“Ex-Gay”: Dan Savage ‘Should Be Arrested’

(10 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Well, who would know more about hopelessness and depression than a self-loathing ex-gay? DL Foster is a “former homosexual” and the founder of the Gay Christian Movement Watch (an excuse to stare at gay men?). He argues that Dan Savage is perpetuating a myth, that LGBT youth should not expect life to get better. For peddling this false hope, Dan Savage should be punished.

From Right Wing Watch:

It’s really indicative of the character of these individuals, this individual Dan Savage, is also the creator of the so-called anti-bullying It Gets Better charade. You know, homosexual kids are still killing themselves after believing his message. I think he-personally-I think he should be arrested for propagating this lie to-for these kids to have this false promise without any sort of information on what is ‘it’ anyway? It’s really so vile to me that it disturbs me to even talk about it.

Audio here.

I can see why people like DL Foster are especially threatened by the “It Gets Better” campaign. Consider the implications for the ex-gays. They’ve spent years convincing themselves that they are better off hating themselves, denying their true sexuality, living a lie than they are living as out and proud LGBT citizens. Imagine the psychological pain that would come with the realization that they tortured themselves for nothing.

Coming out of the closet was an enormous relief for me, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. I could finally be me and do what I wanted. But after that euphoria lifted, I had to deal with a very painful truth. Nobody cared that I was gay. I didn’t lose a single friend. None of my family abandoned me. Nothing. I stayed in the closet for way longer than I needed to, living a lie in shame and fear. Once I realized that I had wasted those years, that I could have been happy and free, it was more than I could handle. And I slipped into another depression. So I get why DL Foster and group are so desperate to be right. Because a world where it really does get better is more frightening than a world where it doesn’t.

In that vein, I pity the self-gays. There is a certain degree of internalized sexual prejudice that all LGBT persons must work through as part of the coming out process. The “ex-gays” never work through it. They embrace the message from the Church that they must hate themselves, that they must hide their true selves, that they don’t deserve to enjoy the happy lives that God intended for them. They’ve never been free.

Still, there are limits to my sympathy. DL Foster and company have chosen their path, and they are trying to frighten LGBT youth into making that mistake. Some youth may choose to do just that, but others who hear this message of hopelessness and despair will take a more drastic course–substance abuse, self-harm, and/or suicide. Remember, the message of the “It Gets Better” campaign isn’t only that it gets better, but that it is worth surviving the really horrible times to get to the good stuff. It’s not just that “It Gets Better,” its “Don’t Give Up”. You can’t tell LGBT youth that they have no hope and expect them not to give up on life.

What kind of Chirstian message is that?

It’s not!

(h/t Towleroad)