According to activist/author Wayne Besen, it’s time for Exodus to put up or shut up.
If “hundreds of thousands” of exgays really exist then, as Besen says today, it’s time for these exgays’ self-proclaimed leader, Alan Chambers, to march the hordes to Washington and prove their numbers in force.
Besen compares Exodus’ counts to the “billions” who have been “served” by McDonald’s. But it isn’t just Exodus’ numbers that seem out of whack. To former exgays, Exodus member ministries’ services — however tasty and served with a smile — seem in retrospect about as healthy as a diet of bacon double cheeseburgers.
I asked Randy Thomas (very nicely) on his blog yesterday about the hundreds of thousands claim since Randy personally repeated that number in the latest Exodus press release.
Post deleted, no response.
Interesting. I wouldn’t give Alan any ideas though. Because they probably will march, but it will be mostly parents and pastors, not actual ex-gays (like LWO). Maybe the ex-gays could wear special shirts to identify them as the real deal (I’m sure I don’t have to suggest that it will be blue for the men and pink for the women).
I know there are some self-identifying ex-gays who are married and living happy lives (heck, I spoke with one this morning and I don’t doubt her story and experiences). I know there’s many more who are self-identifying as ex-gay and haven’t experienced any change in orientation but are living heterosexually or asexually anyway. Does it prove anything if they march?
My guess is that Alan will turn it into another rally and the numbers will be inflated by “supporters” and then Alan will use that for the next ten years to bolster his claims.
How interesting Mike.But at least one is honest enough to use a clown as their front man. It helps put a happy, smiley face on all that they do. The kids are drawn to that, and this is what keeps the parents happy. Many aren’t aware just how many “fake” ingredients are contained on their products.And, of course, then there’s McDonalds…
The problem with a march’s head count would be the same problem of the “Love Won Out” conferences — most of the people who have attended these events haven’t been the actual people who self-identify as ex-gay or ex-transgender. Instead, they are the friends, allies, significant others, and those who would uses ex-gay and ex-transgender people for their own political or spiritual purposes.In other words, who is at the front of the ex-gay and ex-transgender movement? Unlike LGBT civil rights organizations and grass roots movements where actual LGBT people are doing most of the leading, the ex-gay and ex-transgender organizations have a high percentage of people in their leadership that aren’t ex-gay or ex-transgender.