This weekend we had our Ex-Gay Exposé in Denver, CO in response to the NARTH Conference. NARTH is an organization that reinforces the ideas that it is wrong to be gay and that therapies exist that can fix LGBT people. (How can you fix something that’s not broken???)
Daniel Gonzales took a bunch of photos of our protest outside of the hotel where NARTH met. I was shocked with how many folks came out in support of ex-gay survivors, some driving over an hour to arrive at 8:45 in the morning.
The best part of the weekend for me was the Ex-Gay Survivor Gathering we held at the Friends Meeting House. We got so much good work done exploring the harm we had experienced because of the de-gaying process and the many ways we have found to recover.
In addition, we called a summit of LGBT-affirming therapists to consult with us about treatment plans and modalities that could be effective in helping ex-gay survivors to recover from the anti-gay teatments we endured in a world that insisted we go to war against ourselves in order to be acceptable.
We wound up the weekend with the queer-positive Bible play, Transfigurations, which uncovers trans and gender variant characters from the scriptures.
You must see the video of Dr. Glenda Russell at our press conference. What a clear and powerful statement against reparative therapy and promotion of LGBT-affirming therapies. You can also read Christine’s statement here. She talks about how NARTH and Focus on the Family works hand-in-hand to undermine the health of LGBT youth.
Jacob Wilson at protest, Nov 8, 2008
Protesting Outside of NARTH Nov 8, 2008
Nov 8, 2008 Protest Outside NARTH
Jacob Wilson, ex-gay survivor outside NARTH Conference
Nov 8, 2008 outside NARTH Conference
Ron outside of NARTH
Oh, and Daniel saw this candy bar in Walgreens and had to take a photo of it!
Peterson Toscano's A Musing 
[…] Expose wrap-up: Peterson Toscano reports on the weekend’s activities: press conference and demonstration held outside the NARTH […]