Former Leaders Speak

Ex-gay ministries credibility around the world is being substantially challenged as an increasing number of people come out with their stories saying – it doesn’t work. In fact, reparative/conversion therapy causes harm that can take years to overcome.

Since the release of his autobiography, ‘A Life of Unlearning’, Anthony Venn-Brown (who went through Australia’s first ex-gay program in 1972), has been collecting testimonials from people who have come out of ex-gay programs as well as former Australian leaders of Exodus. After the apologies of 3 former ex-gay leaders at the Ex-gay Survivors Conference in Los Angeles (organised by Soulforce and beyondexgay.com, he felt it was time to release these statements. Statements by these Australian leaders are now being posted around the internet.

Why has it taken so long for people like these 5 and myself to speak up?

From all the emails I’ve received and people I’ve met, I think it’s obvious why only now people are finding the courage to speak up.

There are several reasons
1. When people leave ex-gay programs they are not empowered but defeated and often live with a sense of failure and shame. It takes time to feel good about yourself again.

2. The experience of spending years trying unsuccessfully to become heterosexual can leave a person traumatised. That takes time to heal.

3. Resolving the issue of the perceived conflict between your sexual orientation and your faith can also take years to sort out. Some never do. The conditioning is deep and subconscious.

4. It’s only been the last decade that mental health professions have taken time to research and see if there is any scientific evidence to back up ex-gay claims. None has been found.
Australian Psychology Association , American Psychiatric Association.

5. Claims have been made by Exodus and other groups that 1,000’s of people had become heterosexual and got married to prove it. History tells us that this is only a change in behaviour and not orientation and that’s why these marriages have not stood the test of time. I have a folder full of stories like mine. 12, 16, 20 even over 30 years married. Then having to admit, in essence, nothing really changed, leaving wives feeling betrayed and children hurt.

6. In Australia, ex-gay survivors and former leaders were all in isolation thinking we were the only ones, but ‘A Life of Unlearning’ has not only changed individual lives it’s brought people together. There is now a growing network of people who are committed to ensuring that the others don’t waste years trying to do the impossible. I.e. Change from being gay to straight.

NOTE:

To read the individual statements please click on each name in the pages section in the top right hand column.