American Psychological Association Led Coalition Releases New Booklet Countering Ex-Gay Claims

As the Washington Blade is reporting (http://www.washingtonblade.com/2008/3-7/news/national/12187.cfm), a coalition led by the American Psychological Association ("APA") sent a booklet, "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation," to all 16,000 U. S. public school superintendants in February, arguing that schools should refrain from teaching high school students about “ex-gay” conversion therapy. "Just the Facts" includes the most recent information from professional health organizations, as well as up-to-date information on the legal responsibility of school officials to protect students from anti-gay harassment.Members of the coalition are:

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Association of School Administrators, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the American School Health Association, the Interfaith Alliance Foundation, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Social Workers, the National Education Association and the School Social Work Association of America.

A copy of the booklet which can be downloaded and printed is here: http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.pdf I have already e-mailed the link to my pastor. Needless to say, the hate mongerers of the Christian Right are having fits that legitimate medical and mental health organizations are by this act opposing the peddling of quack science and other untruths which make up the essence of "ex-gay" and reparative therapy programs. In my view, the APA and state licensing organizations should revoke the licenses of any clinicians that participate in these fraudulent programs. Moreover, the states need to regulate ALL organizations that purport to engage in what are in effect mental health counseling activities so that quacks and religious nut jobs do not escape regulation by pretending to be religious "ministries."

As the Blade article points out, "Just the Facts" correctly states that teaching about “ex-gay” therapy would be unconstitutional since it is in effect teaching religion and imposing religious views, thus violating the separation of church and state because “ex-gay” beliefs are in the final analysis based solely on religious grounds. Teaching about “ex-gay” therapy also violates the 14th Amendment provision for equal treatment because, according to the booklet, such teaching could adversely impact gay students. Here are some highlights from the Blade article that look at the disingenuous hyperventalating by people such as David Duke/Klu Kluck Klan affiliated Tony Perkins at the Family Research Council and ex-gay for pay, Melissa Fryrear of Foucs on the Family:

Melissa Fryrear, a self-identified former homosexual and director of the gender issues department at Focus on the Family, called the publication “gay-affirming, biased [and] unfair.” Fryrear said the booklet is “demoralizing” for youths who do not want to identify as gay and yet experience homosexual feelings. Students, particularly those of faith, should be able to know about other opportunities, she said.

Tony Perkins, president of the über-conservative Family Research Council, had harsh words for the booklet.In an interview with the Christian Post, an online religious news agency, Perkins reiterated his long-held position that the NEA and the APA are “using their influence to transform public schools into incubators for their radical social agendas.”

As if either one of them gives a damn about LGBT students. Melaissa and Tony, let's be honest for a change: It's all about money and the Christianist political agenda.

One other thing to be noted is the credibility of the APA versus the false experts and quacks always cited by the anti-gay organizations, e.g., Melissa Fryrear and Tony Perkins. Despite her title which is intended to impress the unwary, Fryrear has no real credentials in the areas of medicine and/or mental health. Her only cited degree on her biography is a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary which offers NO medical or mental health related degrees. As for Perkins, his biographical information on the FRC website reads as follows: A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and a former police officer and television news reporter; he received his undergraduate degree from [Jerry Falwell's] Liberty University and a Master's Degree from Louisiana State University in Public Administration. In May 2006 he received an honorary doctorate in Theology from Liberty University. Once again NO legitimate and/or relevant credentials. Sadly, the mainstream media NEVER EVER asks frauds like Fryrear and Perkins about their total lack of medical/mental health credentials. They are simply given a free pass and allowed to pontificate leaving the uninformed to think they have a legitimacy that they in fact they totally lack. Who do you think is more credible and who cares more about LGBT individuals? Here is a description of the APA:

The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 148,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare.

Ex-Gay Hocus Pocus - Jones and Yarhouse continued

I have previously commented on the Exodus financed study entitled "Ex-gays?: A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation" by Dr Stanton Jones and Dr Mark Yarhouse. Mr. Yarhouse is a professor in the School of Psychology and Counseling department at Regent University and has written previous anti-gay materials, so his objectivity is way less than trustworthy. Some particularly nasty works appeared in the Spring 2002 issue of the Regent University Law Review under the collective heading "Homosexuality: Truth Be Told" which went to great lengths to build and foster the alleged "homosexual agenda." Even Yarhouse's courses at Regent are not objective since they inter fuse religion and science (e.g., http://home.regent.edu/markyar/sexuality.htm). It does not take much imagination to figure out which factor wins out.

