TruthWinsOut.org today announced its ambitious plans for 2008 – which include several protests, a three-region tour and a significant presence at several Gay Pride events. TWO is also placing a national call for volunteers to help us in the cities and regions we are visiting. We are also asking that local universities, community groups, advocacy organizations, business groups, social clubs and religious institutions inquire about having TWO Executive Director Wayne Besen give a presentation on the so-called “ex-gay” myth while he is in town.

“We are urging volunteers to get involved now to help us at these events and to further our important message,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director, TruthWinsOut.org. “We look forward to educating people across America on the ex-gay industry and right wing extremism.” (Read More)

“People should feel free to live the lives they desire. If someone who experiences primarily same-sex attractions wishes to explore a heterosexual life, no one should hold them back. But if ‘growing into’ that life requires years of counseling, weekly support groups, hundreds of hours of prayer, annual conferences, straight mentors, and a library of books, perhaps the person needs to face reality. That change is not for them.”

– Peterson Toscano, Performance Artist

Sen. Barack Obama didn’t have to issue the challenge about homophobia in the African-American community - not in one of the nation’s premier black churches, not on the eve of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday - but he did it anyway.

At the same time as Obama’s Sunday speech, gay bloggers were digging into the background of the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, a spiritual adviser to President Bush who endorsed Obama a day earlier.

“People are confused,” said Wayne Besen, a gay activist and founder of TruthWinsOut.org, a New York organization aimed at countering the “ex-gay” movement. “We see one report of him saying powerful words. Then he is hanging out with some shady characters. People don’t know what to make of that.”

To Read More CLICK HERE

By Wayne Besen

A few months ago, my organization TuthWinsOut.org caused a national uproar after we criticized Barack Obama for embracing “ex-gay” singer Donnie McClurkin. The Christian crooner was part of Obama’s gospel tour of South Carolina, which was an attempt to lure African American voters away from the Clinton campaign.

Since then, Obama has shown himself to be a legitimate contender and, as a result, has secured much of the black vote in a state where they represent nearly half of all Democratic primary voters. At the same time, the rise of Obama has invigorated - and frightened - many gay voters, who write me each day to express confusion over what his candidacy represents.

Further complicating matters, was Obama’s bold speech on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in front of 2,500 people at Atlanta’s renowned Ebenezer Baptist Church. Instead of pandering to the crowd, Obama used the opportunity to address homophobia in the African American community.
(Read More)

The American Family Association sent out an e-mail blast that promoted its upcoming webcast of the “Rediscovering God in America Pastor’s Conference.” It will take place Monday evening and Tuesday morning in Orlando. The AFA claims that more than 500 pastors from across Florida will be on-hand.

Interestingly, the AFA wrote, “This Pastor’s Conference is not a political event.” Directly under this disclaimer it read, “special guests include former Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Governor Mike Huckabee.”

“For a non-political event, there sure are a lot of high-profile politicians,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of TruthWinsOut.org. “We are used to right wing hypocrisy, but this is just blatantly outrageous. Who are they kidding?”

NEW YORK – TruthWinsOut.org today condemned Mike Huckabee’s comments to BeliefNet that compared homosexuality to bestiality. Huckabee showed a lack of character, by pandering to the lowest common denominator in his quest to win the South Carolina primary, according to TruthWinsOut.org.

“Huckabee is quickly revealing himself to be an ignorant and crass political opportunist whose presidential hopes are based on exploiting wedge issues,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of TruthWinsOut.org. “To compare homosexuality to bestiality is deeply offensive and shows that Huckabee needs a tutor on this issue, as desperately as he needs one on foreign policy.” (Read More)

TruthWinsOut.org expressed concern today over a Reuters news story about a drug-resistant strain of MRSA bacteria that is more prevalent among gay men in urban centers, such as Boston and San Francisco. The organization also slammed extremist groups for exploiting the news in order to smear the GLBT community and advance an agenda of pure prejudice and discrimination.

“The comments by Concerned Women for America is hatred in its rawest and ugliest form,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of TruthWinsOut.org. “These wing nuts wasted no time seeking the spotlight and creating a climate of panic and fear. They are factually wrong, morally wrong-headed and tragically addicted to bigotry.”

Matt Barber, policy director for cultural issues with Concerned Women for America, used the news to viciously attack gay people. “Citizens, especially parents, need to stand up and say, ‘No More! We will no longer sit idly by while politically correct cultural elites endanger our children and larger communities through propagandist promotion of this demonstrably deadly lifestyle,’” Barber said.
(Read More)

(Randy Thomas, Left)

TruthWinsOut.org expressed concern today for the evangelical Christian community after an “ex-gay” organization pledged to recruit 10,000 churches. If Exodus International succeeds with its goal, it will become one of the leading causes for evangelical divorce in America, says TruthWinsOut.org.

“Evangelical pastors will rue the day they aligned themselves with Exodus and caused a great deal of needless suffering for many of their congregants,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of TruthWinsOut.org. “We hope to head off as many disasters as possible and stop thousands of evangelical Christians from unwittingly marrying ex-gay spouses – which often leads to divorce. TruthWinsOut.org is willing to have off-the-record discussions with any evangelical church pastor who wants to learn more about Exodus. We urge them to look carefully before they make the leap off the Exodus cliff.”
(Read More)

(Greg Quinlan, left)

Despite the vigorous efforts of “ex-gay” activist Greg Quinlan, legislation to toughen the state’s hate crime and bullying laws advanced Thursday in the New Jersey State Assembly. The proposed legislation also targets bullying in schools.

“It is the height of hypocrisy for ‘ex-gay’ activists to claim they ‘love’ homosexuals and then fight against laws designed to thwart bullying in schools and stop hate crimes,” said TWO Executive Director Wayne Besen. “The ‘ex-gay’ strategy is to make life miserable for gay people so they will desire entering expensive ‘ex-gay’ programs. Perpetuating discrimination and fear is the only way these groups can survive.”

Quinlan recently moved to New Jersey from Ohio, where he lobbied extensively against equality. He is well known as an individual who exaggerates the alleged plight of ex-gays, going as far as claiming harassment, when none has occurred.
(Read More)

NEW YORK – TruthWinsOut.org today called on Mike Huckabee to explain his close association to prominent members of the Christian Reconstructionist movement – which believes Old Testament law should replace the Constitution and that the Bible also justifies corporal or capital punishment for adulterers and homosexuals, among others.

“Huckabee should explain why he is socially and professionally associating with known extremists and how this squares with his professed sunny and optimistic vision for America,” said Besen. “While Huckabee makes jokes on the campaign trail, his ties to the fundamentalist fringe are no laughing matter. We hope the media will continue to explore the radical associates of Mike Huckabee.”
(Read More)