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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
I often end speaking engagements on the so-called "ex-gay" myth by comparing the charade to a play. I tell audiences that "ex-gays" are "like actors playing a role and in the end the final curtain of reality comes crashing down."
It turns out that in Atlanta, a very surreal curtain will soon be lifted to reveal a bizarre play that promotes "freedom" from homosexuality and trashes gay life. Southern Voice, Atlanta's LGBT publication, says that "Once Upon a Dream," liberally uses the words "faggot," "queer" and "abomination" in a negative way. It will show at the 14th Street Playhouse, conveniently nestled in Midtown, Atlanta's gay neighborhood.
The show's producer, Toni Henson, told Southern Voice in an e-mail that her production company wants to partner with area churches "to reach out to 155 million practicing homosexuals as we launch this unique, bible-based Christian ministry through this dramatic stage play."
Wow, 155 million homosexuals in a country of 3oo million. One would think Gay Pride would have been a bit more crowded given such a surprising surge in our population. Hmm, now we know how Exodus leader Alan Chambers came up with his peculiar figure of "hundreds of thousands" of ex-gays -- he must have employed Henson as his statistician.
Henson's e-mail goes onto say: "'Once Upon a Dream' tackles the tough Issue... 1) Is FREEDOM from homosexuality possible? 2) Can I be gay and Christian? 3) How is same sex marriage & the pro-gay agenda affecting the church? 4) What are the risks if my church does outreach to gays?"
I guess that if one considers "freedom" self-denial, then it is possible. We can only imagine what risks there might be to a wholesome church if it reaches out to cootie-ridden homosexuals. And, what do you bet that the manufactured gay agenda they present won't include the items:
I. Full Equality Under The Law
II. Being Left Alone And Free From Annoying Religious Zealots Who Promote Offensive Plays That Distort Out Lives
There is one thing Henson got right -- seeking advice from "ex-gay" activist and Drama Queen, D.L. Foster, who is best known for his habit of drawing Hitler mustaches onto the pictures political opponents. In June 2006, Foster even drew one on yours truly. According to Exodus testimony, Foster had once engaged in orgies, drank and was hooked on poppers (is that even possible??), until he turned on basic cable late one evening:
"I slumped down in front of the TV and flipped it on," wrote Foster. "When the screen came into focus, I saw an amazing sight: a badly beaten man dragging a heavy wooden cross through the streets of a city. Suddenly, the man stopped, and looked up at me as blood trickled down his face. Then he said, 'I did this all for you.' I began to weep uncontrollably as I realized Jesus had spoken to me."
Given such a theatrical conversion, the play should be entertaining, to say the least. Instead of poppers, Mr. Foster can eat popcorn and watch his twisted vision of Biblical Broadway come to life. And, maybe Henson will win a Tony of Intolerance for her efforts to slime the GLBT community and promote simplistic and fictional versions of our lives.
27 Comments:
Wayne, you may want to think about sprouting some facial hair. I didn't know there were 155 million homosexuals in America. That's half the population. Wow Who is doing the math on that statistic?
posted by JayJay, at
8/01/2009 9:31 AM
This 'production' is going to be in the middle of a gayborhood? It seems to me our people could come up with some creative form of protest that could easily outdo any lame theatrical shit they could come up with. Something on the order of draping a large condom over Jesse Helms' house comes to mind.
posted by Anonymous, at
8/01/2009 9:41 AM
JayJay, Wayne looks FABULOUS just the way he is. Did you even read the post all the way through, and if so, did you comprehend what you read? It was the fundietard producer who spewed the "155 million" figure.
"The show's producer, Toni Henson, told Southern Voice in an e-mail that her production company wants to partner with area churches 'to reach out to 155 million practicing homosexuals as we launch this unique, bible-based Christian ministry through this dramatic stage play.'
Gary, the religious wrong doesn't even have the class and civility to stage this nonsense on their own premises--they know if it was through a church that no self-rspecting GLBT person would come to view it. Actually, the only people likely to attend this tosh will likely be fellow fundietards and self-hating "ex-gays".
I do hope that the community will come up with something witty and wonderful to protest this twaddle masquerading as "entertainment".
posted by Merlyn, at
8/01/2009 10:32 AM
Wayne, please remain clean shaven! Their depiction of you with a Hitler mustache is not attractive! :)
WOW...155 million homosexuals in a country of 300 million! That means that the majority of Americans are gay, according to this wacko fundamentalist group.
These types of things are bothersome, but just like Dr. Brown's recent stint at Charlotte's gay pride, they always end the same way: they are like a cloud of smoke that irritates but quickly fades away.
Did Dr. Brown think that throngs of gays were going to fall at his feet and say "Yes, you're right Dr. Brown!" Do the people putting on this silly play believe the same thing?
These efforts are truly laughable and are based upon the absurd belief that gay people somehow "chose" to become gay. They are the efforts of the ignorant. So, it is no surprise that their belief system leads to such nonsense. Their beliefs about gay people ARE nonsense!
posted by Chris L., at
8/01/2009 1:03 PM
It's not even a well-done Hitler mustache. Too wide. Hitler wore a little "toothbrush" mustache, which was not an uncommon style of mustache before it became too associated with Hitler (the other famous wearer being Chaplin).
posted by Joey, at
8/03/2009 2:14 AM
Foster didn't make Wayne look like Hitler at all. He only succeeded in making Wayne look like he's about to break out in The Jarabe Tapatío.
posted by Peter, at
8/03/2009 2:09 PM
What, you mean Jesus Christ Superstar or Godspell won't do the trick?