At Ex-Gay Watch (http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2008/01/dr-patrick-chapman-responds-to-drs-jones-and-yarhouse/#more-2759) Dr. Patrick Chapman, Ph. D, has further responses to Jones and Yarhouse's latest work which while detailed and technical is helpful in learning how Christianists create "research" to endeavor to bolster the "choice myth" which is so important to their anti-gay political agenda, not to mention their lucrative ex-gay treatment programs. As always, it is important to know the enemy's tactics so as to be able to rebut them. Here is a summary of the problems with this type of research when religious and political agenda are removed:

In science it is important to be precise, something the Jones and Yarhouse study lacks. The focus of my original critique was the sloppy and biased scholarship, demonstrated partly by imprecision. I highlighted that Jones and Yarhouse:

* reference the entire study as prospective when it is not;
* assert participants are at the start of the change process instead of just being at the start of the Exodus program, although even this is not entirely correct;
* assert the study cannot ascertain if permanent and enduring long-term change occurs, contrasted with their conclusion that change is possible;
* portray specific results as indicating change, specifically Tables 7.4 - 7.6, when those actual results do not support the conclusion;
* employ a moving target regarding what sexual orientation change entails;
* misstate the APAs’ position on the potential harm of reparative therapy;
* and have a moving target regarding if the therapy causes harm.

Nude Warrior Adventure

Via my friend Wayne Besen's weekly column (http://www.waynebesen.com/columns/index.html) I came across this story of yet another bizarre program used by some of the "ex-gay" reparative programs. The story about the program to which gays, among others are referred is detailed in the Houston Press (http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-10-04/news/weekend-warriors/full) and demonstrates both how strange this program (and others) can be and how dangerous it is for untrained, unlicensed individuals to try to undertake change therapy when they have no legitimate training or licensure to do so. Here are highlights from Wayne's column:

A central tenet to "ex-gay" theory is that a male turns gay because of a poor relationship with his father. Under this baseless hypothesis, a sensitive boy perceives paternal disapproval, and as a defensive measure, the child rejects his dad and all things masculine that remind him of the broken relationship. The mother supposedly reinforces the downward spiral by becoming the child's fierce protector.

The circle is complete when the spurned boy rebuffs sports and male peers in school and instead chooses female friends and leisure activities such as playing house.Of course, this quackery ignores that many gay men had terrific relationships with their fathers and have close heterosexual male friends. There are also countless men who had horrendous relationships with their dads and they turned out straight. If a guy wants to become heterosexual, according to ex-gay literature, he must reclaim his masculinity by playing sports and hanging out with heterosexual friends, while they partake in "manly" activities.

Realizing their forte was white-knuckling prayer, not bare-knuckled machismo - several ex-gay organizations began outsourcing to a paramilitary, pseudo-psychological outfit, The ManKind Project. Ex-gay programs, particularly Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (JONAH), have aggressively promoted The ManKind Project's New Warrior Training Adventure. This cult-like national program is a $650 weekend boot camp where participants - mostly straight - are greeted by large, intimidating men dressed in dark clothing and faces painted black. During their stay, the men are forced to take cold showers, survive on about four hours sleep, and subsist on very little food. In follow-up meetings, the activities include shaving another man's face, kidnapping a member of another camp group and changing clothes with other men. The idea is to help them get in-touch with their feelings and uncover and heal deep wounds that are barriers to successful lives.

The alternative publication, The Houston Press, uncovered a letter Michael Scinto wrote to the Madison County Texas sheriff's office, just prior to committing suicide allegedly as a result of the boot camp. The Scinto family has filed a lawsuit against The ManKind Project, while the deceased man's letter to the sheriff claims the New Warrior program practiced bizarre rituals that include:

*Blindfolded walking tours in the nude.
*People blowing sage smoke in his face while 50 or so naked men danced around candles.
*Men sitting in a circle discussing their sexual histories while passing a wooden dildo called "The Cock."
*Naked men beating cooked chickens with a hammer.

In the Houston Press article, the wife of one of the men who attended discussed why her husband eventually rejected the group."So, everyone was sitting Indian-style in a big circle in the lodge when the man leading the group said, 'if you wish, you may reach over and grab your brother's dick. If your brother doesn't want your hand there, he can remove it.' Well, my husband told me he just froze. And, from that point on, he just wanted out." The ManKind Project called the allegations false and "vindictive."

