An Information Packet De c e m b e r 19 9 8 Co-published by: Political Research Associates The Policy Institute, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Equal Partners in Faith An Information Packet De c e m b e r 19 9 8 Co-published by Political Research Associates, Equal Partners in Faith, and The Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Political Research Associates 120 Beacon Street, Suite 202, Somerville, MA 02143 61 7 / 6 6 1 - 9 3 1 3 Equal Partners in Faith 2026 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 20 2 / 2 9 6 - 4 6 7 2 The Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 2320 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009 20 2 / 3 3 2 - 6 4 8 3 Re p o r t designed by Debbie Hird and printed by Massachusetts Teachers Association. Printed on recycled paper Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement: An Information Packet Political Research Associates (PRA), The Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (N G L TF), and Equal Partners in Faith (EPF) gratefully acknowledge the support of the funders who helped make possible the res e a r ch for this packet as well as its writing, production, and distribution. They include: the Astraea National Lesbian Action Foundation; the Columbia Foundation; the Deer Cr eek Foundation; the Gill Foundation; the Joyce Mertz - G i l m o r e Foundation; the United Church Bo a r d for Homeland Ministries, Division of the American Missionary Association; and several indi- vidual donors. Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement: An Information Packet Political Research Associates 120 Beacon Street, Somerville, MA 02143 ph o n e : (617) 661-9313 fa x : (617) 661-0059 e- m a i l : [email protected] we b s i t e : www.p u b l i c e y e . o r g Founded in 1981, Political Research Associates (PRA) is an independent nonprofit res e a r ch center. PRA monitors and analyzes anti-democratic, authoritarian, and racist movements and trends, conducts res e a r ch, and publishes educational materials. It serves as a national information clearing- house and res o u r ce center on the political Right for concerned individuals and orga n i z a t i o n s , activists, policy makers, journalists, educators, students, and the public at large . The Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 2320 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009-2702 ph o n e : (202) 332-6483 fa x : (202) 332-0207 e- m a i l : [email protected] we b s i t e : www.n g l t f . o r g The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) is a leading prog r es s i v e civil rights organization that, since its inception in 1973, has been in the foref r ont of every major initiative for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. NGLTF ’ s Policy Institute is a think thank dedicated to the development of public policy, res e a r ch, and strategies that advance lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality. Equal Partners In Faith 2026 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 ph o n e : (202) 296-4672 fa x : (202) 296-4673 e- m a i l : [email protected] we b s i t e : www.g e o c i t i e s . c o m / C a p i t o l H i l l / 4 4 9 7 / E q u a l P a r tn e r s . h t m l Equal Partners in Faith (EPF) is a multi-racial, multi-faith national network of religious leaders and people of faith committed to equality and diversity. EPF helps people of faith understand and challenge the ways Religious Right leaders manipulate rel i g i o n to promote an exclusive and divisive political agenda. EPF focuses currently on why and how these leaders build support for Promise Keepers, how they organize in communities of color, and how they campaign against the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. On these and related issues, EPF provides a national voice for concerned people of faith and supports local or ganizing, public education, and media outreach effo r ts by faith-based grou p s . Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement: An Information Packet he growing prominence of the ex-gay movement is the result of a strategic shift within the TChristian Right: the new packaging of an old message. The claim that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can be “cured” has more to do with the Right’s political objectives and its bit- ter opposition to equal rights than with genuine caring. This information packet provides useful infor- mation about how the Christian Right has adopted the ex-gay movement in response to increa s i n g pr es s u r e to soften its homophobic rhe t o r i c . While a vast array of religious denominations and a growing majority of the public is increa s i n g l y su p p o r tive of equality and fair treatment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, the ex-gay movement is gaining media attention and increasing legitimacy by promoting a discredited therapeutic practice known as “reparative therapy” and by claiming to act in the name of religion. Reparative therapy has been repudiated by prominent psychological and psychiatric organizations. The rel i g i o u s principles promoted by the ex-gay movement are part of a fundamentalist Christian agenda that has caused concern and opposition from within virtually all mainstream communities of faith. Our three organizations have come together to raise critical questions about the motivations, claims, and objectives of the ex-gay movement. We believe the public needs to see the truth behind the mask of compassion. The new softer face of the Christian Right merely hides the old, vicious homophobia. The ex-gay movement, like the Christian Right of which it is a part, is intolerant of anyone who does not conform to its ideals of family, marriage, moral values, and sexual orientation. It exploits and misuses the language of faith, presenting a face of Christian caring while simultaneously condemning ga y , lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people outright, and denying them their full humanity and equal rights. In this packet, we have gathered information about “reparative therapy” as well as information about the fundamentalist Christian ministries that offer conversion through Christ. You may notice that the spokespeople for the movement are nearly always the same few “ex-gay” activists. It is a time-tested tactic of the Right to use exaggeration and distortion to make reality conform to its doctrines. Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement is a complement to a second res o u r ce we are offering on the ex- gay movement: a rep o r t by Surina Khan titled Calculated Compassion: How the Ex-Gay Movement Se r ves the Right’s Attack on Democracy. In the rep o r t, Surina presents her analysis of the ex-gay move- me n t ’ s role within the Right, and her assessment of the importance of this movement to the future of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender rights. The rep o r t is available through Political Research Associates. In attacking gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, the ex-gay movement, like its parent, the Christian Right, promotes an agenda for all Americans that is profoundly anti-democratic and exclu- si o n a r y. We stand in opposition. Re v . Meg Riley Ur vashi Vai d Jean Hardi s t y Co - C h a i r Di r ec t o r Executive Direc t o r Steering Committee The Policy Institute Political Research Associates Equal Partners in Faith National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement: An Information Packet The following is an executive summary of Calculated Compassion: How the Ex-Gay Movement Se r ves the Right’s Attack on Democracy, an in-depth rep o r t detailing the political, legal and rel i g i o u s implications of the ex-gay movement. It is available for $6 (including shipping and handling) from Political Research Associates. The ex-gay movement gained national media attention in July 1998 when full-page ads promoting the movement appeared in major newspapers across the country. Millions of people were exposed to the ex-gay claim that homosexuals can heal themselves of their “lifestyle choice” through a Christian fundamentalist religious conversion or through “reparative therapy.” These ideas are refuted by the medical community and mainstream religious organizations. The widespread media coverage garne r ed by the ad campaign focused on the “human interest” issue: can lesbians and gay men “convert” to heterosexuality? But there is another side to this story— t o l d for the first time in this rep o r t. Calculated Compassion is a comprehensive examination of the political character and role of the ex-gay movement. And it paints a disturbing picture. While publicly portraying itself as a haven for “hope and healing for homosexuals,” the ex-gay movement serves as camouflage for a retooled and reinvigorated assault by the Christian Right on the legal protections against discrimination for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons. Furth e r mo r e, the ex-gay movement is an integral part of a broader right-wing movement that poses a grave threat to democracy and diversity in the US.