I Spent Seven Years Gay Conversn Therapy Programs Before Breakg Free</tle><meta name="tle" ntent="I Spent Seven Years Gay Conversn Therapy Programs Before Breakg Free" /><meta name="scriptn" ntent="As the GOP seems to promote a renounced practice, one man speaks up." /><meta name="keywords" ntent="News" /><meta property="og:type" ntent="webse" /><meta name="theme-lor" ntent="#000000" /><lk href="/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/imag/" rel="in" /><meta property="og:se_name" ntent="Esquire" /><meta name="fb:app_id" ntent="171874009543995" property="fb:app_id" /><meta name="article:publisher" ntent=" property="article:publisher" /><meta name="fb:pag" ntent="84169421673" property="fb:pag" /><meta name="twter:se" ntent="@Esquire" /><meta name="google-se-verifitn" ntent="1vf5i9wM7chlCFc_0XI_e-oCfDf4sEvp32sTGKokQ" /><meta property="og:tle" ntent="I Spent Seven Years Gay Conversn Therapy Programs Before Breakg Free" /><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="As the GOP seems to promote a renounced practice, one man speaks up." /><meta name="robots" ntent="max-image-preview:large,max-snippet:-1,max-vio-preview:30" /><lk rel="apple-touch-in" href="/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/imag/" /><meta property="og:image" ntent="" /><meta property="og:image:width" ntent="1200" /><meta property="og:image:height" ntent="600" /><meta name="thumbnail" ntent="" /><meta name="" ntent="" /><meta name="" ntent=" /><meta name="twter:image" ntent="" /><meta ntent=" property="og:url" /><meta name="to-publish" ntent="timely" /><meta property="og:type" ntent="article" /><meta name="twter:rd" ntent="summary_large_image" /><meta name="article:opn" property="article:opn" /><meta ntent="News" property="article:sectn" /><meta ntent="2021-11-02T00:24:31Z" property="article:modified_time" /><meta ntent="2016-07-28T18:30:00Z" property="article:published_time" /><meta name="sailth.excerpt" ntent="It began his junr year at Brigham Young Universy Provo, Utah: Michael Fergon wanted sperately to rid himself of the sexual feelgs he had toward men. His Mormon fah and his lovg fay would never unrstand. So he began to try to pray the gay began a seven-year" /><meta name="" ntent="news-polics,News" /><meta name="" ntent="2016-07-28 18:30:00" /><meta name="sailth.socialtle" ntent="I Spent Seven Years Gay Conversn Therapy Programs Before Breakg Free" /><meta name="ntenttype" ntent="standard-article" /><meta id="m1" name="m1" emProp="cssSelector " ntent=".ntent-hed" /><meta id="m2" name="m2" emProp="cssSelector" ntent=".ntent-k p" /><lk href="/" emSpe emType=" emRef="m1 m2" /><lk rel="preload" as="image" image-src-set=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" image-siz="100vw" /><lk rel="prefetch" href="" as="image" /><lk rel="preload" as="image" image-src-set=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" image-siz="100vw" /><meta name="next-head-unt" ntent="48" /><meta name="next-font-prennect" /><script id="vice-tect" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">(()=>{nst o="ontouchstart" wdow||!!navigator.maxTouchPots||("__touch"),t=wdow.matchMedia("only screen and (max-width: 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Programs Before Breakg Free</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="2" /></li></ol></nav><style data-emotn="css g4r5va">{font-fay:Glanz,Glanz-fallback,Tim,Serif;font-weight:normal;grid-lumn:1/-1;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-top:0.9375rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:2rem;le-height:1.25;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:2.625rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:3.125rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{font-size:3.37499rem;le-height:1.1;}}</style><h1 class="css-g4r5va exadjwu10"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span>I Spent Seven Years Gay Conversn Therapy Programs Before Breakg Free<span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h1><style data-emotn="css 2qf7xf">{lor:#515150;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;marg-bottom:0.625rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.0625rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.3125rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:1.3125rem;le-height:1.3;}} a{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:#FF3A30;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:#000000;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;} a:hover{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><div class="css-2qf7xf exadjwu8"><p>As the GOP seems to promote a renounced practice, one man speaks up.</p></div><style data-emotn="css d04ng2">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;marg-bottom:0.625rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}} span{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0rem;text-transform:palize;}@media(max-width: 48rem){ span{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){ span{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){ span{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.4;}}</style><div class="css-d04ng2 exadjwu7"><style data-emotn="css 1eqkg5m">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacg:0.02rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;-webk-text-stroke:0.005rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><addrs class="css-1eqkg5m ehvvd9m2"><style data-emotn="css 19e0noj">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;-webk-text-stroke:0.005rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><span class="css-19e0noj ehvvd9m1">By <style data-emotn="css 7l5upj">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><a href="/thor/16236/-2f00/" class="css-7l5upj e1c1bym14">Lorena O'Neil</a> and Lorena ONeil</span><style data-emotn="css 1bcsdhu">{display:le-block;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;marg-left:0.625rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><time class="css-1bcsdhu exadjwu6">Published: Jul 28, 2016</time></addrs></div><style data-emotn="css wkpw2c">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;}</style><div class="no-prt css-wkpw2c exadjwu15"><style 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class="css-k008qs ewisyje0"><style data-emotn="css 7ce51e">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;posn:relative;}@media(max-width: 64rem){{max-width:lc(100vw - (1rem * 2));marg-left:1rem;marg-right:1rem;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc(-1 * 1rem);}}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc((100vw - (lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 2 * 1rem)) / -2);}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem) and (max-width: 90rem){{max-width:lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem);marg-left:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / 2);paddg-left:1rem;paddg-right:1rem;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc(lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / -2) - 1rem);}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{marg-left:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem)) / 2);max-width:lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem);paddg-left:1rem;paddg-right:1rem;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc(lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 + 1rem)) / -2) - lc(2 * 1rem));}[data-has-sponsor] {marg-left:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem)) / 4);marg-right:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem)) / 4);}}</style><div class="standard-ntaer ntent-ntaer article-ntaer css-7ce51e ewisyje3"><style data-emotn="css trzem2">{jtify-self:center;posn:relative;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{marg-left:-50vw;marg-right:-50vw;width:100vw;left:50%;right:50%;}}</style><div class="ntent-lead css-trzem2 ewisyje6"><style data-emotn="css sm2oir">{height:to;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{marg:to lc(50% - 50vw);}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{marg:to;}}</style><div class="ntent-lead-image css-sm2oir e5f9kgu2"><style data-emotn="css eag3eq">{posn:relative;height:to;}</style><div class="css-eag3eq e5f9kgu1"><style data-emotn="css