The bigger issue, however, is that these are unlicensed men practicing what appears to be a form of therapy. There is the potential to do great damage, particularly to repressed and vulnerable gay men who feel their homosexuality is a shameful sickness that can be cured through male bonding and risky outdoor activities.

As the Houston Press story indicates, in the case of Michael Scinto, he was apparently so damaged by his experience that he ultimately committed suicide, which is the basis for his family's lawsuit against The ManKind Project. Hopefully, Mr. Scinto's family will prevail. I believe only if and when these quack programs are hit with huge monetary judgments will they be forced out of business. Likewise, high profile lawsuits may push legislatures to enact stricter educational and licensing requirements so that programs such as The ManKind Project and assorted wacky "ex-gay" programs are shut down.

Gay activist speaks about self-acceptance, religion

This guy has an interesting perspective on the failures of the ex-gay programs, having been raised Baptist, son of a preacher, and attendee of Jerry Falwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Moreover, unlike Exodus and the ex-gay programs, it appears that he can document the number of success he has produced. Here are some story highlights (http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071024/WDH0101/710240638):

Marc Adams grew up gay as the son of a fundamentalist Baptist minister in rural Pennsylvania. He attended Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell, and eventually came out and found what he calls "personal peace." Adams presented "Restorative Therapy and Faith-based Bullying at Religious Educational Institutions Uncovered" on Tuesday night.

"Marc is an inspiration to many people who are uncomfortable in today's society ... I hope his story speaks to you and gives you the courage that he has found," said James Sage, philosophy professor and faculty adviser for Students for Free Thought.

"I went to Liberty University because I believed I needed to change my behavior," Adams said, adding he was first attracted to males in elementary school.

Adams learned from his Baptist upbringing that homosexuality was a sin, punishable ultimately by eternal damnation in hell. After seeing Falwell preach on television that homosexuals could change their ways, Adams decided to attend Liberty University. He graduated from high school early and began his undergraduate studies at 16. Adams said he soon felt he had been deceived by his faith.

Adams eventually came out to his family, who claimed his coming out was a test of their faith from God. He has not spoken to his family in 15 years, with the exception of his grandmother, with whom he became very close. "My grandmother said, 'I've known since you were little that you would love men. I love your boyfriend like another grandson,'" Adams said.

HeartStrong Inc., which Adams co-founded, supports and reaches out to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students who endure faith-based bullying at religious schools, colleges and universities. Thus far, 1,004 students have been helped by his organization. "We believe our work is a rescue mission," he said. "HeartStrong exists to pick up the messes these schools create."

I understand Adams' feeling of being deceived by my religion. Unfortunately, too many "Christians" prefer to preach a message of hate and separation rather than a message of love and humanity. More information on Adams' organization can be found here: http://www.heartstrong.org/

My Moments of Fame Perhaps - Or Not

I will be in two upcoming films. The first is being shot by a local guy and some friends who previously shot a crazy movie called "One Crazy Night" which is something on the order of a John Waters film - crazy plot and even crazier characters. In any event, a sequel is being made and yours truly will appear as what else? An attorney for a will reading. My film debut is short and too the point. Hopefully, I will not come across as a complete dork. Another friend and client of mine has been filmed for the sequel as well, playing the role of a mortgage banker. At least I will have company in the insanity. I am not sure of the completion date. The first movie is available on Amazon.com

My second appearance on screen will be in a documentary that Wayne Besen, author of "Anything But Straight," is making dealing with the exposure of phony ex-gays. My segment will no doubt involve the unmasking of Michael Johnston, a high level national ex-gay and former minion of Jerry Falwell among others. The original story that showed Johnston to be a complete fraud can be found here: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2003/8-8/news/national/exgay.cfm Amazingly, even though word was out about Johnston's "moral fall" among big names in the Christian Right prior to the article, places like Coral Ridge Ministries kept on selling Johnston's tapes and videos, etc. up until the day the story broke. God forbid they miss collecting a few extra dollars.

