XGW reported in December that Exodus International downsized “youth specialist” Mike Ensley. However, no official word was ever publicly released on the websites of Exodus, President Alan Chambers, Vice President Randy Thomas, or even Ensley himself. In fact, Ensley’s blog – mikeensley.vox.com – kept running as though all was normal well after news got around he was fired laid off. Ensley was a frequent commenter at Randy Thomas’ own blog up until as recently as this past November. But not a peep was mentioned about his being let go.
Ensley now seems to have officially disintegrated his blog, although Randy still keeps a (now dead) link to it in his blog roll. And even though he no longer is employed by Exodus, his biography page remains on the site and easily discovered through a Google search. On the Exodus Youth page, Ensley has authored a great deal of the articles present and a link leads to an official page listing the posts credited to him. His most recent post is dated at December 10th 2008, about 2 months ago.
Freelance photography may be his next move. His MySpace page describes him as “an aspiring writer, photographer and artist living in Orlando.” Included in his Flickr.com portfolio are images from Exodus and “ex-gay”-related events.
I really hope that Mike Ensley can find better, more productive work outside the confines of Exodus. He is still pretty young, and it would be a shame for him to continue in the path of Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas. I hope that he has already figured out that really is a lot more to life than being a professional ex-gay.
I hope the same — that he broadens his horizons beyond the ex-gay echo chamber.
Wow… who knew you could be that cute and ex-gay… hopefully he just found a boy friend and is horribly troubled and working through things 🙂
What evidence do you have that he was fired? Its my understanding that he was layed off due to financial issues. And that he still has an amicable relationship with his former employer.
Actually, that was the information we received from a third party (that he was laid off), however you bring up a good point. Neither Exodus or Ensley responded to an email asking for information, so do you have some sort of solid info concerning what happened?
He was not the last hired so I’m not sure how much distinction there is between “laid off” and “fired” during financial distress. A simple response from either party would clarify, but if you have something solid we would appreciate the information.
We have no information one way or the other on this, nor does Emily’s article make any claim in that area. I suspect she just used “fired” interchangeably with “laid off.” In another instance she used “let go.” It does seem rather bizarre that Exodus would make no public mention at all of Ensley’s departure. And what about Ensley? He has spent the last few years developing an audience of people who may admire or at least identify with him. They have followed his life at Exodus, perhaps they are even trying to be ex-gay. Now poof! It begs the question, why no post to say hey, times are hard all over and Exodus has tightened the budget, God is leading me elsewhere. Something, anything.
Just seems odd.
Were any other Exodus employees layed off, or just Mike?
Chris Stump was the only other person we know of. You can read about it here.
Yeah, I assumed they could be used interchangeably, David if you need it edited that’s fine.
I think it’s a bit random that Ensley was one of the only ones on the chopping block. I always thought he was pretty prominent in ex-gay circles. he was a common speaker, plus the youth movement is pretty much the only hope ex-gay programs have of keeping staying power, since my generation is worlds more tolerant and understanding than my parents’. And my youngest sister’s generation (she’s 6 years old) – look out, “love won out!” So laying off the spokesperson for the future of ex-gaydom seems a bit odd to me. I would think they’d lay off a few interns or more of the worker-bee types first. Plus, Ensley is a good-looking guy and don’t they like to keep the good-looking ones around? haha…
I did not mention in the article whether he keeps in touch with Randy or anybody else, only that he has not resurfaced since November on his blog, which is when he was participating in election discussions. (Randy and he agreed upon everything, natch.)
If I were him, I would have kept the blog – or maybe even redirected it into a new website displaying my portfolio. But I wouldn’t have demolished it. It’s been around since 2007. He could have simply made a statement saying he was “Laid off for financial reasons” – I mean, it’s not like this is an unusual happening in the job market right now – and then quickly stated how he’s picking himself up and starting a new freelancing career.
Good luck with the freelancing, btw, because it’s a tough market right now. Take it from someone who knows. But he might be able to find success in a niche market courting his skills in whatever to conservative Christian groups/people/organizations need such services. I think it’s almost a rule that artists are on the “outside” and that we’re more socially liberal – at the very least, we’re more open to acceptance of sexual minorities – and Ensley definitely is not.
I don’t know why he took his blog down, but I wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that he is now looking for employment. Some employers might google applicants. I know I have had that thought about my own blog when I think about schools or careers.
I always admired Mike’s graphic design work and hope his talents in that will make for a bright future.
Wow, was not expecting this. Hope he’s doing okay. Even if I disagree with a lot of what he’s said in the past, I really do like Mike Ensley personally and I hope that everything is going well for him. He’s got a lot of potential. I wish him all the best.