p7qblm">{posn:relative;--posn:absolute;height:to;} img{max-width:100%;height:to;} a{posn:absolute;}</style><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><style data-emotn="css 335qep">{posn:relative;width:100%;height:100%;object-f:ver;vertil-align:top;}</style><img fetchPrry="high" alt="Ear, Lip, Cheek, Facial hair, Hairstyle, Eye, Ch, Forehead, Eyebrow, Eyelash, " tle="Ear, Lip, Cheek, Facial hair, Hairstyle, Eye, Ch, Forehead, Eyebrow, Eyelash, " width="2000" height="1000" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-335qep exi4f7p0" /><style data-emotn="css 1i6sckr">{background:#c92228;bottom:0;paddg:.5rem;right:0;}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg:0.39rem;}}</style><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><style data-emotn="css 1l3i1cl">{display:block;height:1rem;width:1rem;}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:1.063rem;height:1.063rem;}}</style><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div></div><style data-emotn="css 285vyd">{le-height:1;}@media(max-width: 73.75rem){{paddg-left:0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0;}}</style><figptn class="css-285vyd enfs9c50"><style data-emotn="css 1mcfn5x">{lor:#595959;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;paddg-right:0.3125rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Courty of Michael Fergon</span></figptn></div></div><style data-emotn="css z6i669">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;posn:relative;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:3.5rem;paddg-right:3.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{max-width:45.25rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem) and (max-width: 100rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}{clear:both;ntent:" ";display:block;font-size:0.7rem;le-height:1.5rem;height:0rem;visibily:hidn;}</style><div class="article-body-ntent article-body standard-body-ntent css-z6i669 ewisyje7"><style data-emotn="css 1nhwtgm">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;}{float:left;text-transform:upperse;font-weight:bold;marg-right:0.9375rem;marg-bottom:-0.625rem;marg-top:0;}{font-fay:Glanz,Glanz-fallback,Tim,Serif;font-size:6.25rem;font-weight:normal;le-height:0.75;marg-right:0;paddg:0.6rem 0.75rem 0 0;}@-moz-document url-prefix(){{marg-top:0.625rem;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){{marg-right:0.3125rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{le-height:0.75;}} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}</style><p data-no-id="0" class="dropp css-1nhwtgm et3p2gv0">It began his junr year at Brigham Young Universy Provo, Utah: Michael Fergon wanted sperately to rid himself of the sexual feelgs he had toward men. His Mormon fah and his lovg fay would never unrstand. So he began to try to pray the gay away.</p><style data-emotn="css 18vfmjb">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}</style><p data-no-id="1" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Th began a seven-year journey through ne gay nversn therapy programs, also lled reparative therapy, which clud hypnotherapy, physil psychotherapy, evangelil spirual groups, and a 12-step addictn revery program. Such treatments were signed to "cure" homosexualy by changg a person's sexual orientatn or genr inty. The Amerin Psychologil Associatn, the Amerin Medil Associatn, the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn and the Amerin Amy of Pediatrics have nmned such practic. Print Obama <style data-emotn="css umdwtv">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:#FF3A30;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:background 0.4s;transn:background 0.4s;background:lear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webk-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}{lor:#000000;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;-webk-background-posn:100% 100%;background-posn:100% 100%;}</style><a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="supported a natnal ban" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0">supported a natnal ban</a>, and some stat have already passed such legislatn.</p><p data-no-id="2" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">But gay nversn therapy has re-entered the natnal spotlight after <a href="1]" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk="1]" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="a draft of the GOP's official 2016 platform" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0">a draft of the GOP's official 2016 platform</a>—much farther to the right than years past, and far more nservative than Donald Tmp's own posns—ntaed language that seemed to support s implementatn and e. Unrneath a subsectn tled "Protectg Individual Conscience Healthre," one le reads, "We support the right of parents to terme the proper medil treatment and therapy for their mor children."</p><div supprsHydratnWarng data-no-id="3" data-embed="pullquote" class="embed css-0 e9hzx6g0"><style data-emotn="css 1eiql25">{text-align:center;marg:0rem;paddg-top:0.9375rem;paddg-bottom:0.9375rem;}</style><blockquote class="css-1eiql25 e1pe3zr91"><style data-emotn="css ow0dpz">{borr:0.3125rem solid #FF3A30;borr-radi:100%;ntent:'';display:block;height:2.1875rem;left:50%;marg:-0.99rem to 0 -1.33rem;posn:absolute;width:2.1875rem;}</style><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-ow0dpz eagam8p0"></span><style data-emotn="css la9czl">{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.625rem;le-height:1.2;marg:0rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.75rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:2.375rem;le-height:1.2;}} b, strong{font-fay:her;font-weight:bold;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;}{ntent:'"';display:block;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:3.4375rem;le-height:0.72;font-style:alic;paddg:0.3125rem 0.875rem 0 0;}</style><blockquote class="css-la9czl e1pe3zr90">Fergon began to try to pray the gay away.</blockquote><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></blockquote></div><p data-no-id="4" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The man most rponsible for that language is Tony Perks, head of the Fay Rearch Council and an official mtee member of the Republin Platform 2016. <a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Time" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Time</em></a> reports that Perks "origally drafted a more explic embrace" of nversn therapy, but walked back after meetg wh top RNC officials. <a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="CNN" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">CNN</em></a> asked Perks for clarifitn on the change and he said: </p><p data-no-id="5" class="p3 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">"It's what says, 's whatever therapy that a parent wants to get for a mor child. There's stat that are tryg to rtrict what parents n do for lovg their children. Parents have a better ia I thk than legislators or ernment burecrats."</p><p data-no-id="6" class="p3 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">(The official platform <a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="now reads" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0">now reads</a>: "We likewise support the right of parents to nsent to medil treatment for their children, cludg mental health treatment, dg treatment, and treatment volvg pregnancy, ntraceptiv and abortn.")</p><p data-no-id="7" class="p3 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Furthermore, news <a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="recently rurfaced" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0">recently rurfaced</a> that Donald Tmp's nng mate, Mike Pence, durg his first succsful n for Congrs 2000, supported gay nversn therapy, wrg on <a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="his mpaign webse" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0">his mpaign webse</a>, "Rourc should be directed toward those stutns which provi assistance to those seekg to change their sexual behavr."