An ominous and provocative headline, with shades of a gay conspiracy, appeared a few years ago on the Center for American Cultural Renewal’s website. It was the lead to a guest column by Dr. Warren Throckmoron and it boldly declared, “Hiding The Truth From Schoolchildren: It’s Elementary Revisited.”
The article discussed a young gay activist, Noe Gutierrez, who had appeared in the pro-gay “It’s Elementary Video,” only to soon enter the ex-gay ministries. Throckmorton wasted no time exploiting this youthful and confused individual to make political hay. In the blink of an eye, Guiterrez was back on film appearing in Throckmorton’s, “I Do Exist” ex-gay movie.
Of course, Gutierrez has now come out of the closet, a professional disaster for the good doctor. At the time, a triumphant Throckmorton had this to say in his column:
Noe’ Gutierrez, the young man that told his story in the video, came out as gay at 16 but then came out again as ex-gay at 24. On “It’s Elementary,” he was filmed speaking to a San Francisco area middle school on behalf of Community United Against Violence. Mr. Gutierrez was quite involved in gay advocacy and frequently spoke publicly on this topic. However, about six years ago Mr. Gutierrez went through a period of re-evaluation and change. The end result was his change of sexual identity from gay to straight. Without fanfare, Mr. Gutierrez went through a profound experience of transformation and after a while of working through his experience began telling others of his change.
When ex-gay spokesman John Paulk went into Mr. P’s gay bar in Washington D.C. several years ago, the country knew about it. Even though Mr. Paulk did not fall sexually and is still happily married to former lesbian Anne Paulk, the media turned his lapse of judgment into a referendum on ex-gay ministries.
When Mr. Gutierrez came out a second time as ex-gay, no one wrote about it, even though in the eyes of many people, what he did was a nearly impossible accomplishment. Amazingly, certain people want his story to stay unknown.”
Actually, Throckmorton, we do want his story to be known, and we want you to have the personal integrity to tell it. We’d hate to think that you are a big, fat, lying hypocrite that only wants to tell stories when they benefit your right wing views. That’s called propaganda, not the “honest discussion” you keep telling people that you want to have.
All I can say is, “thank God for the Internet,” so we can expose Throckmorton for the phony he truly is. The web is just packed with his cocksure quack quotes, arrogantly ensuring America that “change is possible.” There is still hope for Throckmorton, but he must begin by being honest with himself and then telling the truth to others. With no credibility, his days of peddling the lie that people can go from gay to straight have ended.
Tags: duck suit, ex-gay, fake, fraud, gay, NARTH, phony, quack, reparative therapy, Throckmorton, Wayne BesenRelated posts
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The old saying goes, “Put your best foot forward.” It is easy and right to sympathize with Noe Gutierrez, a young man who has struggled to accept himself and his sacred worth as a gay man. But if he is Throckmorton’s “best foot”, the alleged doctor has even less credibility than those late-night infomercials, which themselves must admit that “results are not typical.”
Throckmorton set up the Gutierrez case as an “amazing transformation,” only to have the truth win out, as is eventually, and usually, does. Of course, he’s now furthest away from complaining that “certain people want this story to stay unknown,” because the person who wants it to remain so hidden is now Throckmorton himself.
Comment by Chris L. — May 20, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
Dr. Throckmorton,
I mean this sincerely and in a heartfelt way.
As hard as this may be to accept, Wayne might be right about you and it might do you some good to take a serious moral inventory. Search your heart and check to see if maybe he might be on to something. I’m confident this clossal blow to the ego and heart may be causing you some discomfort and distress. The TRUTH hurt’s but it’s also good medicine.
Mr. Besen has in fact done you a great service by being honest with you, pehaps brutally honest but nevertheless I wonder how many people in your life have had the courage to call you on some of these things and acknowledge that you have actually helped caused pain in people’s lives who are same sex attracted . Perhaps unwittingly in an effort to give you the benefit of the doubt.
