The Ex-gay reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Ex-gay

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The ex-gay or exodus movement believes 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.

Table of contents
1 Ex-gay Groups
2 1998 campaign
3 Dissenting views
4 References
5 External links

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 their homosexual ways, 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 interdenominational organization which, according to its own description, "has grown to include over 100 local ministries in the USA and Canada" and is "linked with other Exodus world regions outside of North America, totaling over 135 ministries in 17 countries."

Exodus International had its biggest scandal in 1979 when Michael Bussee (one of the co-founding members who had helped organize the 1976 conference that led to Exodus' inception) left the group to be with Gary Cooper, also a co-organizer of that conference and a staff member at the local Exodus ministry where they both worked. Later they held a life commitment ceremony. Their story is one of the focuses of the documentary One Nation Under God (1993), directed by Teodoro Maniaci and Francine Rzeznik.

Like Love In Action, Exodus recovered from the scandal. Their website and literature today contains testimonials such as this one by Bob Davies:

God continued to work in my own life. Much to my surprise, I discovered that homosexuality was not my "real" problem. The illicit same-sex desires were only an outward symptom of deeper emotional wounds that needed healing. Through LIA's support group, I was able to openly confess such struggles as insecurity, fear and envy of other men.

Because I had never "acted out" my homosexual feelings with other men, there were some struggles to resist the allure of the unknown. I heard many stories of other people's involvement in sin. Quite frankly, some of their illicit adventures sounded like fun. I had to resist thoughts like, "You got tired of so much impersonal sex? I wish I could say the same thing. Then I'd be ready to give it up!"

God also opened my eyes to see the tremendous devastation that sin had brought into these men's lives. Unknown to all of us, some of them were already infected with the HIV virus. [1]

Davies says he has found comfort in the warm hugs from heterosexual men -- this kind of male hugging has been perceived by some as a substitute for homosexual activity among self-described ex-gays (see below). Finally, Davies describes how he meets a female member of his church and becomes married to her. 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 Colin Cook (who had been dismissed as a minister in 1974 for having gay sex) founded the groups Quest Learning Center and Homosexuals Anonymous in 1979 and 1980 respectively, both ex-gay organizations. In 1985, he wrote two books, Homosexuality, and Homosexuality: An Open Door. In 1986, he engaged in sexual acts with his Quest patients. He claimed that the nude massages of other men should desensitize them against homosexual desires.

In 1987, he was ousted for sexual activity from Homosexuals Anonymous, and in 1995 a similar scandal happened with his newly founded group FaithQuest Colorado (according to the Denver Post, Cook had engaged in 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 have later resumed homosexual behavior. John Paulk, who was featured in 1998 advertisements and on the cover of Newsweek with his "ex-lesbian" wife Anne, was photographed in a gay bar in Washington, DC in September 2000. Michael Johnston, another ex-gay, who is HIV positive, was said to have engaged in unprotected homosexual acts without disclosing his disease.

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

1. "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

External links