What is Ex-Gay Therapy?

Briefly, it’s a harmful way of convincing (nay, fooling) someone gay or queer that they can change their sexual attraction and/or gender identity and live a societally sanctioned heterosexual lifestyle. It’s been proven by a multitude of professional and medical associations to be more than just harmful for the person undergoing “help” – results vary from going on to lead an unhappy, miserable life to ending life entirely by committing suicide. It’s a devastating practice which will not stop until the cultural paradigm surrounding “queer” shifts substantially so that a person’s worth is not determined by their sexuality or gender. But enough of that.

Not Just for Christians – Jews are doing it too!

I was reading PFLAG Mom’s posts on the ex-gay movement, one titled “Ex-Gay, Reparative Therapy or: How to kill your child.” I decided to send it to my dad, and while we’re at it slip in my mom’s email address. As I’ve mentioned before, my dad is one million percent supportive, but my mother is still on the other side of the fence with this whole queer business. It has not been beneath her to mention that both my asexuality and being transgender are a problem that can be “fixed” – although her usual solution is to pretend all this doesn’t exist. And here I find a caring Jewish mother who is fully supportive of her trans son, warning other parents of the pure nonsense, and harm, of ex-gay ideology – a perfect opportunity!

Within minutes my dad had responded. But it was a sad response. He said, “Yes, I’ve heard of this ex-gay movement. In fact, I saw an advertisement for it that appeared in our local Jewish newspaper.” He brought me this newspaper clipping.

While I’m not currently Jewish, I grew up [resistantly] steeped in the Jewish community, and my parents are still entrenched in it. Now, you may not know this but the number of Jews is quite substantial in Mexico, at least in Mexico City. I know of someone who is spearheading the Gay Jewish movement there, trying to give talks at schools, start youth community outreach, and organize PFLAG meetings. Saying he’s having a hard time would be a big understatement.

It deeply troubles me to learn of this advertisement. Given the state of the culture in Mexico, Jewish and Catholic alike, you are more likely to run into someone who will agree with it than not. Even professionals such as psychologists will try and “cure” the gayness, calling it a lifestyle choice. Although thankfully I’ve met many who have a sane head on their shoulders, these are rare and far between. All this merely amplifies the danger of having someone see and believe a newspaper clipping such as this one.

I don’t understand all this hate

That’s all I can say about this. I suggest you read more informed articles that surely contain better facts about the dangers of Ex-Gay Reparative Therapy. Or just watch a funny movie.