Exodus International is one of the major groups in the alleged ex-gay movement. Exodus-affiliated ministries[1] provide support for what they call "freedom from homosexuality"[2] which can include abstinence, "lessening of homosexual temptations, strengthening their sense of masculine or feminine identity, correcting distorted styles of relating with members of the same and opposite gender."[3] Exodus International's position is not that reorientation of same-sex attraction is necessary but that it is possible; they do not conduct clinical treatment but believe reparative therapy can be beneficial.[2] Founded in 1976, Exodus is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian organization which has grown to include over 120 local ministries in the USA and Canada and over 150 ministries in 17 other countries.[4] The group also has monthly newsletters, annual conferences, speaking engagements and web services. Alan Chambers is the current president of Exodus.
Contents |
History
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Current Initiatives
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Corporate Culture
Board of Directors
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Affiliation With Focus On The Family
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Logos
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Reviews of Exodus Participants
Jones and Yarhouse
[It has been noted that this was not a "peer-reviewed scientific study" and is therefore included in this Wikipedia article as only a verifiable source and not as a peer-reviewed scientific source.]
Given a conflicting background of (1) claims by the American Psychology Association, “The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable.”[5]; and (2) claims by Exodus leaders, “Sexual Orientation Change Is Possible”[6] and rhetorically, “there are tens of thousands of men and women just like me who have overcome homosexuality”[7]; Professors Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse performed a statistical study of Exodus participants.
Jones and Yarhouse teamed as authors and published their results in “Ex-Gays?”: A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change In Sexual Orientation”[8]. This particular study emphasized the results of various persons ‘seeking change’ while involved with Exodus ministries over a three-year period of time.
Critics of the study cite that the sample size was too small (98 participants)[9], and that sexual orientation of the participants was not changed from 100% homosexual to 100% heterosexual except for 11 cases (3 cases were disputed)[10]. Proponents of the study cite that Exodus funded the study (which the authors acknowledge) and did not color the study results either pro or con[11]; and that the term ‘change’ was being more clearly defined to include change of sexual identification (e.g., I identify as ‘gay’; I identify as 'heterosexual'), change of sexual behaviors (becoming chaste or heterosexual in behavior), and also change in sexual orientation[12].
Schaeffer et al
Schaeffer et al surveyed 140 members of Exodus. After a year, 29% said they had changed their orientation, and another 65% said they were in the process of changing. Change was positively associated with religious motivation and emotional well-being.[13]
Ponticelli
Research by Ponticelli on 15 ex-lesbian women found that Exodus helped them change their lesbian identities through a combination of a new and compelling schema concerning sexuality, reinterpretation of one's past according to that schema, and social support.[14]
Incidents
Notable incidents are listed as follows:
Michael Bussee and Gary Cooper
Exodus International's first incident occurred in 1979 when Michael Bussee (one of the five co-founding members who had helped organize the 1976 conference that led to Exodus' inception) left the group to be with Gary Cooper, a volunteer at the local Exodus ministry where they both worked, who was also volunteering for the first Exodus conference.[15] Michael and Gary left their wives, and had a committed relationship until Gary's death from AIDS complications in the early 1990's[16]. Their story is one of the focuses of the documentary One Nation Under God (1993), directed by Teodoro Maniaci and Francine Rzeznik. As acknowledged by Exodus International in 2006, Michael Bussee "has been a longtime critic of Exodus and its leadership" [17].
Note that Dr. Warren Throckmorton does not consider Gary Cooper to be a founder of Exodus International per his review of Exodus history, July 2005[18]. Exodus International considers Michael Bussee and Gary Cooper as "co-founders" (among others) in an Exodus-released September 2006 article[19].
John Paulk
John Paulk, a well-known United States 'ex-gay' public figure and Chairman of Exodus International, was removed by Exodus International Board of Directors vote on October 03, 2000, following confirmation of him "engaging in behavior which has negatively impacted the credibility of Exodus." [20] Paulk, a self-described former "drag queen and homosexual prostitute", became active in Focus on the Family, was manager of Focus on the Family's Homosexuality and Gender Division.[21], and was the elected Chairman of the board of Exodus International North America in August 1995 for a first three-year term. Paulk was re-elected for a second three-year term in 1998 (the incident occurred during the second three-year term). [22] On September 19, 2000 while on a speaking tour, Paulk was identified drinking and flirting at Mr. P's, a Washington, D.C. gay bar, giving his name as "John Clint," one he had used in his days as a hustler in Ohio. A patron recognized him and contacted Wayne Besen, an employee of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay political action organization. When Besen arrived at the bar forty minutes later and confronted "John Clint", he denied that he was in fact John Paulk. Upon exiting the bar, Paulk's picture was taken as documentation that he had been in the bar. When confronted by Besen about the incident and the photographs, Paulk admitted being in the bar, but stated that he didn’t know it was a gay bar and had simply stopped in for a moment to use the restroom. However, eyewitnesses reported that Paulk stayed for more than an hour, flirted with other men, and when questioned about his sexuality, said he was gay (see Besen's book Anything But Straight; see also [23]). An Exodus press release soon followed:
"John's actions represent a serious lapse in sound judgment. His decision to enter a gay establishment for any reason opens him up to all kinds of speculation by both other Exodus leaders and also the gay community." [24]
Billboard parody controversy
On March 2, 2006, Liberty Counsel, a law firm acting on behalf of Exodus International, sent cease-and-desist letters[25][26] to Justin Watt, who blogs at Justinsomnia, and Mike Airhart, who blogs at Ex-Gay Watch. The letters "insist[ed]" that Watt and Airhart "immediately cease use" of an edited photograph on their respective blogs "or in any other form" which parodied an Exodus billboard. The original billboard image, obtained from Exodus's website, consisted of the message "Gay? Unhappy? www.exodus.to" while the parody image, created by Watt in September 2005, showed the same sign, substantially cropped, with the text altered to read "Straight? Unhappy? www.gay.com."
