Ex-Gay Watch

Johannah, frequently pen-named “Ephilei,” is a genderqueer and self-labeled liberal-orthodox Christian who recently started TransChristians.org and faithful reader of XGW.

The public intersection of Christianity and transgenderism is quite small, so I’ve kept tabs easily and I have to scrounge for every morsel. So I was anxious to see Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family enter the court of the prince of pop-psychology on “Dr. Phil,” McGraw’s daytime show on January 14th. The trans movement is several decades behind the gay movement so I don’t encourage anyone to put their hopes up for a fair portrayal. Nevertheless, the result was entertaining.

The cast was comprised of three moms of transgirls (male-to-female transexuals), two trans-affirming researchers, Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Michelle Angello, the not so affirming Joseph Nicolosi and Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family, and Dr. Phil. The kids were absent. Siegel has an MD from Harvard and has spent years studying how parent-child attachment influences behavior, emotions, and how a child perceives their history. In other words, exactly what reparative therapists generally believe is the cause of both transgenderism and homosexuality. Dr. Angello has her doctorate in sexology and has 10 years of counseling and leadership experience in gender and sexual orientation. Both act in the ways we’d expect from professional counselors – deep knowledge, experience, empathy, and solid advice – so I’m going to focus on Nicolosi and Stanton.

Stanton was new to me, and for good reason. He’s written a fair number of books and articles on homosexuality, but nothing on transgenderism and, of course, his education has nothing to do with psychology and his experience is politics and public speaking. His very basic article on the topic reveals he relies more on second hand quotations like newspapers and Focus on the Family literature than books or journals. Stanton is like any lay person who hears a theory second hand and uses his influence to espouse it without actually doing research or talking with trans (or even “ex-trans”) people.

For instance, on the show he cites Dr. Jerome Kagan as an expert with four decades of experience. Kagan is a giant in psychology, but his expertise is cisgender (non-transgender) child development, not transgenderism and invoking his name is a fallacious appeal to authority. Read more…

Ted Haggard appears with his wife on Oprah today.  This show was scheduled with others to promote his upcoming HBO special, The Trials of Ted Haggard and taped prior to the latest revelations about his relationship with young church volunteer Grant Haas.  The HBO special was also taped before these latest allegations though they are sure to increase scrutiny of the documentary.  Haggard spoke briefly to this point in a subsequent letter to Oprah.

“Oprah, I did not reveal the relationship on your show out of privacy concerns—even though there was never any physical contact. I have regretted my irresponsible behavior. I apologized to Grant, my family and the church two years ago. I now ask him again for his forgiveness as well as the people of the church.”

Whatever else he may be, he is a man, probably gay, confused and experiencing a lot of pain and, one would think, incredible condemnation. He’s made some bad choices and hurt a lot of people, but I hope those around him are considering the risk that he may attempt harm to himself before this is over.

Perhaps I am just naive, but when I look at Haggard, sometimes I see a 50+ year old, worn out “Bobby,” still unable to break free of the ex-gay myth that has been imposed upon him so powerfully.

Those who are able to watch are invited back to discuss their impressions.

Update: Excerpt from the show

At about 1:40 is the part I was watching when I wrote this comment.  From the sound of it, Gayle could probably help Ted most by pulling back on that input — we know where it so often leads.  There are some things that follow from Ted that still sound a bit misdirected, but considering how much he is having to parse through, I’m rather surprised.  Just realizing that his attractions are a part of him and not demons is a big step to which I’m sure many here can attest.

I have nothing to go on but a hunch, but I just don’t believe the story about one of his father’s workers sexually abusing him.  He phrased it in a way that no one should be surprised if they didn’t know who he was, he left soon, never heard from him again.  But such an incident would be just what ex-gay counselors would want to find and I think early on  Ted obliged and probably doesn’t know now if it’s truth or fantasy.

Last month, the Associated Press reported that a church which Vice Presidential hopeful Gov. Sarah Palin currently attends was promoting the recent Love Won Out conference in Anchorage, Alaska. Truth Wins Out called on her to speak out about this, but she never did. TWO’s Wayne Besen was present along with many supportive organizations and individuals to counter LWO with peaceful demonstrations that encouraged the truth to be told about the LGBTQ community.Gov. Palin did not at first address homosexuality by calling it a “choice.” She gave one of her first interviews to Charlie Gibson and said the following:

In her first interview with Charlie Gibson last month, Gov. Palin indicated that she is aware of the nature vs. nurture debate on the cause of homosexuality, and that she seems to consider the answer based on belief, rather than science.