These religious right wing nuts really need to get a life, stop obsessing on what gay people are doing and fuck off. It is so tired. Their emptiness is so glaringly pathetic. Will one of them open up their mouths so i can spit in it please? I am shakin the dirt off my shoes like Jesus did which by the way was his own personal curse.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
8/04/2009 9:24 PM
I'm glad that "ex-gays" are reaching out to those who think they are fullfilled. I'll NEVER go back to that Hell hole lifestyle. And dispite what the APA says, they are still searching high and low for that "gay gene". Hey it doesn't exist! Now THAT's facing reality.
posted by DuWayne, at
8/06/2009 12:38 AM
Wow, I feel like 20 tons of weight is off me since I walked away from the victim mentality of the gay lifestyle. Talk about bondage. Slavery don't have nothing on being gay. Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty I'm free at last. No more trying to get something from someone that I already have. It's like wanting somebody's bar -b que ribs when you've already got some of your own and don't even need theirs Eat your own ribs. Opposites attract! It's elementary dear watson. Talk about denial, open your eyes. It's so simple. Free at last! Thank God for Exodus International. Free at last!!
posted by DuWayne, at
8/06/2009 12:49 AM
DuWayne, so WHAT? You want applause? A medal? Big deal, so you've embraced being hetero, or you're celibate. So? Being hetero doesn't make you a BETTER person. Bailing on relationships altogether (being celibate) or saying you're no longer gay is no indicator of character or courage. It takes more GUTS to live openly and honestly as a gay person, than this play of yours to act like you accomplished something.
The ONLY freedom you have, is to live with the dignity and with unquestioned rights that heteros have. Pointing a finger back at your gay brethren is immature and shows a pathetic need for validation and pointing out other's faults.
As for victim mentality, the straight world blames gay folks for or conjectures that inclusion of gay people in dignity, civil rights and freedom will be the end of civilization as we know and the destruction of families.
That is a WHOPPER of victim mentality that you embrace too. I'm hetero and always have been, and I don't have the supremacist's mentality you've adopted that heteros are better than gay people. That's as ludicrous as believing having white skin makes you a better person than black skin.
Gay self respect and esteem can take a lot of punishment over the formative years. But giving into the social discrimination that created it, would be like giving validation to a misogynist mentality.
Which indicates JUST how weak and scarred you are. THAT I can understand, but putting down gay folks for your pain...lacks courage.
Go your way, and go in peace. And let the gay folks go theirs. Otherwise, your cheap shots looks just like that...cheap shots from someone who obviously isn't happy enough in their new life not to take them.
posted by Regan DuCasse, at
8/06/2009 11:45 AM
Regan,
Clearly somebody's bitter when they refer to being gay as "that hell hole lifestyle". There's no "lifestyle" TO being gay, but some dumbasses out there are so shallow that they can't get beyond the clubs and man-hunting. It's DuWayne's own fault that he can't grow up and grow out of the "gay scene".
I'm not saying everything's perfect, but I'm single and have been for over 2 years. Haven't been to a gay club or bar in several years. I've got a life, share a decent home, have 4 kitties. My pride and joy is my massive (and constantly growing) collection of 1960's-1990's music.
I'd say things are pretty stable - no hell-hole here; and yes, I had a year or so of going all wild after I "came out". The KEY is to grow up and STOP going wild. Just because a few homosexuals out there don't know how to grow up, then become a self-inflicted victim and calling himself "ex-gay" doesn't mean ALL gay men don't know how to grow up.
DuWayne can STAY in his hell-hole, and judging from his bitterness, it'll only get deeper! LOL
posted by S., at
8/06/2009 12:51 PM
Thanks Scott, The mass killing at the LA Fitness club in PA was motivated by a straight loser who couldn't get dates or into a relationship with women. Much of the mass killings we've heard of stemmed from domestic violence coupled with custody issues.
A few of the more notorious school shootings were the result of boys being rejected by girls.
When gay people can't cut it, they blame being homosexual and the whole of gay people are held responsible for it. When a hetero male or woman goes off and murders all their children, or all the folks where the spouse works and her too...then HE is the only one held accountable and not heterosexuality.
The incidence of violence that extends to such a degree among the gay community PALES in comparison. Given these facts and realities, calling gay people more threatening or more aggressive behavior is ludicrous.
posted by Regan DuCasse, at
8/06/2009 1:19 PM
DUHWayne: You should be doing musical Drag and don't forget to keep your moustache.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
8/06/2009 3:16 PM
The above comment was for DuWayne. I am now beginning to feel that perhaps the Charlatan chose a fictitious name to insult our own wonderful Wayne Besen. He is obviously ignorant making such silly superficial general statements about an entire segment of the population. Not to mention, he/she is a closeted gay person that cannot face that fact. Oh it's so tired. These people have no idea that there are so many gay men and women who like themselves just the way they are. They need to think outside their fearful boxes and know that they offer us nothing. We are the ones that offer them their salvation. Yes i said it. "Gay people in conversion therapy need salvation and openly gay people are the only ones who can assist them with achieving that goal." So there. Touche.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
8/06/2009 3:24 PM
This play is yet another reminder that a large segment of society still regards gay men and women as second-class citizens - or worse. That is the salient point of my recently released biographical novel, Broken Saint. It is based on my forty-year friendship with a gay Mormon man, and chronicles his internal and external struggles as he battles for acceptance (of himself and by others, including his co-religionists). More information on the book is available at www.eloquentbooks.com/BrokenSaint.html.
