Thank you very much for your insights from inside the movement.

Like Thomas, I had a born-again conversion experience — but it happened years before, not after, my coming-out in 1988-89.

Regarding your third paragraph (about AIDS) — I was referring not to direct ex-gay exploitation or predation around AIDS, but to Thomas and Exodus cozying up to AIDS-baiting organizations such as Focus on the Family when they (Thomas in particular) know better.

While I have known some ex-gay and former-ex-gay advocates who were compassionate and humble toward people with HIV/AIDS, I can name some ex-gay activists who, in my opinion, exploit HIV/AIDS and possibly jeopardize public health: Stephen Bennett, Matthew C. Manning, and James Hartline. Happy to discuss specifics if you like.

I welcome suggestions on how to converse assertively, persuasively — and compassionately.

Having come out of the ex-gay movement I am quite aware of this and how one comes to a belief system like the ex-gay. Randy came from an addictive background, highly promiscuous, watched many become infected and die of AIDS and saw the fruits of this choice of life. He did not have others nor see others who were not of the club, party, circuit scene so sex, drugs,and partying were what he knew and saw of the “gay lifestyle”.

I would like to comment on another part of the article as well, “used HIV/AIDS and stereotypes of gay life to seek criminalization of same-sex attraction, to deprive millions of same-sex-attracted people of their freedoms, and to force those millions back into closets where they would be unable to live long and healthy lives”. Having been in the ex-gay movement for years I never was around this or heard this coming out of the lips or writing of others. I witnessed and walked out myself coming alongside people with AIDS and helping them physically, emotionally and spiritually. There never was a forcing people back into their closets for that is and always a choice of the person. I wish the rhetoric and finger pointing would die down and people would learn how to converse with one another in and adult way.

As Krista Tippett in “Speaking of Faith” brings out in her book, “Conversation and conversion come from the same root words and it brings the possibility that one might be changed in the midst of a conversation”. Why cant we as mature adults learn how to converse with others particularly with others who come from different religious, socio-economic, ethnic backgrounds. Some of us just might get changed or possibly have and show a little more compassion with the lives of others.(Not referring to Mr. Airhart for I do believe he shows compassion lived out).

The Gay community has as well its own fundamentalist and they will not listen to anyone who has a different view point. This furthers the us vs them mentality and nothing will ever happen or get accomplished in this light.