Some homosexual persons claim to have experienced a change in their sexual orientation. Their stories are their stories and we should not try to change them if they are sincerely happy.
With that said, however, the vast majority of our brothers and sisters who are same-sex attracted entered "ex-gay ministries" or "reparative therapy" under the belief of a homosexual orientation being morally inferior and a heterosexual orientation being morally superior. Such a belief is a dangerous untruth that is used by certain religious groups to not only shame GLBT people, but to also deny them equality in society and full membership in their churches.
The truth is that God created and loves gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people exactly as they are without reservation.
While the people behind ex-gay ministries will rush to tell you about those in the gay community who have made unhealthy choices, they engage in deception by omission — never speaking to the fact of all those happy, loving, faithful families that include and accept gay people.
Furthermore, ex-gay ministries are opposed by every major health and mental health organization, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.
Video from Ex-Gay Survivor Conference
[googlevideo=6813300738108451537]
Video produced by Brian Murphy
Resources:
Love Welcomes All
How to create a community-based conference to counter the anti-gay misinformation of Focus on the Family’s "Love Won Out." A Soulforce Booklet by Jeff Lutes, MS, LPC. You can download Love Welcomes All as a pdf file.
www.soulforce.org/pdf/lovewelcomesall.pdf
A Report from "Love Won Out" by the NGLTF
For an excellent report that exposes the fraudulent practices of Focus on the Family’s "Love Won Out" conference, please visit our friends at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/lovewonout.pdf
Youth in the Crosshairs by the NGLTF
Another resource from NGLTF concerning ex-gay ministries and youth.
www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/crosshairs.pdf
Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth
Nationally recognized activist Wayne Besen spent four years examining the phenomenon of "ex-gay" ministries and reparative therapies – interviewing leaders, attending conferences, and visiting ministries undercover as he accumulated hundreds of hours of research. The result is this groundbreaking expose of the controversial movement that’s revered by independent religious groups and reviled by gay and lesbian organizations.
More details and Soulforce member reviews
Fish Can’t Fly
The film contains candid, fascinating and heartfelt discussions about God and being gay. There are even some surprisingly humorous events in hindsight. With the current social and political climate, this feature length documentary by award winning filmmaker Tom Murray, is timely.
www.fishcantfly.com
4-Part Salon Series on "reparative therapy"
Mark Benjamin is a national correspondent for Salon based in Washington, D.C. In July, 2005 he wrote a 4-part series on the disputed practice of so-called "reparative therapy."
Part One: Turning off gays
Part Two: My gay therapy session
Part Three: Getting straight with God
Part Four: True confessions