The Thomas Project: A study designed for specific results

Here is yet another analysis trashing the Exodus International/Focus on the Family financed "study" that the Christian Right is advertising as supporting their "choice" myth (http://www.atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/2495/81/). Let's be real: this is all about making money off of these "cure" programs and desperately keeping alive the choice myth for political propaganda reasons. The backers of the study care nothing about the truth. Here are some highlights:

It was called the Thomas Project. When its principal investigators — Stanton Jones of Wheaton College and Mark Yarhouse of Pat Robertson University — published Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation (InterVarsity Press, 2007), the Christianist Right hailed the study as “scientific proof” sexual orientation can be changed:

“While we’ve known all along that long-term change is possible for people with unwanted same-sex attractions, it’s interesting to note how high the percentage of reported change was,” said Melissa Fryrear, director of Focus on the Family’s gender issues department. [italics added]

[W]hat is surprising — even for the Dobson organization skilled in spinning things to suit their theopolitical agenda — is the irrationality of “how high the percentage of reported change was.”The Thomas Project included a pool of only 98 people, all of whom had been referred to various Exodus ministries for “treatment.” Exodus International claims to be “the largest information and referral ministry in the world addressing homosexual issues.” Exodus is not a medical or science-based organization. It’s a ministry. “Freedom is possible through Jesus Christ!” is their mantra and they, like Dobson’s Focus on the Family, are well known for exaggerations.

[A]ll participants in the Thomas Project were clients of and counseled by Exodus International.Focus on the Family’s Melissa Fryrear chirped about the “high … percentage of reported change.” But look at the numbers reported in the study:

– 33 people reported change in the desired manner (from gay at time 1 in the heterosexual direction at time 3)

– 29 reported no change

– 8 reported change in the “undesired direction”

– 3 were unsure how to describe their experience

– 25 dropped out of the study.

Add up those numbers: 33 + 29 + 8 + 3 + 25 = 98 (72 men and 26 women). A study claiming such global conclusions was based on a subject pool — selected from Exodus clients — of less than 100 people. The “high percentage” Ms. Fryrear chirped about is less than the combined percentage of those reporting “no change” and those who were “gayer” than when they entered the project.

Some participants reported that they were still homosexual, but were living a “chaste life.” As noted in “What on earth is ex-gay ‘success’?” If “change” means one is constantly fighting off same-sex urges, then that sounds more like “ex-gay” means ticking time bombs (Bob Allen, Larry Craig, and the like, who truly believe they are straight but seek out sex with men) or chaste individuals suppressing their orientation than it does a true conversion. Sexual orientation is not simply about sex acts, something the ex-gay movement continually fails to acknowledge when touting “success.”

A weak methodology that included only participants likely to yield the desired results: junk science encouraging potentially harmful “therapeutic” practices. That being said, should individuals have the right to seek “ex-gay” therapy? Yes: caveat emptor. Before entering into such programs, however, those offering such “treatments” should be required — ethically and legally — to tell prospective clients the scientific, medical facts. Perhaps then those seeking change might consider legitimate psychological counseling to learn to accept themselves rather than opting for hocus-pocus religion-based “therapy” designed to teach them to reject who they are and lead fraudulent, repressed lives of denial.

Another Flawed Study That Will Be Used to Justify the "Choice Myth"

Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse have authored a new study on the alleged effectiveness of ex-gay programs entitled "Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation" that was unveiled at a press conference in Nashville. It was funded by Exodus International, which obviously has an interest in finding that a "cure" from homosexuality can occur. A very detailed review of the study, its methodology and flaws can be found here at the Box Turtle Bulletin (http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/09/17/785)

Suffice it to say, the study has numerous draw backs that raise questions as to its findings ranging from (a) the small size of the study group, (b) the failure to follow up with those who dropped out of ex-gay therapy, (c) the researchers' failure to stick solely with those just beginning the ex-gay program process, and so on. Had the study been properly and consistently done, the "success rate" would no doubt be even lower that the 1/3 who found some "change."

Here are a few comments on the study from Box Turtle Bulletin:

While Jones and Yarhouse's study appears to be very well designed, it quickly falls apart on execution. The sample size was disappointingly small, too small for an effective retrospective study. They told a reporter from Christianity Today that they had hoped to recruit some three hundred participants, but they found "many Exodus ministries mysteriously uncooperative." They only wound up with 98 at the beginning of the study (72 men and 26 women), a population they describe as "respectably large." Yet it is half the size of Spitzer's 2003 study.

