Two discussions will debate religion, homosexuality and the merits and failings of conversion therap

[Bozita]

Source: Grand Rapids Press

Two discussions will debate religion, homosexuality and the merits and failings of conversion therapy
by Nardy Baeza Bickel | The Grand Rapids Press
Tuesday June 02, 2009, 9:29 AM


This month, Grand Rapids will be a hot zone for discussions about whether homosexuality is matter of heredity or choice as advocates for two national organizations with opposing views on the so-called "ex-gay" ministries arrive in town.

As a middle-schooler, Josh Sleutel spent two years in Christian-based therapy to help stop him from being gay.

But while he dated women and did everything in his power to end something his religion and family considered deviant, Sleutel, 22, of Caledonia, continued to be gay.

It's a struggle that the Grand Valley State University student, now openly gay, will speak about as part of an upcoming panel discussion at his school's Pew Campus.

Sleutel's experience was worlds apart from that of Daniel Hitz, 47. The Detroit man believes attending a similar program proved to be a blessing that helped him "overcome" his homosexuality and keep his family.

Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/06/two_discussions_will_debate_re.html#more

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It's Grand Rapids, folks.

[imdjh]

1. We called them "fish eyed"

When I was a teenager, there were creepy gay men that you saw at the mall. We called them "fish eyed" because they had glassy eyes which would dart away from you when you caught them checking you out. Little did we know or care that these men (born in the 1930/40's mostly) had lived lives of secrecy, danger, and self loathing. To us, as teenagers, looking for sex at the mall was good sport, and so was making fun of older guys. To some of those guys it was part of their life in the closet. I regret some of that now. There was no compassion there, but then we had never learned any history of gay people, we were on our own.

When I see these "ex-gays" I see fish-eye. I suppose that I should feel some compassion, surely if living in the closet causes self loathing, then living in a religious prison is a higher level of self loathing. But I don't feel sorry for the ex-gays. It's not 1972 anymore, in any part of the United States. We have too much information available to us now to not have the tools to say no to the kind of oppression these people agree to.

[yellowcanine]

2. At best, "conversion therapy" is unethical. At worst it is abuse.

Any trained health care provider who participates in conversion therapy should have their license yanked.

[hunter]

3. Putting a kid in "therapy" to "overcome" their homosexuality is child abuse.

As an adult, putting one's self in such "therapy" is self abuse.

The issue of gay marriage is important because it will end much of this cruelty. When married gay couples are visible and accepted within the greater community these "ex-gay" ministries won't be able to rope in as many victims. Eventually society and the law will shut them down.

With gay marriage accepted any middle schooler who recognizes he or she is gay won't be twisting themselves into knots about it, even when their fundamentalist whack job parents are. They'll know that whatever their parents think, society will stand by them when they are adults. And nobody will feel forced by community pressure to marry someone they are not sexually attracted to.

The basic human right of marriage, the ability of two adults to show up at the courthouse and get a marriage license, has already broken down many harmful social barriers in the United States. People didn't used to be able to marry outside their own religion, but people in love broke down those barriers of religion. People didn't used to be married outside their "race." But people who were in love broke down those barriers of racism. Right now homosexual couples are getting married and breaking down the social barriers that have forced homosexuals into the closet, and made them the pitiful prey of these ex-gay ministries.

[Critters2]

4. What does "It's Grand Rapids" mean?

I'm going there for a convention at the end of the month. What am I likely to find?