The “ex-gay” industry is on the ropes and holding on for dear life. Following the George Rekers “rent boy” scandal, last year’s damning American Psychological Association report, and last week’s JONAH nude therapy debacle, we are on the cusp of permanently discrediting the poisonous “ex-gay” industry. The ex-gay business harms many people each year, destroys lives and shatters families. It needs to be shown for the ruinous and unrighteous lie that it truly is.

The only thing standing in the way of forcing many of these dangerous groups to close their doors – IS YOU.

I know that each day many people who are victims of “ex-gay” therapy read this website. You have stories that, if told, would severely damage the credibility and standing of the “ex-gay”myth. The time to come forward and tell your story is NOW.

Think about this.

Pedophile priests in the Catholic Church were able to get away with raping children for decades because no one spoke up. Once a few brave souls found the courage to tell their stories, a flood of other victims came forward. These profound revelations have changed the world and forced the Vatican to admit its horrible sin.

We can have the same affect on the “ex-gay” industry — IF YOU SPEAK OUT.

I know it can be difficult. I know it can be scary. However, you have the power to stop future clients – including children – from being victimized. You have the power to change the world. You have the ability to shut down this awful, big lie that causes suffering and suicides.

Please, be strong. Be brave. Come forward and let the truth win out. Tell your story today. Make a video. Hold the charlatans and scoundrels accountable.

Can you imagine a world without fraudulent “ex-gay” programs ripping apart lives? I certainly can.

Only with your help,  can we take major steps towards making this dream a reality.

Have a great tip?

Please contact me at wbesen@truthwinsout.org

We mourn the loss of Tom Murray, whose death today from a heart attack was announced by partner Vince on Tom’s Facebook page.

Murray was an award-winning documentary filmmaker who focused on stories exploring the LGBT experience. His recent projects examined “the variety of ways people find spirituality in our community.” His films included “Farm Family: Rural Life in Gay America,” “Fish Can’t Fly,” “Almost Myself,” “Tell,” “A Portable Tribe,” and “Amancio: Two Faces on a Tombstone.”

His 2005 documentary Fish Can’t Fly was a full-length exploration of the lives of people of faith who have endured and survived the spiritual and emotional traumas that are inflicted upon gay and lesbian people and their families by the “ex-gay” movement.

The film was instrumental in making religious audiences aware of the spiritual lives of LGBT people — and in alerting these same audiences to the religious and mental-health fraud that is Exodus International.

According to Murray’s website:

Tom Murray openly admits to getting a late start in life with filmmaking. Having studied filmmaking in his college years, and long term fan of documentary films, it was only in his “50+” years that he tackled his first feature length work. Inspired by his upbringing on a dairy farm in northern Illinois, “FARM FAMILY…in search of Gay life in rural America” was voted Best Feature Length Documentary at the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in 2004 and has been acquired by Viacom as part of the initial acquisitions for LOGO TV, the new Gay and Lesbian cable channel. Now a resident of the Gulf coast of Florida, in 2005 Tom completed his second feature, “FISH CAN‘T FLY” which takes a look at the way in which Gay people of faith go about putting their spirituality and sexuality in harmony.

Murray continued to refine his filmmaking skills with subsequent efforts, and this year he was planning to complete work on a film exploring spirituality in the LGBT community.

Fish Can’t Fly is available from Amazon.com and Netflix.

Our thoughts are with Vince and with Tom’s extended family and many friends.

Excellent column by Hardy Haberman on JONAH ex-gay “fondle therapy” scandal in the Dallas Voice:

With all the hubbub of the Fred Phelps Cult making a visit here and the oil spill continuing in the Gulf, one story seems to have dropped through the cracks. Luckily, Wayne Besen at the blog Truth Wins Out (TruthWinsOut.org)  has been on it like a dog on a bone. It involves a group called JONAH.

Aside from the biblical acronym, the group’s full name is Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality, and it is part of the ex-gay industry.

The group was co-founded by a fellow named Arthur Abba Goldberg. Seems he was known 20 years ago in the financial community as “Abba Cadabra” for his apparent wizardry with money. That wizardry turned out to be a scam, and Goldberg was convicted of federal mail and wire fraud as well as a conspiracy to sell worthless bonds.

The guy is a real peach, and now he has reinvented himself as the leader of an “ex-gay” therapy group.

One of his “life coaches,” Alan Downing, recently has been implicated in something a bit more touchy-feely than you would expect from an ex-gay. According to men who went to Downing, part of his treatment involves having clients strip naked in front of a mirror while touching parts of their bodies, including their genitals.

In a post yesterday, I wrote the following:

Personally, I don’t like the bogus term “SSA”, which stands for “same-sex attraction.” There is no such thing (or diagnosis) as SSA and it is a manipulative attempt to separate LGBT people from their natural, inborn sexuality.

The term SSA is skillfully employed to make it appear as if fundamentalist bigots are not attacking the person, just their sexual feelings. It is a diabolical method of creating a medical-sounding term to deliver Anita Bryant’ hateful “love the sinner, hate the sin” message. At least Bryant had the courage to say what she believes and not hide behind euphemisms and phony pop psychology.