Jones and Yarhouse wanted to limit their study's participants to those who were in their first year of ex-gay ministry. But when they found that they were having trouble getting enough people to participate (they only found 57 subject who met this criteria), they expanded their study to include 41 subjects who had been involved in ex-gay ministries for between one to three years. The participants who had been in ex-gay ministries for less than a year are referred to as "Phase 1" subpopulation, and the 41 who were added to increase the sample size were labeled the "Phase 2" subpopulation.

Remember, Jones and Yarhouse described those "experiencing difficulty with change would be likely to get frustrated or discouraged early on and drop out of the change process." And so assessing the dropouts becomes critically important, because unlike the Add Health study, the very reason for dropping out of this study may have direct bearing on both questions the study was designed to address: Do people change, and are they harmed by the process? With as much as a quarter of the initial population dropping out potentially for reasons directly related to the study's questions, this missing analysis represents a likely critical failure, one which could potentially invalidate the study's conclusions.

Even with these significant flaws, the results broke out as follows (25 dropped out and were not interviewed or included in the results):

* 33 people reported change (moving from homosexual, bisexual or other at Time 1 to heterosexual at time 3; or homosexual at Time 1 to bisexual or other at Time 3)

* 29 reported no change

* 8 reported "negative change" (moving from heterosexual, bisexual or other at Time 1 to homosexual at Time 3; or from heterosexual at Time 1 to bisexual or other at Time 3).

* 3 reported uncertain change (moving from bisexual to other, or the reverse)

Given Exodus' constant opposition to laws giving gays equal rights, I can only view any study Exodus sponsored with suspicion, particularly since it gets much of its funding from violently anti-gay "Christian" organizations. I suspect that these groups will use the 33 individuals reporting "change" as proof that homosexuality is a choice and therefore no legal protections are needed. Anyone want to make a bet?

Beware of (Fraudulent) Ex-Gay Study to Be Released

Two different posts on Ex-Gay Watch and also a post on Truth Wins Out have focused attention of the possible efforts by Exodus International to release the results of an alleged study that will bolster Exodus's unsubstantiated "cure" claims. Odds are that this study will be non-scientific and largely stacked as have several previous studies (using that term very loosely) that purport to support the claim that gays can change their sexual orientation. Here are some highlights from the Ex-Gay Watch posts:

POST ONE: Exodus president Alan Chambers and vice president Randy Thomas have been making casual claims concerning the success rates of “change” and perhaps even vague references to an ongoing study. These have led to an increasingly common, though entirely unsubstantiated figure of 30% “real change in orientation.” A statement on the Exodus International website goes even further: On the statistical side, careful reviews of research studies on sexual orientation change suggest that real change is indeed possible. Studies suggesting change rates in the range of 30-50% are not unusual, although “success rates” vary considerably and the measurement of change is problematic. A link follows to further studies but we could find none there. We have discouraged the use of these figures in posts to avoid the “Paul Cameron Effect” whereby junk science becomes the de facto standard after repetitive use without attribution to any authoritative sources. So far, Exodus has done little to qualify the term “change” in this setting, much less substantiate any figures. That may change soon. (http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/08/results-of-secret-exodus-study-soon-to-be-released/)

POST TWO: More information has come to light concerning the study we reported on here. An anonymous source said they have contact with someone participating in the study, called the Thomas Project, out of Wheaton College, and the study consists of questions asked once a year by phone. This participant also noted that the questions were oversimplified, requiring basic responses where they felt detailed explanations were needed. We have good reason to trust this contact, though we will respect their request for anonymity.

There are unconfirmed reports that the study has a sample of as few as 100 to 150 participants. While we don’t know what work was done during selection or preparation, we now know that the data was collected via annual phone calls. A picture is forming of some weak methodology, but presumably more accurate assessments can be made if and/or when others in the scientific community are allowed to review the method of selection of study subjects, the content and method of questions, and the presence or lack of nonverbal measurements and control data.

