Articles tagged with: Love Won Out [ex-gay conference]
What Governor Palin needs to know about “love”
by Steve Ralls | The Huffington Post
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has made history as the first mother to be on the Republican presidential ticket, and she has the potential to bring a new perspective on issues that impact America’s children to Washington and the White House. Indeed, since her introduction to the nation last week, Governor Palin has talked passionately about her family and her commitment to her five children. Unfortunately, however, little is known about her specific policy positions on issues impacting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender kids, their parents, schools and families. An event taking place on September 13 in Anchorage, however, could provide an important opportunity for the Governor — and other moms and dads who also serve as elected leaders — to weigh in on one of those issues . . . and take a strong stand for all families.
On Saturday, Anchorage will play host to the latest meeting of the “ex-gay” organization known as Love Won Out. The group, which proclaims that lesbian and gay youth can be “cured” of their sexual orientation, will be meeting at Abbott Loop Community Church. Ahead of the conference, however, Palin’s own church, Wasilla Bible, has promoted the meeting, saying in a letter to congregants that, “You’ll be encouraged by the power of God’s love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality.”
The truth, however, is that Love Won Out is about anything but the unconditional love for, and acceptance of, LGBT kids. In reality, it is a dangerous, harmful “reparative therapy” program that has been condemned by the American Psychological Association and that has a tormenting impact on many of the young people who attend.
Governor Palin needs to know the truth about Love, and America’s parents and families need to know what Governor Palin thinks about harmful, anti-gay conferences that preach an anti-gospel doctrine of changing our kids, rather than embracing them.
Earlier this year, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) brought mothers, fathers and families from around the country to Orlando, Florida, for the most recent Love Won Out Conference. Their experiences, captured in a moving video documentary, showcase just how dangerous these conferences can be.
One after another, young people arrived at the conference with tears in their eyes and parents stoically marching them into the event against their will. The sight of supportive parents, carrying signs with slogans such as “We love our gay son just the way he is,” were answered with smiles, outreached hands and silent but obvious “thank yous” from the kids being told they were somehow “less than” because of who they love. Inside the conference, organizers told these young people – who had the courage to simply be who they are — that who they were just wasn’t good enough. Outside, loving parents stood tall to remind them that yes they were.
On Saturday in Anchorage, the same story, with different kids, will play out again.
It is unfair, at this point, to assume that Governor Palin endorses so-called “ex-gay” therapy like that espoused by Love Won Out. Most Americans, after all, can probably empathize with being part of a group, movement or congregation that they don’t agree with 100% of the time. But Saturday’s event in Anchorage provides an important opportunity for the first GOP mom on the party’s presidential ticket to make clear that she, as a mother and a public servant, will not condone, either explicitly or implicitly, such attempts at dividing our families and hurting our kids. She should seize that opportunity — as should lawmakers of both parties — and stand up as boldly and outspokenly for all of our kids as much as she has for her own.
Palin church promotes converting gays
Update: The LGBT community is hosting three events on the truth about the ‘pray away the gay’ conference. See “God loves you just as you are” for more on these events.
Palin church promotes converting gays
By RACHEL D’ORO Associated Press Writer
Sep 5th, 2008 | ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Gov. Sarah Palin’s church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer.
“You’ll be encouraged by the power of God’s love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality,” according to the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed for about six years.
Palin’s conservative Christian views have energized that part of the GOP electorate, which was lukewarm to John McCain’s candidacy before he named her as his vice presidential choice. She is staunchly anti-abortion, opposing exceptions for rape and incest, and opposes gay marriage and spousal rights for gay couples.
Focus on the Family, a national Christian fundamentalist organization, is conducting the “Love Won Out” Conference in Anchorage, about 30 miles from Wasilla.
Palin, campaigning with McCain in the Midwest on Friday, has not publicly expressed a view on the so-called “pray away the gay” movement. Larry Kroon, senior pastor at Palin’s church, was not available to discuss the matter Friday, said a church worker who declined to give her name.
Gay activists in Alaska said Palin has not worked actively against their interests, but early in her administration she supported a bill to overrule a court decision [and] to block state benefits for gay partners of public employees. At the time, less than one-half of 1 percent of state employees had applied for the benefits, which were ordered by a 2005 ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Palin reversed her position and vetoed the bill after the state attorney general said it was unconstitutional. But her reluctant support didn’t win fans among Alaska’s gay population, said Scott Turner, a gay activist in Anchorage.
“Less than 1 percent of state employees would even apply for benefits, so why make a big deal out of such a small number?” he said.
“I think gay Republicans are going to run away” if Palin supports efforts like the prayers to convert gays, said Wayne Besen, founder of the New York-based Truth Wins Out, a gay rights advocacy group. Besen called on Palin to publicly express her views now that she’s a vice presidential nominee.
“People are looking at Sarah Palin as someone who might feasibly be in the White House,” he said.
God loves you just as you are: Three events
The LGBT community is hosting three special events for families struggling with homosexuality, for Christians trying to reconcile same-sex attractions with their faith, and for everyone who wants to learn the truth about the “pray away the gay” conference.
