Ex-gay
The ex-gay or exodus movement claims that homosexuals can become heterosexual or otherwise "leave homosexuality behind" through counselling, prayer, and other therapies if they choose to do so. The movement is primarily based in the United States (though it exists in other countries such as England), and is largely led by Christian fundamentalists (see also Christian views of homosexuality). The movement's claims are highly controversial.
Ex-gay Groups
Love In Action
Love in Action, or LIA, was founded in 1973 by John Evans, who claimed to be a former homosexual, and Rev. Kent Philpott, a heterosexual. It was the first group to publicize cases of homosexuals who had allegedly been converted or learned to abstain from homosexuality or homosexual feelings, which were perceived as sinful and in violation of biblical moral code. After Evans' friend Jack McIntyre committed suicide out of despair concerning his inability to change, Evans left the project and denounced it as dangerous. He was quoted by the Wall Street Journal (April 21, 1993) as saying: "They're destroying people's lives. If you don't do their thing, you're not of God, you'll go to hell. They're living in a fantasy world."
Exodus International
Exodus International is probably the largest ex-gay group. Founded in 1976, it is an hugging has been perceived by some as a substitute for homosexual activity among self-described ex-gays (see below). Finally, Davies describes how he met and married a female member of his church. While he fears that "many more battles" are ahead, he believes that he can overcome these battles with the help of God. This story is typical for many ex-gays.
Homosexuals Anonymous, Quest Learning Center
Seventh Day Adventist phone sex, practiced long and grinding hugs, and asked patients to bring homosexual pornography to sessions so that he could help "desensitize" them against it). The Seventh Day Adventist church finally severed all ties with Cook. Homosexuals Anonymous survived without Cook.
1998 campaign
The largest ex-gay campaign to date happened in 1998, when several ministries funded commercials and advertisements to inform people that they could "walk away from homosexuality". Prominent ex-gays, such as John Paulk, were featured in the 1998 advertisements and on the cover of Newsweek with his "ex-lesbian" wife Anne. Michael Johnston, another ex-gay, who is HIV positive, was said to have engaged in unprotected homosexual acts without disclosing his disease.
John Paulk was photographed at a gay bar in Washington, DC in September 2000 by Wayne Besen of the Human Rights Campaign. Many activists, including Wayne Besen, were quick to tout this photo as proof that the ex-gay poster-boy had fallen and had returned to a homosexual lifestyle. However, the touted photograph was a picture of John Paulk from behind walking from the location, dressed in casual business attire. Thus this photograph was hardly the smoking gun that had been hoped for.
Pressing further into the details of the incident, it became clear that John Paulk was stressed and overworked, and decided to visit the establishment for a drink. No evidence of a return to a homosexual lifestyle was apparent in the incident. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Afterwards he visited with Dr. James Dobson in person to discuss the matter, who responded graciously. There was no major falling out between Focus on the Family and John Paulk, although all parties decided given Mr. Paulk's workload that it was time for him to pursue a different career. While John Paulk is not as involved with ex-gay ministries as he has in the past, his wife, Anne Paulk, has continued to be part of the movement, writing articles, giving radio interviews, and releasing a new book, Restoring Sexual Identity: Hope for Women Who Struggle With Same-Sex Attraction. Both John and Anne Paulk and their three children have settled down in Oregon.
Dissenting views
Most gay rights groups and most scientists sharply dispute the movement's claims, and see sexual orientation as immutable and sexual attitudes as being largely formed before adulthood. Many medical groups have stated that there are no scientifically rigorous studies to evaluate whether ex-gay treatments are beneficial and that no studies substantiate their claims of sexual orientation change. Some of these groups have also stated that attempts to change one's sexuality are potentially harmful.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that human beings cannot choose to be either gay or straight, and that sexual orientation is not a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed. In fact, the Association goes even further, stating that
- "Even though most homosexuals live successful, happy lives, some homosexual or bisexual people may seek to change their sexual orientation through therapy, sometimes pressured by the influence of family members or religious groups to try and do so. The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable." 1
The APA has also stated that
- "Clinical experience suggests that any person who seeks conversion therapy may be doing so because of social bias that has resulted in internalized homophobia, and that gay men and lesbians who have accepted their sexual orientation positively are better adjusted than those who have not done so."
Some critics of the movement believe that sexuality is changeable in later life, but that homosexuality is not sinful (see homosexuality and morality) and condemn the ex-gay movement on the grounds that it is unnecessary and promotes hatred of homosexuals and internalized homophobia, or both.
Because of several well-publicized failures, the ex-gay movement has been extensively ridiculed by gay rights activists, who charge that the suppression of homosexuality only leads to inappropriate outbursts thereof and contributes to fear and suffering. Author and former Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Wayne R. Besen has extensively covered the ex-gay movement and describes it in his book Anything But Straight: Unmasking The Scandals and Lies Behind the 'Ex-Gay' Myth, which also deals with so-called reparative therapy of homosexuality. It was Besen who photographed John Paulk in a gay bar and who investigated witnesses in the case of Michael Johnston (see below).
References
- "Answers to Your Questions About Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality" in American Psychiatric Association. Retrieved February 9, 2004 from http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html