</p><p data-no-id="8" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Meanwhile, Fergon renounced his attempts to change his sexual orientatn and was a platiff the first landmark urt cisn to addrs reparative therapy. The 2015 lg found that New Jersey-based nversn therapy anizatn JONAH (Jews Offerg New Alternativ for Healg) had mted nsumer d, and the anizatn was orred to pay the platiffs more than $70,000 refunds. The program eventually shut down pletely. Fergon is now out and married to a man. In light of the GOP's seemg embrace of the programs that did him so much harm, Fergon shared his story wh <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Esquire</em>.</p><style data-emotn="css 18pb4rg">{borr:0;borr-bottom:th solid black;marg:1.875rem 0;clear:both;}</style><hr data-no-id="9" class="css-18pb4rg et3p2gv0" /><p data-no-id="10" class="p4 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">ESQ: </strong><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">How do you rpond to the Republin platform's alleged allns to nversn therapy?</strong></p><p data-no-id="11" class="p4 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Michael Fergon: It's pretty horrifyg to see that the Republin platform clud d language for creasg the permissivens of nversn therapy. You see this aligng of rhetoric on the right to create a narrative that relig liberty is unr attack.</p><p data-no-id="12" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Were you surprised to see e up?</strong></p><p data-no-id="13" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I hontly was. Conversn therapy is one of those topics—even wh people who are very biased agast civil liberti and equali for LGBT people—where people see what looks like and how operat and they are appalled.</p><style data-emotn="css 1fbb0rt">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:40%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:30%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:30%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:20%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:20%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:20%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:20%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="small" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="14" class="align-right size-small embed css-1fbb0rt e1xqj1sx4"><style data-emotn="css uwraif">{width:100%;display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;}</style><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><img alt="Clothg, Lip, Coat, Facial hair, Hairstyle, Drs shirt, Eye, Collar, Ch, Forehead, " tle="Clothg, Lip, Coat, Facial hair, Hairstyle, Drs shirt, Eye, Collar, Ch, Forehead, " loadg="lazy" width="426" height="591" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div><style data-emotn="css 78jldq">{paddg-left:0rem;}</style><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><style data-emotn="css 1am3yn9">{paddg-left:0rem;le-height:1;}</style><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">D'Arcy Bensa</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="15" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Why did you start gog to nversn therapy?</strong></p><p data-no-id="16" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I grew up really happy Mormonism. When I was on my missn I disclosed for the first time to a lear the church that I was experiencg same-sex attractn. He told me to thk really vividly of the ccifixn of J and the nails gog to his hands. He was prcribg mental-shock therapy, a form of aversn therapy. </p><p data-no-id="17" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Later, while enrolled at Brigham Young Universy, a bishop advised me to beg nversn therapy wh a profsnal psychologist at the universy's unselg center. </p><p data-no-id="18" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Did you believe was gog to work?</strong></p><p data-no-id="19" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I totally had fah . I was unseled by the prithood lear that this was somethg he had helped a lot of people overe and that was jt a matter of turng down the dimmer swch on my attractn to men and turng up the dimmer swch on my attractn to women.</p><p data-no-id="20" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">How many different kd of nversn therapy programs did you try?</strong></p><p data-no-id="21" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I started 2004 at BYU and was volved var nversn therapy attempts through 2011. I tried ne different modali, cludg an evangelil Christian group that tried to "pray the gay away" and a 12-step addictn revery program bee one bishop advised me that my same sex attractn was related to beg addicted to attentn om men.</p><style data-emotn="css 1fvf3td">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:50%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:50%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:50%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:50%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:50%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:50%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="22" class="align-left size-medium embed css-1fvf3td e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="Face, Nose, Interactn, Comfort, Public speakg, Curta, Conversatn, Spokperson, Tie, Employment, " tle="Face, Nose, Interactn, Comfort, Public speakg, Curta, Conversatn, Spokperson, Tie, Employment, " loadg="lazy" width="960" height="960" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><style data-emotn="css 8h7i7x">{width:0;m-width:100%;paddg-top:0.625rem;letter-spacg:0.02rem;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;}</style><div class="css-8h7i7x e1xqj1sx1">Insi the urtroom durg <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Fergon</em> v. <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">JONAH</em>.</div><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Kathleen Perr/Equaly Case Fil</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="23" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Could you scribe some of the exercis you were tght?</strong></p><p data-no-id="24" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">At the Journey Into Manhood retreat they ed a psychodrama approach. We were prived of all munitn: no puter, no phone, no watch, no clocks. You create scenars wh groups and act them out to do high emotnal aroal role-play. The whole weekend is full of them. In one exercise a group of twelve men formed a human barri and someone had to break through to grab a pair of orang on the other si. The orang reprented symbolilly reclaimg your tticl. The ia behd is that you were homosexual bee eher your mother had metaphorilly strated you and ma you lose touch wh your male power, or society had emasculated and femized you.</p><p data-no-id="25" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What would the person do after grabbg the orang?</strong></p><p data-no-id="26" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">They were axed to squeeze them and get really worked up and roar and be this primal man that b orang and shov them down their pants. It's pretty <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Lord of the Fli </em>stuff.</p><div supprsHydratnWarng data-no-id="27" data-embed="pullquote" class="embed css-0 e9hzx6g0"><blockquote class="css-1eiql25 e1pe3zr91"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-ow0dpz eagam8p0"></span><blockquote class="css-la9czl e1pe3zr90">"I was unseled that was jt a matter of turng down the dimmer swch on my attractn to men and turng up the dimmer swch on my attractn to women."</blockquote><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></blockquote></div><p data-no-id="28" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Can you expla what "healthy touch" is?</strong></p><p data-no-id="29" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">At Journey Into Manhood the staff would mol var holdg posns for the participants and would stct to select someone to hold and give "goln father energy."</p><p data-no-id="30" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What is "goln father energy?"