1) “God Loves You Just as You Are” and Truth Wins Out
Metropolitan Community Church of Anchorage, an inclusive church with a special outreach for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, and straight allies (GLBT), is sponsoring an Ecumenical seminar called “God Loves You Just as You Are.” The seminar’s main focus will be to assure parents of GLBT adolescents/adults and the GLBT persons themselves that God loves them just as they are.
Four local clergy will share their denominations’ stand on homosexuality. Other speakers include representatives from the National Association of Social Workers Alaska Chapter, the Alaska Counseling Association, and a school psychologist. The main presentation is by Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, a non-profit organization that travels the country presenting research on the so-called “reparative therapy” and “ex-gay” movements.
The seminar will be at the Metropolitan Community Church, 7208 Dubin Avenue (corner of Oklahoma St) at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 11. A dinner ($6 donation if able) will be served at 6:30 and the presentations will begin at 7:15. Following the presentations, members of the clergy as well as PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) will be available to have one-on-one discussions with participants.
Please RSVP to Edie Bailey, Worship Coordinator, if you’re coming for the dinner.
“God Loves You Just as You Are” and Truth Wins Out
Thursday, September 11, 2008
dinner at 6:30 p.m. ($6 suggested donation) and program at 7:15 p.m.
Metropolitan Community Church of Anchorage
7208 Dubin Avenue, Anchorage, AK
2) “God Loves You Just as You Are” with Wayne Besen and Dr. Ellen Cole
Metropolitan Community Church of Anchorage welcomes everyone to a special Sunday program on September 14, 2008 with two guest speakers: Wayne Besen and Dr. Ellen Cole. Wayne Besen is the author of Anything But Straight, written to give the truth about the so-called “ex-gay” movement. He founded Truth Wins Out, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the truth about Exodus and the other “ex-gay” organizations.
Dr. Ellen Cole is a Professor of Psychology at APU, a certified sex therapist, and the immediate past-president of the Alaska Psychological Association. She co-edited the books Loving Boldly: Issues Facing Lesbians and Lesbian Therapists and their Therapy and has conducted research on lesbian sex at menopause. She is married to Doug North, president of APU. The presentations are followed by a potluck in the fellowship hall.
Wayne Besen and Dr. Ellen Cole
Sunday, September 14, 2008
2 p.m.
Metropolitan Community Church of Anchorage
7208 Dubin Avenue, Anchorage, AK
3) A Loving Alternative to “Reparative Therapy”
PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) welcomes families who have questions about so-called “reparative therapy” and the “ex-gay” movement to join their support group at Immanuel Presbyterian Church. For more information, contact PFLAG Anchorage.
“Reparative Therapy” Discussion with PFLAG
Thursday, September 18, 2008
7 p.m.
Educate the media: Update on responding to the “ex-gay” conference
Alaska’s GLBT community will respond when the anti-gay Love Won Out seminar comes to Anchorage on Sept. 13. GLBT and progressive groups are planning events to educate the media and the community.
Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, is coming to Anchorage to oppose the notorious “ex-gay” event.
“Love Won Out distorts gay life and conflates stereotypes with science, while selling false hope to vulnerable people,” said Besen. “We are looking forward to working with Alaskan advocacy groups to counter Focus on the Family’s false and destructive messages.”
The Anchorage Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) is hosting two events with Besen. He will present a workshop at the Thursday night Soul Food gathering on Sept. 11 ($6, dinner at 6:30, workshop around 7 p.m.) and will speak at the worship service on Sunday, Sept. 14 (service begins at 2 p.m.)
The Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) offered to host an event, and other GLBT-welcoming churches expressed support.
Celtic Diva announced Bloggers Diversity Week, with GLBT Day on Sept. 12, the day before the ex-gay conference. Other Alaskan bloggers have signed on.
Seventy-two people voted in the “How should we respond?” survey here on Bent Alaska! Fifty nine (81%) voted to “Educate the media and community with a presentation or forum.” Twenty-eight (38%) chose to “Show films on the damage done by the ex-gay lies.” Twenty-six (36%) want to “Protest outside the church during the conference.” And nine (12%) said “Don’t bother, just ignore them.”
A sample of the comments I received from community members are posted here: Your Words.
I’ll continue to post updates on our response, on the blog and in the Alaska GLBT News email newsletter.