We suspect Exodus’ Regional Freedom Conference (September 13-15) will be the most likely setting for the formal announcement of the results of the Thomas Project. We also suspect the results will claim rates of over 30% experiencing “change”, but this can’t be verified at this time. If so, it seems interesting that Exodus president Alan Chambers knew this before the study was barely a year out: By Chambers’ estimate, only 30 percent of those who seek to switch orientations succeed. Fifty percent abandon the program. The other 20 percent, he says, go back and forth. “I would say it’s like [Alcoholics Anonymous],” Chambers says. “It’s in the 30-percent range [that] find a great degree of healing and move into heterosexuality, single or married.” (http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/08/update-more-on-ex-gay-study-the-thomas-project/)

Having reviewed much of the legitimate research on this topic, no legitimate studies have supported the "Cure" claims. Even the Spitzer study which is consistently misquoted by ex-gay advocates (and which was based on a study group containing a significant percentage of "ex-gay for pay" individuals) found at best a tiny success rate, if any. I find it especially interesting that now that Democratic Presidential candidates have appeared on a "debate" on gay issues, Exodus - which is closely tied to known anti-gay Christianist groups - is talking about releasing this study just in time for the 2008 election cycle. I am sure that Exodus - and its masters - are relying on a lazy and uninformed media to run with sound bites from this bogus study to help fuel anti-gay measures at the ballot box next year.

If my suspicions are correct, it will be one more examples of the self-proclaimed "Christians" using deliberate lies and untruths to push their Christianist agenda.

School System Allows Group To Promote 'Gay Conversion' To Students

The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/06/AR2007080600943_pf.html) and 365gay.com are reporting that the Arlington County Virginia School Board will allow PFOX - a puppet of Christianist organizations like Focus on the Family - to distribute materials in middle schools. School Board Chairman David Foster is pictured at left. Anyone wishing to provide their comments to the school board my do so via this e-mail address:schoolbd@arlington.k12.va.us Here are some high lights of the Post story:

McLEAN (AP) -- An organization that advocates therapy to convert gays has settled a lawsuit with Arlington County school officials over their refusal to distribute its fliers to high-school students. As a result, the group is now considering targeting its message to even younger students in middle schools.

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, or PFOX, sued school system administrators and board members earlier this year in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, claiming that they improperly blocked their request to send out fliers to high school students.

A settlement, reached last week, specifically states that PFOX will have the same access given to other groups and can submit fliers for distribution to middle and elementary school students if it wishes, said PFOX's lawyer, Timothy Tracey.

PFOX, based in Fairfax County, has been controversial for its support of conversion or reparative therapy, which many mental health experts say is harmful. It has also opposed sex-education curriculum in Montgomery County, Md., and elsewhere that it believes advocate a homosexual agenda. Tracey said Monday that PFOX is considering distributing its fliers at middle schools but has no plans to do so at elementary schools.

Not surprisingly, I beleive the School Board decision was idiocy and potentially harms numerous students and opens the school system up to potential law suits. In fact, here is the letter that I sent to the members of the school board and superintendent of schools:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It was with great distress that I noted your decision described in the linked article (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/08/080707school.htm). As one who has studied the fraudulent nature of these “conversion” programs in depth and helped expose “ex-gays for pay,” I believe that you have opened a Pandora’s Box of potential liability on the part of the school division in respect to youth who may be harmed by these programs and/or pushed to suicide.

In 2006, the American Psychological Association issued a stinging rebuke of the so-called ex-gay movement following a demonstration by members of several organizations that claim homosexuality is a choice that can be cured. In fact, the APA is now considering a total ban on conversion therapy under the APA’s ethical and clinical guidelines. In short, if the school division gets sued, the legitimate mental health experts will testify against these programs. I hope you have discussed this issue with the school division’s liability insurance carrier. I suspect your carrier will not be pleased. Whether or not you endorse these programs, the fact that the school division allows the materials to be distributed will give them an appearance of legitimacy that they do not deserve. Unsuspecting youths and/or parents may be misled accordingly to their detriment.

I know I would happily represent a youth in your school division or his/her family who is harmed as a result of these fraudulent programs. Perhaps Arlington County will have the opportunity to provide the “test case” that will put these bogus “ministries” out of business once and for all.

I truly hope you will rethink this extremely foolish decision.

The Clerk of the School Board confirm receipt of my letter and that it would be distributed to the baord members.

Psychologists Association to Review Stance on Gay Reparative Therapy

Expect the Christianist nut jobs to go absolutely crazy over this issue. If the APA formally condemns all reparative therapy as dangerous and basically malpractice per se, it will do several things: (1) it will make it more difficult politically for Daddy Dobson and company to try to claim being gay is a choice and that gays can change, (2) it will make it more difficult for licensed psychologists to participate in ex-gay programs without putting their licenses at risk, and (3) it will help set up ex-gay programs like Exodus for potential lawsuits by individuals who were harmed by the bogus programs and/or families of those who commit suicide as a result of the ex-gay programs.