</strong></p><p data-no-id="31" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">People that have a certa type of energy that n heal your childhood wounds. Somebody who posss magil "goln father energy" will be able to help unbd you om the velopmental wounds that you are rryg. It's part of the overall iology of the program. A goln child is a child that was herently straight but who was screwed up by their parents. You have to fd the nocent place before you go off-track and start on the path to homosexualy.</p><p data-no-id="32" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The first troductn to healthy touch is havg one man seated on the ground while another puts his head his lap and the first man strok his shoulr. The eper that you get to the muni, the more physilly timate the posns bee.</p><style data-emotn="css f1dz33">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;clear:both;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="small" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="33" class="align-center size-small embed css-f1dz33 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><img alt="Eye, Stg, Flash photography, Beard, Lap, Facial hair, Livg room, " tle="Eye, Stg, Flash photography, Beard, Lap, Facial hair, Livg room, " loadg="lazy" width="650" height="464" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div><style data-emotn="css swqnqv">@media(m-width: 20rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}</style><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Studcentric Photography</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="34" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Did you ever enter a relatnship wh any of the men?</strong></p><p data-no-id="35" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Y, one of the unselors om Journey to Manhood did end up beg a sexually active partner. What do you expect to happen if you have the men who are extraordarily sexually reprsed and very isolated enter a world wh men the exact same suatn and put them high levels of emotnal and physil timacy? Of urse feelgs are gog to start emergg between people.</p><p data-no-id="36" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">How did you and the unselor feel about your relatnship?</strong></p><p data-no-id="37" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">At the time we were nial about what was happeng. We were sublimatg all of our ntact and our timacy to sayg, "This is helpg to get to a place where we won't need this anymore."</p><p data-no-id="38" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Was mon for unselors and therapists to be gay?</strong></p><p data-no-id="39" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Most of the men who I have enuntered who do nversn therapy themselv are attracted to men.</p><div supprsHydratnWarng data-no-id="40" data-embed="pullquote" class="embed css-0 e9hzx6g0"><blockquote class="css-1eiql25 e1pe3zr91"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-ow0dpz eagam8p0"></span><blockquote class="css-la9czl e1pe3zr90">"The eper that you get to the muni, the more posns you are tght and the more physilly timate the posns bee."</blockquote><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></blockquote></div><p data-no-id="41" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">You ttified that you took part "holdg nights." Can you expla those?</strong></p><p data-no-id="42" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">After a Journey Into Manhood retreat, you're now ntact wh all of the other closeted gay men who are tryg to make work their fah muny or to marry a woman or to sta a marriage they are already wh a woman. </p><p data-no-id="43" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">A holdg night volv gettg an vatn to go to somebody's hoe. Thirty or forty guys are all lyg down on uch or the floor and holdg each other cradlg posns. Men are dyads or tryads all over the hoe. You play Enya-like new age mic the background. It's a very timate physil and emotnal space. The theory is that Ameri jt don't have a cultural space for normal male timacy so we need to create the spac ourselv.</p><div supprsHydratnWarng data-no-id="44" data-embed="edorial-lk" class="embed css-0 e9hzx6g0"><style data-emotn="css 1643r8a">{borr:none;marg-top:1.875rem;marg-bottom:1.875rem;paddg:0rem;}</style><asi class="css-1643r8a e6pr2lz5"><style data-emotn="css l3w2xc">{display:le-block;font-weight:normal;marg:0rem;borr-top:0.25rem solid #15263D;paddg-right:1.1rem;paddg-top:0.4375rem;text-transform:lowerse;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;}</style><h6 class="css-l3w2xc e6pr2lz3"><style data-emotn="css 156fvc1">{borr-bottom:0.4375rem solid #FF3A30;borr-right:0.4375rem solid transparent;ntent:'';display:le-block;height:0;marg-right:0.5rem;width:0;}</style><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-156fvc1 eagam8p0"></span><style data-emotn="css 8lle59">{max-width:lc(100% - 120px - .625rem);}</style><span class="css-8lle59 e6pr2lz1">Esquire\'s One Year Out</span><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h6><style data-emotn="css c4s2gi">{paddg:0rem;marg:0rem;list-style:none;}</style><ul class="css-c4s2gi e6pr2lz4"><style data-emotn="css 79zw4t">{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem;le-height:2rem;paddg-top:0.625rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{le-height:1.4;}} a{-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;} a:hover{lor:#595959;}</style><li class="css-79zw4t e6pr2lz2"><style data-emotn="css 1bn7a5e">{-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webk-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webk-flex-directn:row;-ms-flex-directn:row;flex-directn:row;-webk-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webk-jtify-ntent:flex-start;jtify-ntent:flex-start;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;}</style><a href="/news-polics/a44938/one-year-out-marriage-equaly/" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="A Massive Celebratn of Marriage Equaly" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Edorial Lks" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="css-1bn7a5e e1c1bym14"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span><style data-emotn="css 1l0u1">{marg-right:0.625rem;height:to;}</style><img src="" alt="OYO" tle="OYO" width="120" height="100%" dg="async" loadg="lazy" image-align="left" class="css-1l0u1 e6pr2lz0" /><span class="css-8lle59 e6pr2lz1">A Massive Celebratn of Marriage Equaly</span><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></a></li></ul></asi></div><p data-no-id="45" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Are people clothed?</strong></p><p data-no-id="46" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The on that I went to, y. I have heard of some on that were not.</p><p data-no-id="47" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What would the groups do on other nights?</strong></p><p data-no-id="48" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">You would get together and watch a football game or a movie and talk about . We watched <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Gladiator</em> and talked about the archetyp of masculy. The ia was that if we get together and immerse ourselv all of this stereotyped male energy, real masculy would saturate to our mds and to our nature and that would lead to heterosexualy.</p><p data-no-id="49" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Were the groups relig?</strong></p><p data-no-id="50" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The on Utah were overwhelmgly Mormon.</p><p data-no-id="51" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Were there other kds of exercis you did?</strong></p><p data-no-id="52" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">There was a lot of bondage work. At Journey Into Manhood, the person who was the subject of the psychodrama selected someone om the group to reprent their mother. That person put on women's clothg — they had bras, wigs, drs. They were ached to act out the voice or prence of the first person's mother. I helped "hold space" wh about 12 other men and we stood a circle around the two men the middle.