If you think I am wrong, ask yourself: Why does disgraced “sexual reorientation coach” Richard Cohen (pictured) love the term SSA so much? It is all over his website and his books. He is basically turning you into a sick patient rather than a real person. The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) also loves SSA.

We should not help our enemies by adopting their language, which is specifically designed and employed to portray us as freaks with a problem that needs to be fixed. SSA — much like STD — sounds like you have a disease that can be cured by running to the local doctor for a shot, the pharmacy for a prescription, or the shrink for a session.

If you don’t think language is important, consider yesterday’s CBS/New York Times News poll. It found a significantly higher level of support for “gays” in the military rather than “homosexuals” in the armed services. Here is an excerpt:

A New York Times/CBS News poll finds that a majority of the public support allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the military.

There’ less support, however, for allowing homosexuals to serve openly.

Confused?

The results highlight the importance of wording on the issue. In a test, half of the poll’ respondents were asked their opinion on permitting “gay men and lesbians” to serve, and the other half were asked about permitting “homosexuals” to serve.

The wording of the question proved to make a difference. Seven in 10 respondents said they favor allowing “gay men and lesbians” to serve in the military, including nearly 6 in 10 who said they should be allowed to serve openly. But support was somewhat lower among those who were asked about allowing “homosexuals” to serve, with 59 percent in favor, including 44 percent who support allowing them to serve openly.

At Truth Wins Out, we are not the word police. We allow a great divergence of opinion and if you love to use the phrase SSA, then keep doing so. It’s a free country. Please realize, however, that you are making Dr. Joseph Nicolosi and Richard Cohen quite happy by adhering to their slick public relations scheme.

More than 35 years after homosexuality was erased from the DSM (list of mental disorders) why voluntarily describe yourself in sterile, medical terms, as if you have a “problem” that quacks can “fix” for a hefty fee?

My new phrase of the week:

“It’s Gay, Not SSA”.

As if we had not suffered enough inclement weather, citizens of Lynchburg, Virginia and South Bend, Indiana will get “ex-gay” snow jobs this weekend.

In Lynchburg there will be a conference on Friday, “the Consequences of Same-Gender Attraction.” The hate-fest will feature Exodus International’s President Alan Chambers, (pictured) who is using this opportunity as a warm-up act for an April trip to Belfast, Ireland.

Hasn’t Chambers’ irresponsible outfit caused enough problems already in places like Uganda? How this man wakes up in the morning and can look in the mirror without feeling deep shame, (not counting the shame he internalizes over his sexuality) I’ll never know. It takes a special type of human being, one with out a conscience, to consistently lie to himself and others.

I’d like to remind the good folks of Lynchburg, that last time Liberty University tried the ex-gay thing, it didn’t go so well. Their “pray away the gay” poster boy was a man named Michael Johnston. He now lives in a sex addiction facility in Kentucky, following a slew of bareback orgies with men. Here’s the mini-movie:

On Saturday, the Liberty University Law Review will host a legal symposium entitled “Homosexual Rights and First Amendment Freedoms: Can They Truly Coexist?”

Of course they can co-exist, unless your religious beliefs and practice are defined exclusively by violent anti-gay animus. If you believe the First Amendment allows you to harass, intimidate, torment and physically abuse LGBT people then there is a conflict. Other than that, there’s no problem.

So, why all the fear-mongering?

It seems quite obvious that in states with laws that protect citizens based on sexual orientation, people are still free to pray any way they wish. But, reality has never been the Religious Right’s cup of tea.

If you are fortunate enough to be around at 1:30pm on Saturday, you will catch a panel featuring arch-homophobes Robert Knight (pictured) and Elaine Donnelly, “Hire Them and Don’t Fire Them: How Homosexual Rights and Privileges Have Eroded Employers’ Rights and Destroyed Religious Freedom.” (Read More)

Guest post by Anthony Venn-Brown

Celebrate together in Sydney’ Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

People who are same-sex-orientated often feel societal and family pressures to reject or deny their true feelings. This pressure to conform and live as heterosexuals is much more intense for those who come from faith backgrounds, as the belief system says that acceptance or rejection of their sexuality has eternal consequences.

Struggling to change can be private and internal, through one on one personal counselling or support groups. Some of us have gone to the extremes of exorcisms and “ex-gay’ programs. Others married, believing this will solve their “problem’. The journey to find resolution and self–acceptance for gay men and lesbians from Christian backgrounds can be difficult and even traumatic.

This year, Freedom 2 b[e] (a network of LGBT people from Pentecostal, Charismatic and Evangelical backgrounds) celebrates the journey survivors have travelled to rid ourselves of damaging and outdated beliefs. Beliefs that said our homosexuality was a sin, sickness or the result of a dysfunctional family upbringing. We are no longer victims of our own or others ignorance.

