My friend Peterson has been blogging like mad lately (and I suspect he might be a little mad as well, but please don't tell him I said that). I always enjoy reading what he has to say, but there have been a couple of posts that have really resonated with me.How Sexual Abuse Made Me Ex-Gay is an interesting look at something those of us who have been through these ministries often say: What is it about these ex-gay ministries that attract those with abuse in their past?
Melissa Fryrear ("Gender Issues Analyst" for Focus on the Family) has been quoted recently repeating the tired old cliché that sexual abuse makes us gay, saying, "Sexual trauma is a huge piece of the puzzle. Having talked with hundreds of homosexuals, I have never met one that had not been sexually violated in his or her life."
Aside from the fact that I know a number of queer folks who have never had to endure child abuse, the fact is that those who have experienced this seem to be drawn in disproportionate numbers to ex-gay ministries. This naturally ends up skewing the views of these professional ex-gays.
Peterson says they are asking the wrong question. 'Instead of searching for the elusive root causes of same-sex attraction, I wish they would ask themselves, "Why do our programs attract same-gender loving people who have also been sexually abused?"' Read the rest.
Another excellent post from Peterson is his recent post about the "Ex-Gay Lifestyle"--an exploration of what it means to be in the "Gay Lifestyle" and what it means to choose a brand-new "Ex-Gay Lifestyle."
It's definitely worth a look, especially to see a page from the actual manual he received while doing his time at the Homo No Mo halfway house (aka Love In Action, in Memphis, Tennessee). The Ex-Gay Lifestyle Exposed!
Check out these great posts (and many more) over at Peterson's blog.
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