</p><p data-no-id="53" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The person who was the subject of the exercise was tied to the man drsed women's clothg, who would say all of the needy phras like "Don't ever leave me! I wont be able to exist whout you!" There was tntg. They said your md is at s most malleable a high emotnal aroal state, when you get to your ept re self. You were tasked wh breakg away and pg the rop that were tyg you to your mother. Then they did an exercise wh fathers.</p><p data-no-id="54" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The exercis were all clothed but the Journey Beyond retreat was almost exclively disrobed.</p><style data-emotn="css 1mtaqr6">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="55" class="align-right size-medium embed css-1mtaqr6 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><img alt="Fger, Hairstyle, Ch, Forehead, Facial hair, Eyebrow, Collar, Drs shirt, Nail, Tie, " tle="Fger, Hairstyle, Ch, Forehead, Facial hair, Eyebrow, Collar, Drs shirt, Nail, Tie, " loadg="lazy" width="543" height="960" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><div class="css-8h7i7x e1xqj1sx1">The jury rults for <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Fergon </em>v. <em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">JONAH</em>.</div><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Courty of Michael Fergon</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="56" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Journey Beyond is ually the retreat people go to after Journey Into Manhood, rrect?</strong></p><p data-no-id="57" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Y there are ductn levels wh the muni. If you succsfully prove your scery that you really want to overe sexual attractn and you don't "act out" wh any men for a perd of sexual sobriety, then you are qualified to do the Journey Beyond retreat. You go even eper to your psyche and you take even more of your cloth off.</p><p data-no-id="58" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Why did you not attend that one?</strong></p><p data-no-id="59" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">It was partly fancial. As a stunt who was the closet, I wasn't able to ask any fay members for assistance. It's not like the JONAH program was billed to surance. So all of the retreats and $100 private ssns add up.</p><p data-no-id="60" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What happened at your private ssns?</strong></p><p data-no-id="61" class="p2 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I had a hypnotherapy ssn. It was based on the unfortunately wispread theory that your homosexualy is related to absentee fatherg and not havg same-sex peers when you were velopg, and that you projected sexual sire onto the absence of the male relatnships your life. It's totally nonsense.</p><p data-no-id="62" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Unr hypnosis I was supposed to regrs back to the plac where the emotnal attachment to my father supposedly should have been. </p><p data-no-id="63" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Once I was hypnotized the therapist told me I need to take off your cloth orr to take off more of my hibns. He said that bee of my addictn to men, he was ducg eper hypnosis. He said that he need to be the one I was attached to so strongly that was gog to feel like an addictn. That this was the only way to dig ep enough to my emotnal memori and create an attachment to men and meet the unfulfilled needs om childhood velopment. Then, once they were met, I would be released om my homosexualy.</p><p data-no-id="64" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">He bldfold me and had me undrs myself pletely.</p><p data-no-id="65" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Reporter's note: Michael was unfortable gog on the rerd about the tails of what happened after he got undrsed durg hypnosis.</em> </p><div size="small" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="66" class="align-center size-small embed css-f1dz33 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><img alt="Human body, Wter, Jacket, Beard, Facial hair, Srf, Love, Motache, Hoodie, " tle="Human body, Wter, Jacket, Beard, Facial hair, Srf, Love, Motache, Hoodie, " loadg="lazy" width="640" height="640" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Courty of Michael Fergon</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="67" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Why was important for you to try and change your sexual orientatn? What was your ultimate goal?</strong></p><p data-no-id="68" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">So I uld go to the celtial kgdom where I would live the prence of God for eterny. The only way to do that the Mormon tradn is through a heterosexual marriage.</p><p data-no-id="69" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The psychodrama stuff is really mon and 's really disturbg. It might seem like I'm harpg on the relig ponent but 's hard to separate religns om nversn therapy and the actual practice of .</p><div supprsHydratnWarng data-no-id="70" data-embed="pullquote" class="embed css-0 e9hzx6g0"><blockquote class="css-1eiql25 e1pe3zr91"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-ow0dpz eagam8p0"></span><blockquote class="css-la9czl e1pe3zr90">"He bldfold me and had me undrs myself pletely."</blockquote><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></blockquote></div><p data-no-id="71" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What ma you stop gog?</strong></p><p data-no-id="72" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The hypnotism cint broke through and forced me to reevaluate. Bee of the mental vastatn that followed, I really nstcted and closely sctized the assumptns and the levels of tst that I had placed to different claims and to different people.</p><p data-no-id="73" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">How did you feel when you won the JONAH lawsu?</strong></p><p data-no-id="74" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I felt like a weight me off of my cht.</p><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="75" class="align-right size-medium embed css-1mtaqr6 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><img alt="Sleeve, Street fashn, Beard, sweatpant, " tle="Sleeve, Street fashn, Beard, sweatpant, " loadg="lazy" width="960" height="960" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Courty of Michael Fergon</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="76" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What would you tell someone ntemplatg nversn therapy?</strong></p><p data-no-id="77" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Please learn om my learn om what I tried for years and years to do and what I spent thoands and thoands of dollars tryg to do. Please learn what other people are sharg so you don't have to go through wasted, paful years.</p><p data-no-id="78" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What n be done to help stop nversn therapy?</strong></p><p data-no-id="79" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">There's a Theraptic Frd Preventn Act sponsored by Congrsman Ted Li of Califora. If passed, will put to law what has been articulated by profsnal anizatns: that efforts to change genr orientatn or inty theraptilly are dulent nature.</p><p data-no-id="80" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Do you still see as a big problem the U.S.?</strong></p><p data-no-id="81" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">It's still beg ed and beg advertised openly. The programs are active. JONAH had to shutdown but Journey Into Manhood is n by an anizatn based Virgia and is still gog.</p><p data-no-id="82" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">Reporter's Note: The </em><a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="People Can Change" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">People Can Change</em></a><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor"> webse advertis for the Journey Into Manhood retreat, wh a lendar of upg events cludg retreats Indiana, Utah, Poland, Texas and California the next three months.