‘Ex-gay’ myth dispelled

Anti-gay issue used for power by ministries, lobbyist, speaker says

Harmony hosted an author whose book details corrupt groups that claim to change people’s sexual orientations through prayer and therapy on Saturday evening.

Wayne Besen, author of "Anything But Straight: Unmasking The Scandals and Lies Behind the ‘Ex-Gay’ Myth," said many people who are gay don’t feel accepted in society and enroll in "ex-gay" ministries to turn them straight.

"I would’ve taken any kind of pill, gone to any type of program to fit in," Besen said. "People take desperate measures."

Senior Harmony President Patrick Egan said, "Unfortunately, many people in this country maintain the misguided notion that sexual orientation is a changeable aspect of a person’s psyche …The reality of sexual orientation [is that it’s] an immutable aspect of a person’s being."

Egan added that he hopes Besen’s presentation will discredit ex-gay ministries as harmful entities whose only goals are self-loathing, paranoia and homophobia.

Besen said that the religious right-formed ex-gay ministries to use the anti-gay issue for power. He added that lobbyists use this issue to change laws to discriminate against gay people.

Besen said, the ‘ex-gay’ ministries operate like cults, convincing members to cut ties with their friends and family. At least 83 percent of people in these ministries reported some type of addiction, Bensen said. He added that nearly every member developed depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior.

Besen said that the ministries are rejected by every respected medical and psychiatic group in America, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association.

"[The ‘ex-gay’ ministries] try to sell you the miracle," Besen said, "And the saddest part is that the miracle doesn’t come."

"People enrolled in these ministries are like actors playing a role," he added. "If they say their lines just right, they’ll fit into society. But when they take off the mask, they’ll be themselves and be free."