On March 8, 2011, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) aired an episode of the series Our America with Lisa Ling entitled “Pray the Gay Away?” The show purported to explore the question of whether or not one can be gay and Christian at the same time, and asked whether it was possible to go from gay to straight by joining an “ex-gay” program.
Instead of an honest, hard-hitting look at Exodus International, the primary proponent of ‘pray-away-the-gay’ quackery, Lisa Ling’s viewers were treated to a puff piece that cast Exodus and its president, self-styled “ex-gay” activist Alan Chambers, in a very sympathetic light. Ling allowed Chambers and others to put forth factual inaccuracies, misrepresentations of the truth, and even outright lies without once holding them accountable to the facts: so-called “ex-gay” programs do not work and harm their clients.
Lisa Ling’s sins of omission were equally grievous. For example, she never mentioned Exodus’ notorious anti-gay lobbying efforts or the fact that Exodus endorses “therapy” that has been denounced by every major medical professional organization in America. Exodus embraces the use of “spiritual warfare,” also known as exorcism.
In short, rather than doing her journalistic duty to uncover the facts, ask the tough questions, and sort through the spin to find the truth, Lisa Ling allowed herself to be duped by Alan Chambers. The result was a kind and gentle (but utterly fictitious) portrait of Exodus that essentially functioned as an infomercial for that organization.
Here at Truth Wins Out, we know all too well the dangers posed by Exodus International and other organizations that falsely promise to ‘pray away the gay.’ These organizations are wolves in sheep’s clothing whose harmful message leaves victims with scars that last a lifetime and, all too often, drives them to attempt suicide.
PETITION LETTER
Please stop running Lisa Ling’s “Pray the Gay Away?” episode
To Whom it May Concern:
I am writing today to ask that the Oprah Winfrey Network pull the plug on Lisa Ling’s “Pray the Gay Away?” episode.
On March 8, 2011, this network aired a segment of the series Our America with Lisa Ling entitled “Pray the Gay Away?” which purported to explore the question of whether it was possible to go from gay to straight by joining an “ex-gay” program.
Instead of an honest, hard-hitting look at Exodus International, the primary proponent of ‘pray-away-the-gay’ quackery, Lisa Ling’s viewers were treated to a puff piece that cast Exodus and its president, self-styled “ex-gay” activist Alan Chambers, in a very sympathetic light. Ling allowed Chambers and others to put forth factual inaccuracies, misrepresentations of the truth, and even outright lies without once holding them accountable to the facts. Her sins of omission were equally grievous: for example, she never mentioned Exodus’ notorious anti-gay lobbying efforts or the fact that Exodus endorses “therapy” that has been denounced by every major medical professional organization in America. Exodus embraces the use of “spiritual warfare,” also known as exorcism.
In short, rather than doing her journalistic duty to uncover the facts, ask the tough questions, and sort through the spin to find the truth, Lisa Ling allowed herself to be duped by Alan Chambers. The result was a kind and gentle (but utterly fictitious) portrait of Exodus that essentially functioned as an infomercial for that organization.
Lisa Ling’s “Pray the Gay Away?” contains gross factual inaccuracies and fails to meet the standards of journalistic inquiry and objectivity. I call on the Oprah Winfrey Network to pull the episode from its website and future reruns until these errors are corrected.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
I do indeed think that the episode should be pulled. I also think that Ms. Ling should be given the opportunity to make a statement about what happened. Redemption should be offered; she should be given the opportunity to make it right. If she or anyone associated with the show is reading this, she should be presented with the bigger picture. Perhaps she can do a follow-up show.
Pull it and tell the truth!
[...] From Truth Wins Out: http://www.truthwinsout.org/pressreleases/2011/03/15308/ [...]
In Queens this past Saturday night at a party, three thugs killed a young gay man, Anthony Callao, screaming anti-gay slurs at him. There are direct connections between perpetuating the idea that being gay is “wrong,” and this type of murderous crime. Where can I send a sarcastic thank you note to Oprah for perpetuating hateful bigotry? And when will we see a “Can you pray away the Asian” segment from Lisa Ling?
I would rather give her a chance to fix her reporting. She tried to do the right thing, but didn’t. She’s smart, let her figure it out.
In the first place, there’s no scientific evidence that you can pray ANYTHING away.
She never said that you could pray the gay away. She presented two sides of a story to open a conversation. The way I heard Lisa, she seemed to be trying to be balanced and objective (which is her job) and yet I experienced her as really very skeptical of Exodus. What do we expect? For her to be dismissive? I found the piece informative…we need to know our enemies…and eye opening for lots of the country who will see how truly ridiculous the whole concept is. As a gay man, I think Lisa is on my side. I usually agree with TWO…but not this time. Leave it alone.
Unfortunately, Chuck, according to verifiable facts, there are not two sides to this story. That is the problem, and that is what we trying to address: there is an institutional knee-jerk tendency in the media to present gay issues as if there are two valid sides. We don’t do sympathetic puff pieces about the Ku Klux Klan, or let their assertions go unchallenged, but yet a group like Exodus, which has harmed countless lives, and the statements of which are nearly ALL provably b******t, gets a sympathetic puff piece. It’s ridiculous. Journalistic objectivity is not the same thing as stupid “balance.” That’s a stupid Fox News construct, and it’s screwing our media and our country inside and out. Journalistic objectivity requires a reporter to take the assertions of Alan Chambers and either challenge them to his face or follow up immediately afterward with a big old fact check. That’s how journalism works.
Right now we have more “likes” on this article than we have signatures on the petition. Come on, everyone — if you like it, sign it!
Lisa Ling did make a statement right after the show on the call-in show. She also told The Edge beforehand that she believed that any gay people who called Exodus bigots are bigots because it is the “prerogative” of Exodus and Chambers to believe as Chambers said in the promo, “I didn’t say homosexuality was wrong, God did.” Ling also said she convinced herself Exodus was not “recruiting” even though their web page is filled with recruiting. I pointed this out to Ling on Twitter and she blocked me, and blocked me on Facebook too. She believes being gay is a choice and an abomination,which is why she gave Exodus a free violence inciting bully pulpit.