Wednesday, May 5, 2010

And Now, For News From Our Sponsor...

A leading self proclaimed Ex-Gay was called on to resign from the board of a leading therapy group and asked to apologize to the LGBT community after the Miami New Times discovered that he took a male prostitute that he met online to Europe.

This man, a major anti-gay figure who has worked with the Family Research Council, was a board member of the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, and testified as an expert witness in favor of gay adoption bans in both Arkansas and Florida. He has also published several anti-gay books.

This is the second NARTH board member to be so exposed in the past three months. I'm not sure what NARTH means, but it looks important. In February, another leader of an Ex-gay group was discovered as having served prison time for bond fraud. He was the co-fonder of Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (JONAH).

Its like a B movie, isn't it? Religious guy or Politician dude creating rules and gets caught with his pants down. And I am torn. I am embarrassed for this guy and the groups he represents. I am saddened to see that these groups will have to endure even more scrutiny that before, and am thrilled at the same time that these groups will be under even more scrutiny. I feel that they should have been under the microscope way before these recent developments.

In the general case of the later denouncement, are only those with no history of controversy allowed to serve communities? If Mr. JOHAH, the homo Jewish guy, has a legal past, does that make anything he says bunk? Yeah, probably. Doesn't give anyone else with a record or a past much hope though.

In the case of the former old ex-gay guy on vacation with Lil Abner the prostitute, has he become the poster child for all these ex gay groups well-meaning or otherwise? Yeah, probably. And all those type of organizations will be discredited along side. I don't know if they should be or shouldn't be painted with the same brush. Honestly, I don't know much about these men or these groups. Every group I have ever been in (all two of them) of gay guys that don't want to be gay anymore has been somewhat distasteful. I spent more time trying to ward off advances than at the actual meetings.

I know my experience is not universal. I know that there are those who are thriving with these groups. I also know that I wouldn't recommend most of these groups for anything other that refreshments.

There are ways to get what's needed if you, as a gay Mormon man are seeking help. Small odds of success generally. Not a lot of men in the press announcing their success. But it does happen.

And its only through the Savior.

2 comments:

  1. There are so many things wrong with whast happened. I hate the duality of this. There are good men out there - I know it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nature is to lump fools together. Fools stay in the pile

    ReplyDelete