</em></p><p data-no-id="83" class="p6 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">They say the retreat is not relig nature, but is "immersn </em><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor"> tensive emotnal-healg work, signed specifilly for men who are self-motivated and ser about rolvg unwanted homosexual attractns."</em></p><p data-no-id="84" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em" data-verified="redactor">This past Febary, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Natnal Center for Lbian Rights filed a plat wh the Feral Tra Commissn agast People Can Change for "unfair, ceptive and dulent charg."</em></p><p data-no-id="85" class="p4 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Have you had anybody reach out to you followg the lawsu?</strong></p><p data-no-id="86" class="p4 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">My origal nversn therapist at BYU private msaged me and apologize to me. He said 'I'm so sorry that I was misled at the time.' He has sce renounced anythg that he did to make feel like we were ls than we are worth as human begs. I was very pleasantly shocked.</p><div size="small" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="87" class="align-center size-small embed css-f1dz33 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><div class="css-p7qblm ewcw41w0"><img alt="Ear, Jacket, Beard, Facial hair, Document, Gture, Love, Award, Kchen utensil, Paper, " tle="Ear, Jacket, Beard, Facial hair, Document, Gture, Love, Award, Kchen utensil, Paper, " loadg="lazy" width="491" height="491" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="//" class="ptert css-1i6sckr e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/" loadg="lazy" alt="ptert in" height="to" width="to" class="css-1l3i1cl ewcw41w1" /></a></div><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Courty of Michael Fergon</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="88" class="p4 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">Now you are married, rrect?</strong></p><p data-no-id="89" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Y, my hband and I live Itha. I'm a post-doctoral fellow the human nroscience stute at Cornell Universy. Part of the reason why I pursued an amic path that volved gnn and nroscience and psychology is bee I was tryg to unrstand what was wrong wh me and how I uld fix . </p><p data-no-id="90" class="p1 css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">What's betiful is that procs of diggg eply to nroscience, I realized there's nothg wrong wh me. It's actually betiful to be gay.</p><hr data-no-id="91" class="css-18pb4rg et3p2gv0" /><p data-no-id="92" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><em data-redactor-tag="em">This terview has been nnsed and eded for clary.</em></p><style data-emotn="css 2ok9l4">{marg-top:1.875rem;borr-top:th solid #595959;}</style><div data-jam-id="thor-b" class="css-2ok9l4 e13rjwo40"><style data-emotn="css f0b5z8">{display:grid;grid-template-lumns:to 1;grid-lumn-gap:0.625rem;paddg-top:1.25rem;paddg-bottom:1.25rem;clear:both;}</style><div class="css-f0b5z8 e19xk9rq8"><style data-emotn="css irehmq">{borr-radi:50%;height:60px;width:60px;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{width:40px;height:40px;}}</style><span class="css-irehmq e19xk9rq1"><style data-emotn="css o0wq4v">{width:100%;height:100%;borr-radi:50%;vertil-align:middle;object-f:ver;}</style><img src="" alt="Headshot of Lorena O'Neil" tle="Headshot of Lorena O'Neil" width="100%" height="100%" dg="async" loadg="lazy" class="css-o0wq4v e19xk9rq3" /></span><div><style data-emotn="css 3sqxrq">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;grid-gap:4px;-webk-align-ems:basele;-webk-box-align:basele;-ms-flex-align:basele;align-ems:basele;-webk-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webk-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;}</style><div class="css-3sqxrq e19xk9rq7"><span class="css-0 e19xk9rq5"><style data-emotn="css 1yunoig">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-lor:her;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-transform:upperse;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><style data-emotn="css 1kgdfad">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;text-transform:upperse;lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-lor:her;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-transform:upperse;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><a href="/thor/16236/-2f00/" class="e1c1bym13 css-1kgdfad e1c1bym14"><span>Lorena O'Neil</span></a></span></div><style data-emotn="css 1b1navg">{display:-webk-box;font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1rem;le-height:1.4;overflow:hidn;paddg-top:0.3125rem;-webk-box-orient:vertil;-webk-le-clamp:5;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{-webk-le-clamp:10;}}>*{display:le;} em{font-fay:CharterItalic,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} p{marg:0rem;} p a{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;} p a:hover{text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><div class="css-1b1navg e19xk9rq4"><p>Lorena O'Neil is a reporter and photojournalist based New Orleans verg social jtice, culture, relign, and the environment. She has wrten for <em>The Atlantic,</em> <em>Elle, Esquire</em>, <em>CNN</em>, <em>NPR</em> and <em>The Hollywood Reporter</em>.</p></div></div></div></div><style data-emotn="css ciejky">{clear:both;marg-top:1.25rem;}</style><div id="journey-le" class="css-ciejky e1cslvxz0"></div><style data-emotn="css 79elbk">{posn:relative;}</style><div class="css-79elbk eg8z2o90"><div class="css-79elbk e1tp40ll1"><div data-anchor-id="P0-0" class="css-0 e1tp40ll0"></div></div><style data-emotn="css hi6ssp">{display:block;grid-area:article_body;grid-lumn:article_body-start/article_body-end;grid-row:to;jtify-self:center;marg:1.25rem 0 0;}@media prt{{display:none;}}@media(max-width: 30rem){{width:100%;}}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){{m-height:28rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:488px;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:612px;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{max-width:40.25rem;}}</style><div class="css-hi6ssp eg8z2o92"></div></div></div></div><div></div><style data-emotn="css 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to;max-width:60rem;borr-top:0.125rem solid #15263D;}</style><div class="css-604vx7 e10xr3vp4"><style data-emotn="css 1sowyjy">{marg-bottom:1.25rem;}</style><div class="css-1sowyjy e10xr3vp3"><style data-emotn="css ju94x7">{marg:0rem;font-weight:normal;background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000;borr:0.125rem solid #15263D;text-align:left;width:-webk-f-ntent;width:-moz-f-ntent;width:f-ntent;borr-radi:2rem;display:block;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;letter-spacg:0.04rem;marg-top:-1rem;paddg:0.5rem 0.9375rem 0.25rem;text-transform:upperse;}</style><h6 class="css-ju94x7 e10xr3vp2"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span><span class="css-0 e10xr3vp1">Watch Next</span><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h6><style data-emotn="css un61">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;marg:0rem;m-height:to;paddg-top:1rem;text-align:left;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.5rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.875rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:2.125rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><h6 class="css-un61 e10xr3vp0"> </h6></div><style data-emotn="css b3y6x">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;--aspect-rat:56.25%;} {posn:absolute;marg:0rem;}{ntent:"";display:block;height:0rem;width:100%;}@media(max-width: 30rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((45% / 1.16) + 20px + 1.66em);}}@media(m-width: 30rem) and (max-width: 48rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((45% / 1.43) + 20px + 1.66em);}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem) and (max-width: 64rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((33% / 1.40) + 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gop gay conversion therapy

