PFOX stands for ‘Parents and Friends of Ex-gays and Gays’–despite the fact that the organization is not run by ex-gays, and repeatedly and openly expresses a vituperative disdain for all things gay.
One of their more outlandish claims is that there are twice as many “ex-gays” as there are gays. In census terms, that’s about 18 million ex-gays.
You can read about their latest escapade below (For recent coverage, see Google):
Shareholders ask Walt Disney to Include Ex-Gays in Company’s Non-Discrimination Policies:
“It is about time Disney treated ex-gays with the respect they deserve,” said Bobbie Strobhar, the stockholder who submitted the shareholder resolution. “Former homosexuals are true models of courage who have been vilified by gay activists.”
Dr. Michael Brown weighs in on the matter via Focus on the Family’s Citizenlink, to assert that ex-gays are some of the most discriminated against in America:
Disney Stockholders Mull Resolution to Protect Ex-Gays
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“If you’re going to have these discrimination laws in policies, then by all means include these as a special class of people,” Brown said.
I think it’s worth noting that Brown refers to those who identify as formerly-gay as “these.”
That succinct little bit of bluster is in light of an email in which he steers readers to an article—written by NARTH’s Prof. Robert Gagnon—that Brown describes as “exposing the very real dangers of the [then] proposed “Employment Non-Discrimination Act””–>
Gagnon’s article on the evils of ENDA is dated Oct. 23, 2007.
<–Brown’s Coalition of Conscience email (no longer in service), is dated 10-25-07, two days later.
The screen cap of the cached email above would seem to concur with those dates.
Here’s a snippet of Gagnon’s article that Brown links to:
Don’t ENDAnger Your Liberties in the Workplace
The bill will virtually codify you as a bigot so far as the federal government is concerned if you oppose homosexual practice on moral grounds.
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If you are not convinced that this will be the outcome, try including “pedosexuality” (i.e. pedophilia), a sexual orientation toward children, under the rubric “sexual orientation” [emp mine]
Given that Mr. Brown is still a fan of Robert “pedosexuality” Gagnon, yet supports the inclusion of “ex-homosexuals” in anti-discrimination policies, are we then to assume he also supports ex-pedophiles being included in anti-discrimination policy?
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Further, and on a much lighter note, if Disney’s “ex-gay” employees are afforded non-discrimination protections, will they then hold ex-gay days?
The celebration of Gay days at Disney is traditionally marked by the wearing of red.
So what’s the color of ex-red?
Every time the self-proclaimed “ex-Gays” start bitching about how they are somehow being discriminated against, I am left scratching my head. Anti-discrimination laws are being expanded to include “sexual orientation.” And the funny thing about sexual orientation is, EVERYBODY HAS ONE.
To someone who describes himself as “ex-Gay,” I would ask the following questions:
1: If you are “ex-Gay,” does this mean that you are now Straight?
2: If not Straight, do you see yourself as a celibate homosexual?
3: If not heterosexual or homosexual or bisexual, do you see yourself as “asexual?”
Inquiring minds want to know!
That just about sums it up, Chuck. : )
Way to go Chuck!
This is making PFOX look supremely stupid. So focused are they on being victims, they are losing sight of the very issue.
Gay people have essentially worked hard at protections that eventually will include EVERYONE.
PFOX is being redundant, as Chuck has so smartly pointed out. They have worked against gay people, but now want to shove aside gay people and claim protections from something they’ve never supported.
The dichotomy and illogic of bigotry rears itself again!
Chuck, perhaps we need a fourth question. Alan Chambers says that “the opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality, it’s holiness.” So, doesn’t that mean holiness is a sexual orientation? If you no longer see yourself as homosexual, do you self-identify as holy?
Ex-lesbian Sarah Melnychuck informs me that many asexuals like myself “have walked out of homosexuality as well as asexuality” so apparently asexuality is sinful too. Although the APA considers asexuailty to be an orientation, lots of people do not. But I’m not worried about being disciminated against for being asexual, so I don’t care much.
Way to thicken the plot.
I just read the headline to this post and had a good laugh.
Well put, Chuck. I’ve always wanted to ask an ex-gay why he/she doesn’t just identify as straight. With the term ‘ex-gay’ there is still that association with ‘gay’ since the word ‘gay’ is in the name. Samething goes for ‘former homosexual’ or ‘ex-homosexual.’
I wonder what it’s like to have a ‘holiness’ orientation.
However, our mindless opposition just do not have the facts like we do. We know what sexual orientation is. They do not know. To them, gay or homosexuality is an adjective describing:
an addiction
a gross sex act
one of the many many “sexual orientations” behaviour like pedophilia
sex with same sex because of distant or overbearing parents
(if only they would make up their mind)
… and not a noun describing sexual attractions like we know it