, Exodus International had disingenuously claimed that it had no agenda but to "change" gay people into heterosexuals. But now this pretense has been stripped away as we see that its real aim is to change laws so that GLBT people will remain a persecuted minority.
"The lives of thousands of former homosexuals, like me, verify that homosexuality is not an immutable trait, therefore marriage is not a civil right to be casually granted to any group who demands it," said Chambers in a press release.
Chambers even appeared in a full-page newspaper ad in Ohio this year holding his wife under the banner headline, "By finding my way out of a gay identity, I found the love of my life in the process. Gay marriage would only have blinded me to such an incredible joy."
In other words, if it were not for officially sanctioned legal discrimination and oppression, Chambers would be married to a man. I,m not sure what that says about the effectiveness of his wacky program, but it does say a lot about the intensions of Exodus.
Exodus has even worked to oppose laws that would penalize gay bashing. A staff member appeared in an ad targeting senators voting on hate crimes legislation that read: "Hate crime laws say we were more valuable as homosexuals than we are now as former homosexuals."
Although Exodus leaders pretend they love openly gay people, their true feelings are transparent. "As a property owner of Orlando, I wouldn't rent to someone who is gay any more than I would rent to a person who is a practicing witch," Chambers once lovingly told an Orlando newspaper.
The reason the president is embracing Exodus is because polls show that Americans who believe homosexuality can be cured are far more likely to support anti-gay legislation. For example, a November 2004 Lake, Snell, Perry and Associates poll shows that 79 percent of people who think homosexuality is inborn support civil unions or marriage equality. Among those who believe sexual orientation is a choice, only 22 percent support civil unions or marriage rights.
It is abundantly clear that the ex-gay ministries are the centerpiece of the right wing's culture war against gay people. Exodus has 12 full-time staffers dedicated to demeaning and dehumanizing GLBT Americans. The gay community has not one full-time individual to counter this propaganda. I am starting Truth Wins OUT (www.truthwinsout.org) to counter this misinformation and level the playing field.
TWO will launch this week at the National Press Club in Washington to offer an alternative point of view to the one given at Bush's anti-marriage press conference. We will feature the testimony of 18-year old Lance Carroll, who was forced by his parents to attend an Exodus bootcamp in Memphis.
"My time in the ex-gay ministry Love in Action last summer was a horrendous experience," said Carroll. While I was there, it just seemed to make people more depressed and self-loathing than they already were. I, myself, went through several of these depressive periods."
Sadly, Bush gave his imprimatur to programs that virtually incarcerate youth, such as Lance, because they are gay. TWO will shine a light on these groups while dismantling right wing lies. If we put our hearts and minds to it, the ex-gay ministries and their right wing puppet masters won't stand a prayer. Now is the time to fight to protect our families and create a better world for future generations.
13 Comments:
"If we put our hearts and minds to it, the ex-gay ministries and their right wing puppet masters won't stand a prayer."
Interesting choice of words, Wayne.
"Now is the time to fight to protect our families and create a better world for future generations."
Sir, it's hard for me to believe that when you state your support for no-fault divorce, which GLBT people have said over and over has done for harm for the cause of "marriage" than they believe same-sex marriage ever could.
I don't mean abolish divorce...no conservative today honestly suggests that. But we need to look at how divorce is overused and see how we can make it a last, not a first option.
Oh, and with The Advocaterunning stories like this and the New York Times chiming in, if you stood against marriage between more than two people AND stood against overuse of divorce, you'll find support for your cause far faster than you will in this ex-gay ministry fight.
Best of luck to you, Wayne. It's about time these frauds get called on their lies and inconstitencies.
When I attended (unfortunately) the 2004 Exodus conference, the paying audience got subjected to a seminar called "Preparing for (Straight) Marriage" with Mr. Chambers. We learned the tawdry fact that he was not able to successfully consummate the marriage until 9 months after the wedding. This "success" was the result of extensive prayer, journaling, and asking his wife/beard to keep her clothes on. It was so laughable, I just walked out in disgust. -Josh
posted by Anonymous, at
6/07/2006 1:55 PM
Josh, your report of Mr Chambers' comments is most interesting. Obviously at the time of his wedding he did not feel sexual desire for women.
Two questions arise from this information. 1) Did Mrs Chambers know the score fully when they married? If not, was that fair and honest? 2) Did Mr Chambers indicate in his comments, to the best of your recollection, whether he NOW feels sexual desire for women?
The mere fact of ability to get the relevant bit to penetrate and ejaculate is not, of course, any indication at all of real sexual desire or orientation. One's own hand, or some inanimate object, can be used for that purpose, without being the subject of the slightest romantic attraction or actual sexual desire!
But I am preaching to the converted here....
posted by Anonymous, at
6/07/2006 8:41 PM
That screaming queen chambers has no more sexual desire for a woman than I do (a kinsey SIX). What a pathetic charade!!!!! B. Queer
posted by Anonymous, at
6/08/2006 9:05 AM
As Wayne notes, these "ex-gay" groups do not act out of disinterested (if misguided) Christian charity; they have been in politics up to their neck from the start.
As for our doltish president, protestations that he is not anti-gay, just pro marriage stand exposed for the falsehoods they are.
If a politician opposes affirmative action, it may well be wrong to call him a bigot--but not if he has David Duke standing next to him on the podium.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/08/2006 1:14 PM
Re: "ex-gay" groups
Be sure to have a look at this oldie-but-goodie from "The Onion". Funny as it is, I'm not sure that its just a parody. "Many a true word is spoken in jest."
"Church Group Offers Homosexual New Life in the Closet"
www.theonion.com/content/node/28799
posted by Anonymous, at
6/08/2006 1:26 PM
Thanks anon. for the link--that was HYSTERICAL. And true!!!
posted by Anonymous, at
6/08/2006 3:40 PM