ST. PAUL, Mn. (AP) — The top Republin the Mnota Senate, who helped feat a proposed ban on so-lled gay nversn therapy for mors, sent his dghter to a therapist opposed to gay relatnships after spectg she had a same-sex attractn when she was a teenager, the Star Tribune reported Friday.

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PRAYER AND PA: WHY GAY NVERSN THERAPY IS STILL LEGAL SPE DANGERS

It’s been wily discreded as uhil and effective, yet ex-gay therapy is still prevalent across the US – and a move is unr way to add a pro-nversn therapy plank to the Republin party platform at s nventn next week * gop gay conversion therapy *

” Read More: Illois Bans Gay Conversn Therapy for Mors Annie Dickerson, a New York legate and longtime nfidante to GOP billnaire Pl Sger, who has bankrolled an effort to ph back agast the social nservative planks, was the most arnt voice opposn on the mtee, repeatedly sparrg wh Perks and other members.

Legate Rachel Hoff, the first openly gay member of the mtee, troduced an amendment to rewre the GOP’s language on same-sex marriage to allow for a range of view-pots on the issue, as opposed to the strong rejectg the ial draft.

An amendment that sought to argue that gay marriage “subverts child’s rights to blogil parent” drew nmnatn om the morate members, cludg an dible gasp of, “Hello, what was that? And the other thg about nversn therapy is that bee we know that is wrong scientifilly, the nversatns are now more secret, more private, ”Shurka noted that other groups no longer emphasize gog om gay to straight, but have rebrand to gog om lost to saved ― a troublg msage bee uld reach teenagers who are stgglg to fd acceptance, whout unrstandg the te agenda behd the anizatns.

I SPENT SEVEN YEARS GAY CONVERSN THERAPY PROGRAMS BEFORE BREAKG FREE

As someone who experienced "ex-gay" treatment, I know firsthand how harmful n be to LGBTQ youth * gop gay conversion therapy *

”Conversn therapy, also known as reparative or ex-gay therapy, has been wily discreded as uhil and effective but persists many parts of the untry, ually through church, and is a battleground issue for gay rights mpaigners and those who argue that banng would curtail relig some nservativ seek to ph back agast recent advanc rights for gay and transgenr people, a move is unr way to add an implicly pro-nversn therapy plank to the Republin party platform that will be approved at s nventn Cleveland next Christopher, the Texas-born thor of Hidg om Myself, a memoir about his experience wh nversn therapy, said the GOP’s platform plans are “very troublg.