Oh, I don’t know, but I’m not one to judge and, you know, I’m from a family and from a community with many, many members of many diverse backgrounds and I’m not going to judge someone on whether they believe that homosexuality is a choice or genetic. I’m not going to judge them. [emphasis added]

Later, a clip of Gov. Palin speaking to journalist Katie Couric was posted to the Internet where Palin had this to say:

And you know, I don’t know what prayers are worthy of being prayed and I don’t know what prayers are going to be answered or not answered. But as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal relationships. I have one of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years who happens to be gay, and I love her dearly, and she is not my “gay friend,” she is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn’t a choice that I have made. But I’m not going to judge people. [emphasis added]

In response to the comments made in the second interview, former ex-gay Daniel Gonzales released a video telling Palin how he tried to go straight by praying and participating in years of therapy costing thousands of dollars but was still unsuccessful. Wayne Besen has also sent her a gratis copy of his ex-gay expose book, Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth.

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XGW does not officially endorse any particular party or ticket as doing so would be contrary to our mission.  This article involving Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin is not a tacit endorsement of another politician – rather, the term “ex-gay” has come up numerous times in conjunction with her name.  Please limit the discussion to that scope and avoid political or ad-hominem attacks.  Thank you.

Gay actor John Barrowman met with an ex-gay during the filming of a BBC documentary about the origins of homosexuality.

The British-American entertainer, best-known to international audiences as Captain Jack Harkness in the the sci-fi serial Doctor Who (and its spin-off, Torchwood), met with Ron Woolsey, aka Victor J Adamson, a Seventh Day Adventist pastor from Arkansas.

Woolsey’s part in the broadcast was surprisingly brief. He reiterated the common ex-gay claim that being gay was a destructive lifestyle:

My life was hurting people. I saw my parents weeping, so I looked at my situation and I was under great conviction that if I wanted to be a Christian I would need to set that aside. I could choose to chart a different course for myself and it was a matter of retraining my mind.

Barrowman asked him whether being gay could simply be a matter of wiring in the brain. Woolsey’s reply confirms what most of us have experienced for ourselves, that being ex-gay does not change underlying orientation, but simply denies it: Read more…

ABC’s 20/20 will be showing an updated version of an old theme; gaging how people view public displays of affection. This time the couples are gay and the reactions range from reasonable to overbearing.

The setting is NJ for lesbian wives and Alabama for a gay couple. Guess where the 911 call happens.

Tonight at 10pm ET.

There is nothing we could add to this except the hope that members of both parties would have such courage.

Full Story in LA Times

Update: Full transcript added.

Peterson Toscano and Good As You set the scene:

The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet hosted an ex-gay leader, a former ex-gay, and two therapists — one gay-affirming, the other pro-exgay — during a segment this morning.

Here’s the first half of the segment:

Thanks to XGW commenter Emproph, we have transcripts (and discussion) for both segments. Read on….

Read more…

Christine Bakke, co-founder of Beyond Exgay and recently featured in Glamour Magazine, is scheduled to appear live on ABC-TV’s Good Morning America. Good Morning America airs from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT.

Hat tip: Peterson Toscano

Update: For those who missed it, you can view the segment here. (Thanks Steve)

For those who didn’t get to see the CNN special last week, here is what can only be described as a minor temper tantrum from the longtime head of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuals (NARTH). Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, who has often described gay people as fundamentally narcissistic, appears to earn such a diagnosis for himself.

Transcript

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Joseph Nicolosi often accuses the media of distorting his research. He was reluctant to speak with us.

(on camera): We were hoping we can talk to you when it’s over. NICOLOSI: Yes. OK. Well, I don’t think so.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Eventually, he did agree to go on camera, but:

(on camera): You’re categorically saying that, if a father and son have a normal relationship, that child will not be gay?

NICOLOSI: Yes.

TUCHMAN: That’s a pretty strong statement, right?

NICOLOSI: You want to debate? Do you want an answer or you want to debate?

TUCHMAN: Well…

NICOLOSI: I gave you an answer.

TUCHMAN: Yes.

So, there are some stereotypes you talk about, how, you know, if a child’s effeminate, if he’s creative, he’s artistic, those are things to look out for. Is that fair to say?

NICOLOSI: Goodbye. You’re confusing effeminacy with artistic. I didn’t say artistic.

Here.

TUCHMAN: Hey, Doctor?

(voice-over): For the record, the word “artistic” is right here in the Love Won Out literature.

Former ex-gay Shawn O’Donnell will be featured this week on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 as part of a two-part special titled, “What Is A Christian?”

Tune to CNN for the specials on April 4 and 5 at 10 p.m. EDT. O’Donnell is scheduled to appear on the April 5 program.