We invite all those who have been through any form of “ex-gay’ therapy or counselling to join Freedom 2 b[e] this year in Sydney’ world famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. Family members and friends are welcome to join us. (Read More)

People who were spiritually and emotionally injured by “ex-gay” ministries and reparative therapy gathered in south Florida two months ago to reflect on their experiences and their recovery.

The conference organizers have now made video of these recollections available. Video length: about 50 minutes.

Reflections from Survivors of Ex-Gay Ministries & Reparative Therapy from SOULFORCE on Vimeo.

The Anti-Heterosexism Conference was co-sponsored by Soulforce, the National Black Justice Coalition, Truth Wins Out, Box Turtle Bulletin, Equality Florida, and Beyond Ex-Gay.

It was announced that both “ex-gay” organizations Love Won Out and Exodus will merge, which begs the question, is one better than two?

Love Won Out is the brain child of right wing evangelical “leader” James Dobson. Dobson has a long history of over thirty years of anti-gay rhetoric, which started in 1977 with the inception of Focus on the Family. He then formed the organization Family Research Council 1981 which attempts to imposed its right wing evangelical Christian views in government, politics,and law making.

Exodus is also a right wing evangelical organization that was founded in 1976. Since its formation Exodus has been marred with controversy. Exodus was founded by five alleged “ex-gay” men, two of which (Gary Busse and Michael Cooper) later left the organization, reneged their prior claims, and announced their love for each other. In more recent years another controversy emerged when John Paulk, a self proclaimed “ex-gay” and Exodus chairman, was caught by Wayne Besen in a Washington DC gay bar in 2000. This came after years of Paulk attesting to be “cured” from his former “gay life”. This proved to be a huge embarrassment to Exodus, contradicting years of claims preaching just the opposite. Paulk was removed and relieved of his duties with the organization.

Interestingly enough Paulk is also connected with James Dobson, as they co-founded the organization Love Won Out in 1998, a subsidiary of Focus on the Family, to specifically address and promote an “ex-gay” agenda.

Exodus and Love Won Out work to the detriment of the GLBT community as they promote conversion and reparative therapy, claiming its effectiveness to change ones orientation. These claims are asserted without any empirical evidence or peer reviewed studies and at the condemnation of 13 medical and mental health organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). These 13 organizations vehemently oppose reparative and conversion therapy and its damaging ways so much they actually formed the “Just the Facts coalition” which clearly states their disapproval of such actions and tactics.

www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.pdf

This merger just reinforces the need to remain steadfast in our efforts to expose the “ex-gay” movement for what it really is, present facts and promote love and acceptance rather then shame and self loathing.

An exciting lineup of workshops is planned for the 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference which will meet November 20-22 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Before the conference, Beyond Ex-Gay will be hosting a pre-conference institute for ex-gay survivors as well as allies interested in combating the heterosexism that permeates and drives the ex-gay movement.

Conference keynote addresses and concurrent workshops include:

Straight Rackets: Why the Religious Right Needs Reparative Therapy
Sylvia Rhue, Ph.D.

Microaggressions and the LGBT Community:
Advocating for Social Justice on Individual, Institutional, and Societal Levels
Kevin Nadal, Ph.D.; David Rivera, M.S.; Melissa Corpus, M.A.; Lauren Fisher, M.A.

Pray Away the Gay?
Wayne Besen

Genocidal Intentions: Public Policy and the Ex-Gay Movement
Christine Robinson, Ph.D.

“It Just Ain’t So”: Debunking the Myth of Gender Polarity
Rev. Deborah L. Johnson

Heterosexism and Transgender Oppression
Virginia Stephenson & Jordan Johnson

The Effects of Homophobic Stress in Childhood and Adolescence on Later Adult Psychological Functioning in Gay Men: A Model for Treatment
Dominic Carbone, Ph.D.

Getting It Straight: Ex-Gay Survivors and Their Therapeutic Needs
Christine Bakke and Jallen Rix, Ed.D.

Media 101: How to Build and Deliver an Effective Message
Brian Winfield

Body & Soul: Integrating Sexuality & Spirituality
Timothy Palmer, M. Div.

Heterosexual Interrupted: What the Ex-Gay Movement Really Means By “Change”
Jim Burroway

Media Access: Getting Through the Noise
Gabriel Arana

Spiritual Self-Defense for LGBT Christians
Rev. Candace Chellew

Queering Youth/Young Adult Activism
Andi Gentile and Asher Kolieboi

Lessons Learned This Weekend: A Conversation About Implementing Effective Strategies In Our Communities
Marsha McDonough, Ph.D.; Paul W. Dodd, D.Min., L.P.C.

Straight Jackets: A Psychiatrist Deconstructs Sexual Conversion Therapies
Jack Drescher, M.D.

For a complete conference schedule, presentation abstracts, and speaker bios go to
www.Anti-HeterosexismConference.org.

To register for the conference, purchase an exhibit table, or become an individual or corporate sponsor, please click here. Early registration continues through October 5, 2009.

The conference is sponsored by Soulforce, Truth Wins Out, the National Black Justice Coalition, Beyond Ex-Gay, Box Turtle Bulletin, and Equality Florida.