The following excerpt from Watt's cease-and-desist letter details Exodus's rationale for the request. The letter mentions Wikipedia because Watt had cited the Wikipedia entry on fair use in posting his parody.
"You appear to believe that the stolen image is exempt from federal intellectual property laws as a 'parody' due to 'fair use.' Unfortunately, the intricacies of federal law cannot adequately be covered on 'Wikipedia' due to the variety of facts addressed by courts in numerous cases. Your use of the image is indeed a violation of copyright law and is not covered by 'fair use.'"
In response, Watt contacted the ACLU, who took his defense and responded to the cease-and-desist letter[27] in partnership with the law firm of Fenwick & West LLP. According to reports in The New York Times[28] and USA Today,[29] Exodus decided against pursuing further legal action once the Exodus logo was removed from the parody.
See also
- Christian right
- NARTH National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
References
- ^ Exodus-Affiliated Ministries. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ a b Exodus International Policy Statement. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
- ^ What's your "success rate" in changing gays into straights?. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
- ^ Exodus International. Retrieved on 2006-05-04.
- ^ American Psychological Association (On Line), “Can Therapy Change Sexual Orientation?”, retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/orientation.html#cantherapychange on December 18, 2007.
- ^ “Former Homosexuals Applaud Research Showing Sexual Orientation Change Is Possible”, by uknown, September 2007, retrieved from http://exodus.to/content/view/783/37/ on December 18, 2007.
- ^ “Ex-homosexuals Protest APA’s Position On Homosexuality”, by Michael Faust (Baptist Press), showing Alan Chamber’s quotes on August 14, 2006, retrieved from http://exodus.to/content/view/563/37/ on December 18, 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8308-2846-3, published by Intervarsity Press, 2007.
- ^ Pg 39 of "Ex-Gays", as noted by Dr. Chapman on http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/11/a-critique-of-jones-and-yarhouses-ex-gays-part-1/ retrieved on December 20, 2007
- ^ Pgs 285, 297, 298 of "Ex-Gays", as noted by Dr. Chapman on http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/11/a-critique-of-jones-and-yarhouses-ex-gays-part-2/ retrieved on December 20, 2007
- ^ Pg 127 of "Ex-Gays", as noted by Dr. Chapman, on http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/11/a-critique-of-jones-and-yarhouses-ex-gays-part-1/
- ^ as noted by Dr. Chapman on http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/11/a-critique-of-jones-and-yarhouses-ex-gays-part-2/ retrieved on December 20, 2007
- ^ Schaffer, Kim; Nottebaum, L., Smith, P., Dech, K. & Krawczyk, J. (1999). "Religiously-motivated sexual orientation change: A follow-up study." 27: 329-337. Journal of Psychology and Theology.
- ^ Ponticelli, C.M. (Jun 1999). "Crafting stories of identity reconstruction" 62: 157-172. Social Psychology Quarterly.
- ^ http://www.drthrockmorton.com/article.asp?id=156
- ^ Exodus International article, "September 2006 - History Of Exodus", author unknown, retrieved from http://exodus.to/content/view/703/207/ on December 31, 2007
- ^ Exodus International article, "September 2006 - History Of Exodus", author unknown, retrieved from http://exodus.to/content/view/703/207/ on December 31, 2007
- ^ "Are Sexual Preferences Changeable?", by Warren Throckmorton, retrieved from http://www.drthrockmorton.com/article.asp?id=156 on December 31, 2007
- ^ Exodus International article, "September 2006 - History Of Exodus", author unknown, retrieved from http://exodus.to/content/view/703/207/ on December 31, 2007
- ^ "Chairman Disciplined For Gay Bar Visit", author unknown (assumed to be Exodus International Media Relations), dated: October 03, 2000, retrieved from http://www.exodus.to/content/view/427/37/ on December 17, 2007
- ^ Archives, The Washington Post, "Ads Renew Ex-gay Debate", by Alan Cooperman, 21 Oct 2002
- ^ As above, "Chairman Disciplined For Gay Bar Visit"
- ^ Southern Voice (newspaper), "Ex-gay Leader Confronted In Gay Bar", by Joel Lawson, 21 September 2000
- ^ As above, "Chairman Disciplined For Gay Bar Visit"
- ^ My first cease-and-desist letter. Justinsomnia (2006-03-02). Retrieved on 2006-04-18.
- ^ Liberty counsel threatens to sue over Exodus parody. Ex-Gay Watch (2006-03-02). Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
- ^ A response to Liberty. Justinsomnia (2006-03-22). Retrieved on 2006-04-18.
- ^ Miller, Lia. "Both sides in parody dispute agree on a term: Unhappy", New York Times, 2006-03-27, p. C7. Retrieved on 2006-04-18.
- ^ Swartz, Jon. "Christian group backs off case against blog parody", USA Today, 2006-03-23. Retrieved on 2006-04-18.
Sources
Besen, Wayne, Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth Harrington Park Press, Inc. (2003) ISBN 1-56023-445-8 (hardcover) ISBN 1-56023-446-6 (paperback) Carlson, Margaret , Praying Away the Gay , Time Magazine, July, 27, 1998. John Paulk (with Tony Marco) Not Afraid to Change: The remarkable story of how one man overcame homosexuality Winepress Publishing (1998) ISBN 1-57921-097-X
