Exodus leaders Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas testified in Massachusetts last year, encouraging lawmakers to outlaw gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships.
According to the Boston Phoenix, their efforts inspired a Massachusetts ex-gay, Larry Houston, to make weekly visits to the State House to teach lawmakers that:
- homosexuals “choose” to be gay,
- therefore, gay couples’ life relationships should be subjected to severe legal and financial disadvantages compared to heterosexual couples.
Houston asserts, without offering examples, that unnamed homosexual activists claim people are “born gay.” Then, based on that strawman argument, Houston accuses these activists of lying.
Houston seems to contradict himself. He claims that his sexual orientation changed — but then he acknowledges that his sexual attractions did not change.
The article creates the impression, accurately or not, that Houston is playing word games, redefining “sexual orientation” without telling anyone.
As a matter of policy, Houston does not permit himself to have an intimate relationship with anyone. He is entitled to make that choice. But he appears determined to force that decision upon all other same-sex-attracted individuals, as well.
Like Alan Chambers, Houston is upset that a recent Boston Globe article (archive fee required) would report the basic fact that same-gender-attracted teen couples — like opposite-gender-attracted teens — dream of getting married someday.
How would Houston have written the article? That is not clear. Would Houston prefer that same-sex-attracted teen-agers be silenced, be scapegoated for the spread of AIDS, or be “educated” to believe the stereotype that monogamy does not exist outside heterosexual conservative Christian versions of marriage?
Ultimately, Houston is portrayed as a nice guy who presents himself as someone in denial about the complexity and depth of human sexuality and love. They really are about much more than just “behavior.”
Postscript: Larry Houston wrote to XGW on Feb. 14 to correct me. I appreciate his effort to contact me, and his politeness. Here is the full text of his messages.
From: HopeAgain123@aol.com
Date: February 14, 2004 10:04:29 AM EST
Subject: Larry former homosexual from Boston
Hello,
I wish to reply to the following comment from your web site.
As a matter of policy, Houston does not permit himself to have an intimate relationship with anyone.
I am pursueing an intimate relationship with someone. Her name is Angela. That was mentioned in the Boston Phoenix article. Please visit a web site you may see our picture. www.as4us.org
Prayers and God’s Blessings,
Larry Houston
From: HopeAgain123@aol.com
Date: February 14, 2004 9:59:13 AM EST
To: editor@exgaywatch.com
Subject: Larry, former homosexual from Boston
Hello,
I have read your ex-gay blog and I am attaching a file of the information that I past out to the MA state legislators. For further information I encourage you to visit a web site. www.banap.net
When I lobby and pass out information it is documented with the sources I am using. Also I am willing to provide the orginal source. I was able to pass this information to almost all of the 199 offices at the MA state house. I was there in the morning before I went to work at Harvard University and some of the offices were locked. So I was unable to enter into the office.
I look forward to your response after reading the attached file. Page 6 has the list of the sources from homosexual activists themselves. Will you print a correction to your comment that I provide no sources. Should you wish to not open the attached file (concern over viruses) I have pasted the list of sources below.
Bancroft, John. “Homosexual Orientation The search for a biological basis.” British Journal Of Psychiatry. 1994, 164, 437-440.
Byne MD, PhD, William & Bruce Parsons, MD, PhD. “Human Sexual Orientation: The Biological Theories Reappraised.” Archives of General Psychiatry. Vol 50, March 1993, 228-239.
Connell, R. W. and G. W. Dowsett. Rethinking Sex Social Theory and Sexuality Research. Melbourne University Press. Melbourne, 1992.
De Cecco, John P. “Confusing the Actor With the Act: Muddled Notions About Homosexuality.” Archives of Sexual Behavior. 1990. Vol.19, No.4, 409-412.
DeCecco, John P. PhD, and Michael G. Shively, MA, editors. Bisexual and Homosexual Identities: Critical Theoretical Issues. The Haworth Press. New York, 1984.
DeCecco, John P. PhD, and David Allen Parker, MA editors. Sex, Cells, and Same-Sex Desire: The Biology of Sexual Preference. Harrington Park Press, New York,
Downing, Christine. Myths and Mysteries of Same-Sex Love. Continuum Publishing Company. New York, 1989.
Duberman, Martin. Left Out. South End Press. Cambridge, MA,2002. Duggan, Lisa & Nan D. Hunter. Sex Wars Sexual Dissent and Political Culture. Routledge. New York & London, 1995.
Herdt, Gilbert. Same Sex, Different Cultures.Westview Press. 1997.
McConaghy, DSc, MD, Nathaniel. “Biologic Theories of Sexual Orientation.” Archives of General Psychiatry May. 1994, Volume 51, 431-431.
Mondimore, Francis Mark. A Natural History of Homosexuality. The John Hopkins University Press. Baltimore and London, 1996.
Seidman, Steven. Embattled Eros. Routledge. New York, 1992.
Terry, Jennifer. An American Obession Science, Medicine, and Homosexuality in Modern Society. The University of Chicago Press. Chicago and London, 1999.
Weeks, Jeffrey. Coming Out Homosexual Politics in Britain, from the Nineteenth Century to the Present. Quartet Books. London,Melbourne, & New York, 1977.
Prayers and God’s Blessings,
Larry Houston