It's too early to know if it's the beginning of a trend, but Exodus International, a leading proponent of the "gays can change lie" - or Ex-gay myth as I call it - is canceling the utterly disingenuously named "Day of Truth." The "Day of Truth" - which would be more appropriately named the Day of Lies - was started in 2005 to counter the Day of Silence which originated at the University of Virginia (my alma mater) and has spread nationwide. Despite all of the statements of REAL medical and mental health experts condemning reparative therapy and the lack of any study that solidly supports the Christianist fueled ex-gay myth, Exodus International has continued to market the lie. I have long been involved in exposing ex-gay frauds and believe that defeating the choice and change myths is key to changing hearts and minds. The Christianists will fight tooth and nail to keep these myths alive because once it becomes a matter of common acceptance that gays are born gay, the ability to push anti-gay discrimination is seriously damaged. Here are highlights from Ex-Gay Watch:*
Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, has announced that they will no longer sponsor the annual Day of Truth (DOT) event which has been used for the past few years to counter the Day of Silence. The DOS was first proposed by Maria Pulzetti, and organized by other students at the University of Virginia in 1996. In 2000, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) proposed that it become an officially sponsored project.
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The first DOT was organized by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) in 2005, and has been held on the day after the DOS each year since. The ADF is a conservative activist legal organization which claims to have established the DOT “to counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda and express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective.” There have been several legal actions associated with the DOT
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In 2009, the ADF turned over responsibility for the DOT to Exodus International. In what has turned out to be their only year doing so, Exodus sponsored that years event. It is not known if the ADF will attempt to keep the DOT active or offer it to another group.
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We applaud Exodus’ decision to shutter this event. While we realize this does not signify a major change in their own policy or beliefs, we do respect the reasons given. We also challenge the ADF to take this as a signal to let it die here and now.
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Here are more details and highlights from CNN’s Belief Blog:
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A national Christian organization will stop sponsoring an annual event that encourages school students to "counter the promotion of homosexual behavior" because the event has become too divisive and confrontational, the group's president told CNN on Wednesday.
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"All the recent attention to bullying helped us realize that we need to equip kids to live out biblical tolerance and grace while treating their neighbors as they'd like to be treated, whether they agree with them or not," said Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, the group that sponsored the event this year.
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"I thank Exodus for making this very important step," said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard on Wednesday after hearing of Exodus' decision. "The Day of Truth was an effort to push a very specific set of opinions about homosexuality into schools in a way that was inappropriate and divisive."
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An expert in evangelical responses to homosexuality says Exodus' decision is likely to be criticized by some conservatives. "This is a very significant move, a very real break," said Warren Throckmorton, an associate professor of psychology at Grove City College. "Some will say that simply naming sexual orientation provides legitimacy for homosexuality." At least one major Christian group, Focus on the Family, stood by the Day of Truth on Wednesday.
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