AlterNet: Going Undercover in the Crazy, Tragic World of Christian Gay-Conversion Therapy

[marmar]

Going Undercover in the Crazy, Tragic World of Christian Gay-Conversion Therapy

By Sena Christian, AlterNet. Posted December 5, 2009.

Ted Cox posed as a gay man to infiltrate gay-to-straight therapy programs. What he found was equal parts shocking and tragic.




Over the course of the past two years, writer Ted Cox posed as a gay man. He attended weekly meetings for several months at two churches in California and a two-day camp at a ranch in northern Arizona in February, both geared toward one end: turning homosexual men and women straight. Last week, I sat down with my friend, Cox, to hear about his experience going undercover in Christian gay-to-straight therapy programs.

Sena Christian: What made you want to learn more about the Christian gay-to-straight movement?

Ted Cox: I was born and raised in the Mormon church and even after I became non-religious, I was still fascinated with religion. This was a cool intersection of religion, subculture, sex and equal rights.

SC: What exactly interested you?

TC: I first heard about gay-conversion therapy from a segment on The Daily Show, called Diagnosis: Mystery and Jason Jones interviews one of the most infamous names in ex-gay therapy who's Richard Cohen. What bothered me about the segment is that they didn't touch on the religious background behind these programs. There is no such thing as atheist, agnostic or non-religious groups trying to make gay people straight. Evangelical Christians, especially, tend to be heavily involved in this movement.

SC: Tell me about gay-conversion therapy.

TC: They promote this idea that they can make you straight. That's their public message. As you dig deeper, you find out that people are actually suppressing their sexuality. They tell people these programs will make you free from homosexuality through faith and prayer; the programs will help you find the strength to live a chaste, Christian life. That doesn't necessarily mean heterosexuality, or marriage and happy children; so what it means is leaving behind your urges, desires and actions.

(These programs) say homosexuality is the result of emotional or psychological scarring in childhood, where you don't properly identify with your parent of the same sex. They say you're not born that way, it's not genetic, but it is your choice as to whether or not you act on those feelings and attractions. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/sex/144390/going_undercover_in_the_crazy%2C_tragic_world_of_christian_gay-conversion_therapy

[donco6]

1. I was in an ex-gay group for many years.

In Lincoln Nebraska.

We met each week - about 12 to 15 of us at any given time, though not the same 12 or 15. People would drop in and out. It was an eclectic mix of Bible church, pentacostals, mainlines, Mormon, . . . we even had a Jewish guy for a while. We'd pray and read Bible verses, have Bible study, and talk about articles we'd read.

Ted Cox is exactly correct in his description of everything. Though the group's stated goal was heterosexuality, the real result was simple suppression of sexuality. For those who COULD suppress their sexuality, it was "successful." For those who couldn't . . . well, there was more prayer and Bible study.

After five years, I remember one meeting where someone asked THE question: "So, has anyone turned straight yet?" We all went around the room and answered "no." The group stopped meeting very soon after.

[nilram]

3. I heard a rumor that their conferences are a great place to hook up...

Seriously, that's what a friend in college told me. Shrug.

[donco6]

4. I have no doubt.

Never went to one, but I can't imagine they're anything but.

[Nikki Stone1]

2. Everyone should read this.

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