Your words: Comments on responding to the “ex-gays”
I got mail! Here is a sample of comments from the Anchorage GLBT community on how we should respond when the “ex-gay” circus comes to town:
Sigh. Don’t give them the time of day. We survived Phelps in town, this too will soon be forgotten. On second thought, we should protest it. So some gays who feel bad about themselves don’t get pulled into another cult… ~ Michael
I’m on the ‘educational forum with media involvement’ front. I watched the video on Celtic Diva’s site on the protestors in Orlando and that has made me think more about what a peaceful protest might bring – the opportunity for the young people and their parents who are in turmoil to see that other folks out there are just like them and they are happy, successful individuals. I was also thinking that some sort of panel discussion might be beneficial. Perhaps 4 or 5 GLBT or GLBT-friendly folks who are willing to talk about being gay or having a child who is gay. Not recruiting, but giving the facts. I don’t really know what to do, I just know that this will harm so many kids and adults, and I want to help prevent that. ~ Lori
I strongly feel that the showing of the films and the education of the media are both great ideas, however, only those who are already supportive of the LGBT community will participate. I do not feel that these methods will be most effective singularly. I feel strongly that a protest is in order to raise attention followed by a forum to educate the public. The two ideas combined together would be much more productive than one in and of itself. Thank you for your time and your continued effort to unite our community. ~ Jessica
I think it’s best not to give the Ex-Gay Movement any free press unless they get so much publicity that it becomes necessary for people within the LGBT movement to respond. So far, I haven’t seen any kind of press coverage besides announcements. And as long as it’s this quiet, I’d rather people not know they’re in town. Any big action on our part will certainly give them more attention than they deserve. ~ (name withheld)
What about some couples actually going to the conference and/or church service and holding hands, putting our arms around each other, kissing. You know, like a happy gay couple. We wouldn’t even have to say a thing. It wouldn’t even have to be actual couples–just people who could act like couples. Just an idea. I have always wanted to go to Prevo’s church with my boyfriend and kiss during the sermon! ~ Peter
I strongly recommend that we not protest outside the Abbot Loop church. I appreciated what was done several years ago when another anti-gay group chose to protest MCC. Several LGBT-welcoming church groups went from church to church to show their solidarity for MCC. I don’t believe we should protest Abbot Loop because it is a house of worship… We should be the better, stronger folk and refrain from stooping to the level of those who seek to harm our community. Organize another multi-denominational protest among the gay and lesbian friendly churches, and invite the media to follow as members travel from church service to church service in support of LGBT people, our friends, and relatives. This will steal the thunder from those who twist the words of Christ to suit their own fear-driven, money-focused, war-happy agenda. ~ Jeanette
Challenging the “ex-gay” lies: How will we respond?
The controversial evangelical groups Focus on the Family and Exodus International are targeting Anchorage for their next “Ex-Gay” Conference on September 13. Their “ministry” is teaching gays and lesbians how to ‘pray away the gay.’ They use harmful and ineffective therapies on young adults struggling with same-sex attractions, and convince religious parents that their gay kids can become heterosexual and be saved.
The conference is also designed to show religious conservatives how to oppose LGBT civil rights without sounding like haters, and to swamp the local media with fake science and outright lies that support a homophobic political agenda. Read more about the conference sessions and goals.
So, how will Alaska’s LGBT communities and allies respond: ignore them? protest? hold counter-events?
Here is a list of recent actions taken by other communities, ideas from organizations that challenge the “ex-gay” myths, and suggestions for connecting our actions with larger events that are happening at the same time:
- PFLAG Florida held a silent protest at the Love Won Out “Ex-Gay” Conference in Orlando on June 7. Watch the moving PFLAG video of the parents sharing their reasons for joining the protest.
- Equality Asheville and a coalition of state and local organizations held a week of events with the theme “You’re Fine Just the Way You Are” to counteract the Exodus International conference in North Carolina, July 15-20. Two Unitarian Universalist Churches and the public library showed the films “For the Bible Tells Me So” and “Fish Can’t Fly” followed by discussions led by pastors. On Saturday, PFLAG hosted a Real-Families Picnic.
- The kickoff event in Asheville was a presentation on Challenging the “Ex-Gay” Theory by Wayne Besen, Director of Truth Wins Out and author of “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth.” Besen, a nationally known expert exposing “the Big Lie” of ex-gay programs, has been on every program from CNN to the Daily Show and has agreed to bring his presentation to Anchorage.
- Besen can also help organize an educational forum or press conference with experts on the ex-gay myth, affirming pastors who talk about homosexuality and the Bible, parents who unconditionally accept their GLBT children, and former “ex-gays” who were damaged by their experiences in these groups.
- The September 13 de-gaying conference falls during the Mayor’s Diversity Month, when the diverse local communities in Anchorage are encouraged “to host events that combat bias and promote a respect for diversity.” Our educational events will fit that description and can be connected to the Diversity Month program.
- That weekend is also the beginning of Seven Straight Nights for Equal Rights ’08, coordinated by Atticus Circle and Soulforce, “a national event that provides straight Americans with opportunities to do justice, and motivates new allies to stand up and be counted for equality. Seven Straight Nights consists of nighttime vigils led by straight allies during the week of September 14-20. The vigils are led by families, individuals, or groups, and focus on their personal decision to speak out on behalf of LGBT equality.” This is another opportunity to challenge the ex-gay lies and connect our actions to a larger event.
What should we do? With all these options, and experienced leaders willing to help, should we ignore the “ex-gay” conference and allow their lies to go unchallenged? Vote in the poll (in the right-hand column), post a comment with your suggestions, and help organize our response as a community!
“Ex-gay” roadshow targets Anchorage
As if the gloomy weather wasn’t bad enough, the “ex-gays” are coming to town. The anti-gay groups Focus on the Family and Exodus International are bringing their de-gaying conference to Anchorage’s Abbott Loop Community Church on September 13, 2008.