Your trying to be an expert on something you know nothing about.
This is not your struggle or is it? I mean that sincerly. Is this your issue and or struggle and if not then what is the fascination with this topic? Why is it so hard to accept a proven theory? Most people do not go from gay to straight. You already know that fact, Why do you think that people can change when most of the research and history has shown that most people who are truly gay cannot and do not change (they can change behavior but their orientation remains), why is it so important for you all to make sure people supress who they are, who they are attracted to and who they love? .
WHAT IF GOD MADE THEM AS EXACTLY AS THEY WERE MEANT TO BE? What if you are trying to help change someone who was never meant to be changed?
Truth be told you would then in fact be working against God and imposing your will on other peoples lives. If I remember correctly we are not supposed to have any other Gods before Him and worshipping false idols is a HUGE no no. it would do you good to come clean and fess up to all of us including yourself that you have been heading in the wrong direction and guiding others in the wrong direction. Some of us are praying for the day when you finally take a stand and make a bold and honest statement of tuth regarding this issue.
Trying to get the APA to change their minds and side with you all seems like an effort on your part to repackage something similar if not the same. Most of us refer to that as a pig in a tuxedo. You can put a suit on it and dress it up as something else but it is what it is. Its still the same stinking pig.
Reparative Therapy is very similar to what you propose. Once you recognize that you will be well on your way towards freedom and perhaps recognizing Justice for all. If you will stop perpetrating a fraud and a false Gospel much could b accomplished in respect to the real Gospel and people would be able to enjoy their lives and be so much more productive. DO you have any idea how much time this takes up in a persons life. It will consume their life.
We both know that sexual orientation has nothing to do with Salvation…do you really believe God is as hung up on this as the ex-gay ministies are? I don’t think so and I really hope you turn over a new leaf.
In the spirit of Gay culture and soon to be gay pride perhaps you might take a lesson from Madonna or Cher and reinvent yourself. That would be fabulous and I look forward to the new and improved Throckmorton.
Self deception is rampant in these circles and often takes awhile to recognize acknowledge and admit. Put down the coolaide and stop passing it ou!
When you are willing to say you were wrong and are willing to publically welcome GLBT people into your church and close the doors of a ministry that has caused tremendous damage, pain and suffering ,that seperates and divides you will be well on your way to redemption. But before redemption you must first confess and repent.
When that happens I think you will be amazed at how people will begin to respond to and respect you. The TRUTH really will set you free.
Good luck and more importantly God Bless you on your journey “out”.
Mr. Bojangles
Comment by Mr. Bojangles — May 21, 2008 @ 5:35 pm
The gay community is generally a compassionate group that tries to put a good spin on the heartache they receive from many on the conservative right as they try to live under the oppression heaped upon them.
However, before you give the Throckmorton’s of the world a pass or feel they are being maligned remember they are the victimizers not the victims.
Because of them, and other extremists and charlatans like them, countless gay and lesbian individuals and families have been both physically and/or emotionally damaged by the lies and misinformation they have so callously spewed forth. It is incalculable the number of families who have been directly or indirectly affected by the campaigns waged against them.
Whether it is from legislation against gay marriage, adoption, domestic partnership, anti-gay church doctrine that destroys self-esteem and splits parent/child relationships, or ex-gay “therapy” shams, it is from a certain mean-spirited, arrogant and cruel cast of characters who must validate their bigotry or hide, at any cost, who they really are.
These people must be exposed and shut down for the misery they have created. They are nothing more than the worst kind of snake oil salesmen who will continue to sell their lethal product as long as we let them.
Make no mistake about it, they will smile at you and tell you they are really good guys who are misunderstood, but the reality is that if you take the time to read what they write and delve into their associations, you will find that the key their “loving” words is also the key to lock you back in the closet.
Comment by Wayne Besen — May 21, 2008 @ 7:22 pm
[…] professional humiliation hasn’t stopped Throckmorton from hawking his fictional movie - or just giving it away on his […]
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