TWO Executive Director Wayne Besen to Appear at Just Love Counter-Conference on Saturday, March 6
Truth Wins Out’ Executive Director, Wayne Besen, will join nationally recognized gay and lesbian advocates to oppose Exodus International’ “ex-gay” road show, Love Won Out, which travels to La Mesa’ Skyline Church on Saturday. On the same day as the Exodus event, a counter-conference will be held, Just Love, which will expose the ex-gay industry and educate people about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
“Sexual orientation is not a choice, but thanks to conferences like Love Won Out, some people do choose to embrace prejudice and discrimination,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out and author of Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. “You cannot pray away the gay and the sooner people learn to accept themselves, the better off they are.”
On September 19, 2000, Besen photographed the ex-gay founder of Love Won Out, John Paulk, in a gay bar in Washington, DC. He also has shadowed Love Won Out, organizing or participating in protests or counter-conferences wherever Love Won Out’ road show appears. The last one was in Birmingham, Alabama in November 2009.
Just Love will take-place at St. Paul’ Episcopal Cathedral (2728 6th Ave) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sessions will be conducted by experts including the former co-founder of Exodus International, Michael Bussee, who is now an outspoken critic of the group he helped start. Other notable speakers include, ex-gay survivor Daniel Gonzales, Jim Burroway, Editor of Box Turtle Bulletin and Amity Buxton, founder of the Straight Spouse Network (SSN), which supports straight spouses whose partners came out as gay. There will also be a session for leaders of the faith community led by Louise Brooks of California Faith for Equality and the Human Rights Campaign.
“We refuse to be defined by misinformation, junk science and religious bigotry,” said TWO’ Besen. “Just Love will set the record straight on the ex-gay industry and provide factual information on our lives. We will dispel stereotypes, shine a bright light on the lies and send the message that gay people are fine just the way they are.”
I wish I could attend… Wayne if you stop in Las Vegas, drop me a line!
EXCELLENT, just excellent…what an impact this will have on those trapped in the dangerous, and loveless, YOU MUST CHANGE BECAUSE YOU¬¥RE UNFIT spiritual demonizing machine!
Is there really such a thing as ¨Homosexuals Anonymous?
¬®I¬¥m a member of a 12 Step Group that is all male/Gay but has to do with recovery from alcohol…I wonder if those Anonymous Homosexuals are multi-challenged with cross over addictions (confusing stuff) that would be far healthier at ¬®Sexual Anonymous¬® dealing with real powerless problems?
Don¬¥t anyone be misled by these deadly jokers, Google and you will see that this is a zealot CHRISTIAN cover that has enlarged the 12steps into 14steps however couldn¬¥t have been inspired by the 12 Traditions or Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (they wanted to sound honorable in their name)…this is a snow job as their speakers pontificate about religious topics and they DO HAVE A ¬®MODEST¬® FEE (there are no dues or fees at AA). So there you have it, there is NO ROOM in this organization for Jews, Muslims, Buddists/others.
Their disclaimer:
¨While the Homosexuals Anonymous Fellowship was inspired by the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, they are not really an adaptation. Rather, they were created specifically for this Fellowship, and should not be construed otherwise. AA, which is a program concerned only with recovery from alcoholism, and is not in any way affiliated with this Fellowship.¨
Wayne,
I wish I would have known about your counter-conference…I would have gone. I guess I am actually an “ex-gay” survivor (however even that sounds so wierd for me to say…haha)since I grew up in a VERY conservative christian background and when I first came out I tried to change by going to counseling as well and even went on the mission field for my church. To my dismay (at that time)when I came back home after 5 years in the ministry I was confronted with my sexuality again. At age 25 I decided to be true to myself and came out for a second time to my parents.
To make a very long story short, my mother still prays for my soul and give me guilt “concerns” that she doesn’t want to see me going to hell. After 10 years of accepting my sexuality she still recently offered to pay my way to this conference of Exodus International’s Ex-Gay Ministry. I politefully told her that I am happy the way I am and refused her ticket. That was a big deal for me.
But still wish I would have gone to your conference to get the other side of things.
ryan
Ryan:
We will be back in Irvine in June to counter Exodus annual conference. We would love to have you there. As the date gets closer, we will have more details.