Wayne Besen and I have talked frequently of a successful malpractice/tort type lawsuit against these charlatan ex-gay programs as being the best way to shut down the Christianists from using these programs to further their anti-gay political agenda and as a source of making money. Here's highlights of the My Way News story:

NEW YORK (AP) - The American Psychological Association is embarking on the first review of its 10-year-old policy on counseling gays and lesbians, a step that gay-rights activists hope will end with a denunciation of any attempt by therapists to change sexual orientation.

Such efforts - often called reparative therapy or conversion therapy - are considered futile and harmful by many gay-rights activists. Conservative groups defend the right to offer such treatment, and say people with their viewpoint have been excluded from the review panel. A six-member task force set up by the APA has its first meeting beginning next Tuesday.

The current APA policy, adopted in 1997, opposes any counseling that treats homosexuality as a mental illness, but does not explicitly denounce reparative therapy. The APA has decided to review the policy at a time when gay-rights groups are increasingly critical of such treatment and groups that support it.

Already, scores of conservative religious leaders and counselors, representing such groups as the Southern Baptist Convention and Focus on the Family, have written a joint letter to the APA, expressing concern that the task force's proposals would not properly accommodate gays and lesbians whose religious beliefs condemn gay sex.

The complete story on the APA review and the whining by the Christianists can be found here: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070710/D8Q9VMSG1.html More information on the APA's current positions on sexual orientation can be found on the APA web site here: http://www.apa.org/topics/orientation.html

Ex-EX-Gay Apology

In follow to yesterday's post, set out below is the text of the apology/press release by Darlene Bogle, Exodus-founder Michael Bussee (pictured at left), and UK's Jeremy Marks:

As former leaders of ex-gay ministries, we apologize to those individuals and families who believed our message that there is something inherently wrong with being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Some who heard our message were compelled to try to change an integral part of themselves, bringing harm to themselves and their families. Although we acted in good faith, we have since witnessed the isolation, shame, fear, and loss of faith that this message creates. We apologize for our part in the message of broken truth we spoke on behalf of Exodus and other organizations. We call on other former ex-gay leaders to join the healing and reconciliation process by adding their names to this apology.

We encourage current leaders of ex-gay programs to have the courage to evaluate the fruit of their programs. We ask them to consider the long-term effects of their ministry. "My heart breaks as I hear the many stories of abuse and suicide from men and women who couldn't change their orientation, regardless of what Exodus and other Christian ministries told them. One of our female attendees became so depressed over her inability to change that she jumped off a bridge rather than continue the struggle. I was told it wasn't my fault, but my heart knew better. ....There does need to be a change in our lives, but our sexual orientation is not what needs to be healed. I call for a time of healing within the body of faith that will celebrate Christ's life within all His children," said Darlene Bogle, founder of an Exodus off-shoot called Paraklete Ministries in Hayward, California.

Some of the fruits and effects of their ex-gay programs have been and are self-hatred, deep depression, and suicide when the falsely promised change does not occur. One can only wonder how many lives have been damaged by these fraudulent programs. While I was never in an ex-gay program per se, false religious promises certainly cause me unmeasurable anguish and self-hate for many years.

Some good new is that according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, a majority of Americans (56%) do not believe that sexual orientation can be changed. Now if only the GOP would wake up to reality.

For younger gays who never experienced the decades in the closet like many in the older generation, I do not think they fully understand the Hell we experienced or how long the process takes to get over the damage, including the time involved in free one's self from a sense of guilt and/or failure.

Former Ex-Gay Leaders Apologize

Beyond Ex-Gay (http://www.beyondexgay.com/conference) is reporting that former ex-gay leaders held a press conference in Los Angeles and apologized for their past involvement with Exodus International affiliates:

Three former ex-gay leaders issued public apologies for the roles they played in ex-gay ministries affiliated with Exodus International. They also shared portions of their personal stories.
The event was covered by members of local and national news media including CNN and Azteca America . More information about the apologies, the leaders, and their statements will be released later today.

I will post more information as it becomes available. Meanwhile, I am sure the fundie talking heads like Robert Knight, Stephen Bennett, Peter LaBarbera, et al, will be denouncing these folks with foam at their mouths. Once the ex-gay myth collapses, a good share of these guys' livelihoods will dry up.