Exodus International, the religious ministry that promoted “conversion therapy” to help gay people become straight, has closed up shop and apologized “for the pain and hurt” it caused. It’s yet another sign of the changing times, but don’t expect the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, and other anti-gay religious right groups to follow suit anytime soon. The purveyors of ignorance for political gain will always be with us, but eventually they will be marginalized.
More. James Kirchick explains why we should all be thankful about Exodus’s end.
14 Comments for “Exodus’s End”
posted by Lori Heine on
There is a very big difference between Exodus, on the one hand, and the FRC or AFA, on the other. However misguidedly, Exodus really wanted to help people. So, once they realized they were only hurting people instead, they stopped.
The FRC, the AFA and other political organizations on the far right are dominionists. Their aim is essentially the same as that of the Taliban. They want political power, they think God calls them on the big red bat-phone and dictates “His” every thought to them, and they won’t let petty little concerns like truth or reason get in their way.
They will, indeed, be marginalized when people wake up and recognize they’re nuts. But it doesn’t help that so many social conservatives are so complacent about them.
posted by Jorge on
I agree.
I will admit that the extent of the apology and the decision to close down are things that surprised me. That’s not the timing I expected.
This means a lot for where we are as a society as well, as families, as communities. We need to keep looking at that.
posted by Kosh III on
It only took 3o years to figure out what the rest of us have known all along. So long and good riddance!
I’ve seen first hand the damage these groups have done. My hubby was Pastor of a lgbt church in SoCal during the 80s and 90s. We saw folks who were hurting and traumatized by allegedly “loving” Christians such as this or Vineyard churches and Calvary Chapels.
Of course this belated apology will be ignored by the Southern Bigot Convention and other like-minded theocrats.
posted by Tom Scharbach on
The purveyors of ignorance for political gain will always be with us, but eventually they will be marginalized.
It will happen quicker if pro-equality conservatives in the Republican Party start calling out the purveyors of ignorance for political gain in the Republican Party, instead of going silent.
A case in point: A recent IGF post criticized Senator Leahy and Democrats for insisting in a provision that would treat “permanent partners” (that is, same-sex spouses who are in states that do not allow them to marry) in the immigration bill:
The post then went on to posit a conspiracy theory, impugning Democrats’ motives for pushing for equal treatment:
Absent was a single word of criticism for the Republicans who would “deep six” the immigration bill to screw over gay and lesbian couples.
The Faustian bargain continues — toss gays and lesbians under the bus to appease social conservatives, while spinning to impugn Democrats. In a word, anything to keep Republicans in power.
Wake up, Stephen.
posted by Tom Scharbach on
Typo correction: “Absent was a single word of criticism for the Republicans who would “deep six” the immigration bill to screw over gay and lesbian couples.” should read “Absent was a single word of criticism for the Republicans who would “deep six” the immigration bill unless the bill would screw over gay and lesbian couples.”
posted by Jorge on
I think you are comparing apples to oranges. As usual, you demand pro-gay conservatives adhere to progressive standards that you define in such a way that there is no such thing as a pro-gay conservative. Do not presume an authority you do not have.
posted by Houndentenor on
I can think of a number of pro-gay conservatives off the top of my head. Ted Olson comes to mind above others but quite a few others. Of course it would be helpful if most of them would tell the GOP they are pro-gay rather than just apologizing for the GOP to their gay friends and relatives all the time.
posted by Tom Scharbach on
I think you are comparing apples to oranges. As usual, you demand pro-gay conservatives adhere to progressive standards that you define in such a way that there is no such thing as a pro-gay conservative.
I’ll grant you that equal treatment of gay and lesbian couples for immigration purposes may be a “progressive” idea opposed by pro-gay conservatives.
But the point I was making is that pro-gay conservatives seem to think that the 11th Commandment (“Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.“) was among the commandments written in stone, and Stephen seems to be one of those who believe that.
If equal treatment for immigration purposes is apples and oranges, then use a different example — say DADT repeal. Stephen has written at great length about what a shit Harry Reid was on the issue, how heroic Olympia Snowe was on the issue, lauded LCR for the lawsuit that kept the pressure on (all of which I agree with), and roundly criticized President Obama for giving the military time to plan and implement the repeal (which criticism I do not agree with), but Stephen hasn’t said a single word that I’m aware of criticizing the Republicans who fought DADT repeal up and down the line.
Why not? Is equality in the military another orange, an idea rejected by pro-gay conservatives?
Do not presume an authority you do not have.
I can’t imagine what authority I could possibly have vis a vis Stephen or anyone else, now that my children are grown, I’m retired and my dog dead. The cats sure as hell don’t think I have dominion over them.
posted by Jorge on
But the point I was making is that pro-gay conservatives seem to think that the 11th Commandment (“Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.“) was among the commandments written in stone, and Stephen seems to be one of those who believe that.
Humph. Fine.
posted by Mike in Houston on
Exodus is gone – good… But let’s not kid ourselves here. Chop one head off and two more appear.
The purveyors of so-called reparative therapy are still there and the damage that they inflict continues. Same old folks (mostly), new names, and same support structure.
posted by Tom Scharbach on
“ …don’t expect the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, and other anti-gay religious right groups to follow suit anytime soon …”
Got that right, anyway. Massive resistance, circa 1956-1964.
posted by Don on
Jorge is absolutely right. Loosing sight of the fact that they didn’t simply say “we’re out of money and can’t keep up our good work” could have been an option. These people were on the front lines of an important prong of the anti-gay part of the culture war. They came out unequivocally saying “not only does it not work, we hurt a lot of good people.”
They didn’t have to do that. Not only that, this is a mea culpa of an enormous magnitude. FRC and AFA can’t pretend this isn’t out there. They can spin it, deny it, say they’re wrong. But conservative Christians who dedicated their lives to eradicating “homosexual tendencies” have now said what psychologists have said for decades. And they were the 800 pound gorilla in that particular room. Sure some crackpots will remain. But I would think many of their experts may find a living as expert witnesses in lawsuits against remaining practitioners.
Although many may hate such an outcome, trial lawyers may actually be the nail in this particular coffin. Sue them out of existence.
And then all AFA and FRC will have left is that we can’t change, but we can stay celibate. Good luck selling that particular snake oil.
I never thought I would see this day. But I’m glad I did.
posted by Throbert McGee on
Has Exodus really gotten out of the ex-gay racket, or has it merely rebranded?
Based on what I’ve seen on Warren Throckmorton’s blog, it’s far from clear at this point whether Exodus’s leaders have genuinely repudiated the “reparative therapy” shtick promulgated by NARTH, or if they’ll continue doing essentially the same thing under new branding.
For AFA and FRC, genuinely embracing the “gay by birth, celibate by choice” position would actually qualify as a sea-change in their attitude and a major reduction in the size of their blinders — even if, admittedly, most Christian-identified gays would find lifelong celibacy to be an unattractive option.
And if Exodus’s promised New! Improved! Ministry (apparently to be called “Reduce Fear”) turns out to be based on a behavior-change “gay and celibate” model, while rejecting the quasi-Freudian orientation-change model, then it could truly be said that they’ve closed up their old shop. We’ll have to wait and see, I guess.
(I don’t have any philosophical or scientific objections to the “celibacy only” approach of groups like Courage in the RCC — as distinguished from the “monogamy oriented” approach of Dignity — even though lifelong celibacy isn’t what I’d choose for myself and I question its spiritual value.)
posted by Houndentenor on
I guess “gay and celibate” is at least honest, where as the reparative therapy claims were just lies. It’s not something I’d go for myself, but people are free to choose that if they want.