The ex-gay organization Exodus International says that it loves LGBT people. Yet, the organization demeans and debases gay people on a regular basis. It calls our relationships “sexual brokenness” and our sexual orientation “perverse”. This creates a climate of hostility and sometimes violence. The results have been devastating for LGBT people.
Last year, San Francisco State researcher Caitlin Ryan found that, “Teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use.”
Now, a new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Children’s Hospital Boston has found that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals who have ever had a same-sex sex partner are one-and-a-half to two times as likely to experience violent events, especially in childhood, than the general population and have double the risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a consequence of these events.
The researchers suggest five mechanisms for the increased risk of victimization and PTSD among sexual minorities:
- Hate crimes–almost one-third of sexual minority adults in the U.S. report being victims of a hate crime
- Gender non-conforming behavior in childhood, which increases risk of being bullied and victimized
- Social isolation and discrimination due to sexual minority orientation
- Elevated risk-taking behavior stemming from social isolation and perceived stigma
- Limited access to mental health care
The two studies that I highlighted prove that the mistreatment of LGBT youth is harmful and the effects can last a lifetime if not properly treated. What is sad is that this pain and suffering would disappear virtually overnight if groups like Exodus and their right wing puppet-masters abandoned their mean-spirited attack campaigns against LGBT Youth.
Message to Exodus: If you really love gays and lesbians – the most compassionate thing to do would be to close the doors of your miserable, ruinous ministry and stop preying on and dehumanizing good people simply for who they are.
Exodus, you are not “saving” anyone – just creating more heartbreaking statistics for abuse counselors and the coroner’s office.
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I almost cannot believe that someone has not launched a formal investigation of groups such as this. So many people are being harmed by these groups. Is there no way to find out if these people have valid credentials and if not, can they be prosecuted for practicing without a license. Just thoughts, that’s all.
Comment by Merlyn — April 16, 2010 @ 10:57 am
Merlyn,
Sadly these charlatans are practicing under the umbrella of their “deeply held religious beliefs” so they’re pretty much free to do what they want thanks to the First Amendment. Whether or not they have any legitimate training or practitioner’s licenses they can do as they please without any of the normal regulations because they’re “religious”. They’re free to inflict whatever abuse they want on LGBT people because it’s in the name of “god”.
Our only recourse is to keep exposing them for what they are and to do all we can to help keep innocent victims from falling into their clutches.
Comment by Buffy — April 16, 2010 @ 3:47 pm
The saddest is that these people honestly believe in what they are doing and that they should extend a hand to the “needy” “broken” people. The fact that these same people are broken BECAUSE of people like them and because of what they are doing, is heart breaking. I am praying sincerely that God will open their eyes to the truth and that somehow the truth will be undenialble for true believing children of God. May our conduct be worthy of a loving, understanding and truthfull God. A gracefull and mercifull God who does not condemn neither them nor us as gay people/christians
Ester Brink
Comment by Ester Brink — September 25, 2010 @ 7:47 am
There is no endeavor in which fraudsters/scammers can function with greater impunity than the religion racket. All they have to do is work behind a religious facade, and their fraud is usually immune from prosecution. Religion truly does receive special freedoms. One of the few things that can bring them down are sex-scandals, and interestingly, those are not usually the real crimes unless they involve children. One of the most profitable lessons a con-man can learn is that religion is your best friend.
Comment by Richard Rush — September 25, 2010 @ 11:10 am
Exodus is a dangerous organization. They scrape from the bottom of the barrel their vile, hateful and harmful so called ex-gay therapy. Our battle against these organizations is up hill but we will fight on and we will prevail.
Comment by Russ — March 2, 2011 @ 11:27 am
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