This is a reality of the 21st century, but I don’t think removing his blog will do much to change an employer’s perception either way if they Google before hiring. Ironically, since most people don’t seem to have a clue about what “ex-gay” is (and I sincerely doubt most non-ex-gay jobs would see a distinction anyway), the one real possible “negative” to an employer would be his emphasis on gay issues (i.e. he is gay, and might even appear as a gay activist).
ENDA anyone?
Why would he need Exodus to continue his agenda? It doesn’t have to be his PAID gig to go on, does it?
Considering the lack of a send off from Exodus, I’d wonder why. Because Exodus and their spokesfolk don’t enter without fanfare over their work.
I get the e-newsletters that trumpet their intentions and successes, but ex gays as INDIVIDUALS seem to require much more than just being private and without ad campaigns.
What is the difference between an ex gay man in the ex gay road show, and a straight guy without all the drama and attention being straight normally wouldn’t garner?
Or am I missing something?
I’m not really a fan of his work, from one artist/designer to another – and thinking about that pamphlet either Exodus or some other right-wing political group printed opposing legal equality for gays that featured him doing his best Abercrombie model impression doesn’t give me warm feelings either. What was it that pamphlet said? “under anti-discrimination laws we’re worth less as ex-gays than we were as gays?”
…except if you happen to simply “look gay” (Ensley does, along with Randy and Alan) and people will kill you simply for looking the part even when you’re “not” or “used to be.”
I don’t wish him to be cursed and remain unemployed, but I’m not going to pretend that what I’ve read by or about him has left me endeared. I’m hoping that as he continues to expand artistically, so too will his opinions and his mind. I also hope that in living in the real world and not as a professional ex-gay will help him get a more balanced understanding of the TRUE gay community and not just the stereotypes Exodus ships in from the 80’s.
Maybe Mike is simply grounded, under parental surveillance?
https://exodus.to/content/view/547/149/
I hope no young “ex-gay” clients took his advice to live life as a 12-year-old forever.
Mike is writing for a Focus on the Family website called “Boundless”. It’s a site they aim a young people looking for info on marriage and relationships. It’s basically the FOF company line on everything.
I do find it a hoot that they have a guy named “John Thomas” who offers advice to men on relationships and sex, oops on not having sex.
https://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001978.cfm
Thanks for the laugh, another Scott LOL!
Now, there’s nothing that’ll convince me that Mike is nothing else other than lunatic.
“But don’t try to outline or explain your gay friend’s experience to them — instead, lay yours out in the open.”
(hilarious, because “ex-gays” like Mike and Randy tries to pass off their own personal experience as EVERY gay person’s experience)
“I am willing to bet that, in many cases, the contentious gay person doesn’t believe what they’re saying.”
Mike Ensley –
Just because you hang out and constantly socialize with teenyboppers, doing god knows what with them – and just because you’re content with having your parents spoonfeed you, change your diapers, ground and discipline you like a kid, and talk down to you like you’re 12, at age 30, doesn’t mean you can treat us independent gay people the same way.
If the words are coming out of my mouth, or from my keyboard, I can guarantee I know what the fuck I’m saying.
I was going to be nice to that wannabe-teenybopper loser due to his recent unemployment – but he’s got some humiliation coming his way now.
In reference to the second quote Scott posted, I would think that an ex-gay person is far less likely to believe what he or she is saying. Folks like Alan Chambers, Randy Thomas, and Mike Ensley have their careers, credibility, social network, and an entire organization riding on the alleged success of their degayification.
I’m always amazed at the arrogance of Exodus International. “What you think makes you happy doesn’t really make you happy. What you said just now isn’t really what you meant to say.” Give me a break!
Scott, want another laugh? Check out this evangelism tract Ensley made for Exodus Youth.
I doubt they paid him what a market-rate graphic designer gets. Most likely he was pulling double duty as professional ex-gay for Exodus Youth and sometimes graphic artist. They certainly lost one cheap source of creative services.
I trust we aren’t knocking his graphic work.
Scott, that’s a common bit of thinking in evangelical circles in general from my experience. The idea is that you are presenting someone with overpowering truth and they get mad in something akin to a crisis of conscience. The problem is that many, including Exodus, use this bit of reasoning to justify the perfectly normal anger at being marginalized with condescending, passive-aggressive arguments. With this method they objectify the other person, and many times exacerbate the wounds of past dehumanizing attitudes.
All the ex-gay pop-psychology aside, no one likes to be treated as a project. It’s petty, and it’s unproductive, but it does allow Mike and anyone else who espouses it to act like a jerk and feel more sanctified in the process. It also turns upside down the Biblical examples they claim to honor .
The most charitable thing I can say about Exodus at this point is, “they just don’t get it.” I really do hope that Mike can let that Exodus mentality go and get on with his life. Whether he choses side A or B is none of my business.
No, it wasn’t the work I was knocking. It was the irony.