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| In 2000, gay civil rights advocate Wayne Besen photographed ‘ex-gay’ spokesperson John Paulk (left) after spotting him at Mr.P’s, a gay bar in Washington, D.C. Paulk was an outspoken advocate for ‘ex-gay’ ministries and two years earlier appeared on the cover of Newsweek with his wife to discuss his renunciation of homosexuality. Besen appears in Washington on Dec. 5 to discuss his new book, ‘Anything but Straight.’ (Photo courtesy of Besen) |
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‘Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals
and
Lies Behind the Ex-Gay
Myth’
Wayne Besen appearance
Lambda Rising
1625 Connecticut Ave., NW
Friday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
202-462-6969
www.anythingbutstraight.com
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HOME > ENTERTAINMENT > FEATURE
By: KEVIN SPENCE COMMENTS
 
continued...
is an elemental part of the ex-gay ministry,” said Thomas
of the 125 ex-gay ministries dotting North America.
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| Wayne Besen’s introduction to reparative therapy began at home
when he was 18 and told his parents he is gay. They left the cassette tape ‘Gay
and Unhappy’ on his bed. The 33-year-old author says the tape offered
new age music and anti-gay messages he rejected. He and his parents remain
close, however. |
Besen said, “Exorcism is a hallmark of these ministries. People go through
many exorcisms and spend a lot of money on doctors who give them.”
He insists that many figureheads for the ex-gay ministry enjoy working with
the media — the gay media, in particular — because it is the only
contact with gay men and lesbians they can still retain as ex-gays.
“I think what the culture war has done was try to make ex-gays the opposite
of the gay community,” Thomas said. “The media and a few people
have made us into the perceived enemy. Just because I’m ex-gay doesn’t
mean that I haven’t faced discrimination.”
Thomas, who is a “reformed” gay man of 11 years, said that, in
fact, he faces more persecution from the gay media than from the straight media.
“
I think there’s a lot of intolerance in the gay community — because
they don’t accept I’m living my life for myself. They think I would
rather attack them,” he said.
As for Besen’s assertion that most prominent ex-gay leaders are substance
abusers, Thomas said: “I know a number who have, including myself, abused
drugs, until we turned to our faith. If they’re in Exodus leadership,
they do not suffer from that today.”
Reaction to the book from the right has been muted.
David Gasak, with Focus on the Family, said: “I’m not in the capacity
to give you a comment about it.”
Even Thomas said he has not read the book yet, although he talked of the ex-gay
ministries, in general.
“The people who are seeking our help do so of their own free will. They’re
grown adults. We don’t inhibit someone’s self-determination in
any way,” Thomas said
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