Ex-gay activist Stephen Bennett suffered a racist verbal slip last week. But it was not an entirely isolated incident. Republic of T reminds us that Bennett has linked to white supremacists before. (Past coverage: Good As You, Ex-Gay Watch). Republic of T recalls other examples of ex-gay racism, and sees a broader pattern of racism in the ex-gay political movement.
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Oh, *wow*. How interesting is *this*, especially in light of the way some black ex-gay and anti-gay activists talk about “the white gay establishment”? However, I’m sure that Stephen Bennett’s slip of the tongue reflects growing up white in America. (I say this as a white person.) It’s hard to escape racism in this society, unfortunately, whether in LGBT, anti-gay, or straight environments.
To be fair, racism is also an issue in the gay community, but I understand what you are saying. One of the major rallying points anti-gay groups use is “how dare gays compare themselves to blacks!!!”, yet they so often seem to not practice what they preach.
This seems like a stretch to me, Mike; :…a broader pattern of racism in the ex-gay political movement.”? I think you would need more than what you have here to establish a broad pattern in an entire movement.
I hesitate to endorse the notion that the ex-gay movement is racist, but I do think it is, at least, segregated. It probably is a fair observation that nearly all, if not entirely all, of the leadership is white as well as the overwelming number of strugglers.
To some extent this is a reflection of the more conservative end of the evangelical movement as a whole. It is true that there is The Black Church (as a collective term) in America and that this comes out of the history of the Baptist and Pentecostal churches (as well as more mainline denominations).
We are all aware of the history of the Southern Baptist Church and why it is called “Southern”. And in 1914 the pentecostal movement made a decision to segregate what had been until then an integrated faith (truly a shameful decision – some argue that had it gone another way that much racial mistrust in the country might have been avoided).
Considering that the response of the Black Church to homosexuality (and MANY other things) has been VERY different than the White Church, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that ex-gay ministries don’t appeal equally.
This was intended as a quick, brief link to what others are saying. I agree a more thorough case could/should be made, but Republic of T points out that no one in the ex-gay political leadership seems to have held NARTH publicly accountable for its justification of slavery, nor have Stephen Bennett’s sponsors publicly held him accountable for his brushes with racism.
XGW has previously cited, albeit briefly, institutional racism at Focus on the Family. Focus co-founder Gil Alexander-Moegerle expressed concern about upper management’s racism in his book about James Dobson 10 years ago. (Google search.) I invite websites that have adequate resources to document or refute the concerns of Republic of T and Alexander-Moegerle.
I agree with Warren Throckmorton that the word “pattern” is a bit strong — it might imply an organized plan. However, Republic of T does see a pattern insofar as he traces racism among specific, current, political religious-right organizations to one of the founders of Christian Reconstructionism. Weak case? Yes, but worth investigating.
I don’t see how calling black Americans “black Americans” is racist. I’m not a particular fan of Stephen Bennett, but this is really a sad grasping of straws here.
JohnK says:
It was the fact the word “dirty” was added in the same sentence to the “black Americans”.
My question to Bennet would be: “How can you make that major slip of the tongue?”
Going through Exodus or more formal organized ex gay therapy or ministry…isn’t cheap or easy to access.
Expensive therapies just aren’t a priority for black folks a lot of the time. And it’s a major stigma for Asians and Latinos to go to any therapy, let alone THIS kind of therapy.
And there isn’t any widepsread proof that would be tangible in those ethnic groups.
Besides, black folks, Latinos and some Asians, tend to be very expressive and unfazed by flamboyancy (witout being gay), so perhaps they don’t mind it as much as the sorts of people that participate on an average in the ex gay ministries.
Which is why I say that some ex gays are like flat tires and plain oatmeal.
Bland, not very exciting, level…and none to prone to rock anything.
I think though, the financial sacrifice isn’t what lot of black folks can afford. That’s when you have to put up or shut up. They aren’t into indefinite financial commitments without more immediate results.
I don’t think the wording is appropriate either (but glad to see Mike A. does recognise the concerns too. The joy of re-reading.)
Specific “individuals” can be noted at times, a.k.a. Bennett or DL Foster, but to tar an entire group is not appropriate — unless of course one was to first heed Mike A.’s words and do that investigating before hand.
While it is an historic fact that 1) conservatives (collectively) and conservative Christian organisations more the point, were indeed one of the primary causes for prolonged institutional racism, and 2) they remain at least behaviourally a highly segregated group of worshippers and 3) there is indeed a nasty intersection of Christian-identity and racism in some quarters … that’s a far from evidence that “exgays” are a coven of racists. That’s really drawing a long bow.
I for one could not claim exgays (grouped), as such, to be racist — except to the extent that they are as damaged by racism as is “everyone” else in society. The same, of course, could be said — and has been said — about gay men and women, or any other group of people.
It would have been far better to headline with “Stephen Bennett: racist?”, and not hide the broader claims behind another writer on another site. What would we call that — umm, guilt-by-referral-offsite-but-it-wasn’t-actually-me-that-actually-said-it or something???
That sort of writing style is more at home at Dr. “I’m just reporting it” Throckmorton’s 🙂
Anyway, that’s my protest made. I can shutup now.