As it turns out, there is a fair bit of work involved with bringing a site like this back from the dead. We have spent a lot of time reviewing the literature of the current crop of ex-gay organizations, therapists and religious based speakers. In some ways the landscape hasn’t changed all that much. The ex-gay triad of religion, therapy and money is alive and well. However, they have changed tactics and most want nothing more to do with the toxic terms of the past, i.e. conversion therapy, ex-gay, and even largely Reparative Therapy. More on this in another post.
There is a greater emphasis on transgender individuals and issues. Most of this is the same old ex-gay material repackaged. A focus on transgender rights has been building over the years since Ex-Gay Watch was last active and so has the opposition to this increased exposure. For our purposes and to maintain the recognition of this site, we will use the term “ex-gay” to encompass all things involved with the attempt to change sexual orientation or gender identity through some intentional process, or the claim that it has or can occur as the result of such.
It has always been our main purpose to act as a watchdog, to monitor those behind the ex-gay movement and investigate their claims and activities. In the process of bringing this information to light we offer a civil atmosphere where reasonable discussion is possible from disparate points of view. Such discussion is difficult to accomplish on social networks such as Facebook and the increasingly troubled Twitter. We offer it, but even more we depend on it for the success of this site. It won’t work without you and your quality input.
Bringing the website itself back has indeed been challenging. There were many maintenance issues left over from before, and new compatibility issues. Things have changed over the years but most of that work is about done. What is left is a revamp of the out-of-control tag system and the inclusion of some resources to provide basic information on aspects of our work that may help others to investigate and better understand what they find. If you have any suggestions, leave a comment or contact us here.
If you are new to Ex-Gay Watch, we invite you to view the archives available in the sidebar to the right. Most of the feature posts with any regularity stopped around about Jan 1, 2012 so you might want to search before that. Also, take a little time to review the comments connected with each post. These discussions can often provide more than the post itself. We have writers coming on board — some old, some new. We will introduce them when it is official.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Suggestions are welcome. Just expect some issues with the site for the next week or so with more content to come. It’s good to be back!