Photograph: Elijah Nouvelage/RtersLast month a California urt heard a challenge om a mister to the state’s first--the-natn ban (enacted 2012 and effective 2014) on licensed therapists attemptg to change the sexual orientatn of practice gaed h attentn June when a GoFundMe page was set up to raise legal fe to extrite Sarah, a 17-year-old, om a “pray away the gay” mp east Texas where she was allegedly sent by her parents agast her “Save Sarah” mpaign raised $64, 218. It really do take a toll on you, ” he rells a boot-mp type weekend at a retreat about an hour om Dallas where participants unrwent tense physil activy, “then they really try to break you down emotnally, ” that was particularly tough and ed him to qutn not only whether he uld change, but whether he should want bizarre and paful experienc turned him away om the procs, he said, as did beg iends wh a gay man who was happy after takg the ntrastg path of g out and acceptg his a relig hoehold, Sean Sala, 31, said he was his late teens when he went to Livg Hope, an “ex-gay” mistry the Dallas regn then affiliated wh Exod Internatnal, a work which shut down 2013 and apologised for directg “years of undue judgment” at the gay muny.

WHY IS TEXAS GOP BACKG GAY NVERSN THERAPY?

<p>Texas party will vote on Sunday on whether to endorse psychologil treatment that seeks to turn gay people straight</p> * gop gay conversion therapy *

”Asked if he believed some of the people he has worked wh have changed om beg gay to straight, Chelette said: “If you mean by ‘straight’ they’re no longer dog the gay practic that they may have been dog before as hookg up wh people or havg sex wh other people of the same genr, y, we’ve had people that have done that.

“The practice is based on the false premise that beg lbian, gay, bisexual, or transgenr (‘LGBT’) is a mental illns or disorr ed by a velopmental ficiency, trma, and/or unmet emotnal needs, ” the plat stat.

TEXAS GOP ADVANC NTROVERSIAL GAY NVERSN THERAPY PLATFORM

Texas GOP Platform Draft Endors Gay Conversn Therapy * gop gay conversion therapy *

Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty ImagLast year a group lled Jews Offerg New Alternativ for Healg was orred to pay $72, 400 damag to former clients after a New Jersey jury cid mted nsumer d when claimed gay people uld be “cured” through methods cludg tellg participants to beat an effigy of their mother wh a tennis racquet and strippg naked group ssns.

TEXAS GOP PLATFORM DRAFT ENDORS GAY CONVERSN THERAPY

Wisns therapists, unselors and social workers uld ntue to attempt to change the sexual orientatn of gay or transgenr people unr a bill Republin legislators are poised to take up Tuday. * gop gay conversion therapy *

In the face of growg opposn to the practice and recent advanc for LGBT rights, the Texas Republin party has reerated s support for nversn therapy and s opposn to gay Texas GOP signalled s backg for nversn therapy by scribg as legimate and efficient a plank of s 2014 platform and re-affirmg s latt manifto, adopted by party members lls for overturng last year’s US supreme urt cisn legalisg same-sex marriage natnwi and stat: “No laws or executive orrs shall be imposed to lim or rtrict accs to sexual orientatn change efforts for self-motivated youth and adults. ”It also says that “Homosexualy is a chosen behavr that is ntrary to the fundamental unchangg tths that has [sic] been ordaed by God the Bible, regnized by our natns [sic] founrs, and shared by the majory of Texans.

”Nbt believ that the massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub Florida last month adds urgency to efforts to end a practice found on the ia that beg gay is a form of sickns. The realy is that I’d known I was gay sce I was probably ten years old, ’s not somethg I chose, ’s not somethg that was veloped out of some terrible event my childhood, ’s jt another part of my personaly, jt another part of who I am.

GAY 'NVERSN THERAPY' ADVOT HEARTENED BY REPUBLIN ELECTORAL VICTORI

When Alex me out as gay, the 15-year-old's parents issued a stark ultimatum: unrgo nversn therapy or clear out of the fay home the northern English cy of Wakefield. * gop gay conversion therapy *

It has been discreded by the medil tablishment and nounced by gay and transgenr Pence’s spokman, Marc Lotter, nied to The Tim over the weekend that the vice print-elect supports the practice, sayg a past mpaign statement had been misterpreted.

Groups rema skeptil, potg to his rerd of opposn to gay rights as a member of Congrs and as ernor of Indiana and an approvg reference to nversn therapy the 2016 Republin Party, what is nversn therapy, and why is Mr. ”Conversn therapy has been nmned by a range of groups, cludg the Amerin Medil Associatn and the Amerin Psychologil Associatn, which said was based on the view that homosexualy is a disorr, an ia “that has been rejected by all the major mental health profsns. ”Brothers on a Road Ls Traveled, a support group for men who want to stop beg attracted to other men, said s method clus velopg “an ternal sense of masculy” and “disverg our te needs unrlyg some of our homosexual longgs and triggers.

”There are equently relig overton to nversn therapy, which is often promoted by groups wh ti to nservative Christian anizatns like Foc on the Fay, which says on s webse that “homosexual stgglers” n “leave homosexualy” wh the help of support groups like Homosexuals Anonymo or by “beg more like J.

GOP NEW HAMPSHIRE ERNOR SIGNS LAW BANNG GAY NVERSN THERAPY

* gop gay conversion therapy *

”Rece Prieb, the chairman of the Republin Party and the g Whe Hoe chief of staff, told reporters that the language did not refer to nversn therapy, but gay and transgenr groups did not believe him. “One is ex-gay nversn therapy and the other is transgenr hormone therapy, and I hardly believe that Tony Perks was puttg a plank the Republin Party platform endorsg the rights of parents to provi their children wh transgenr hormone therapy. “Homosexualy is neher a mental illns nor a velopmental disorr and anyone seekg to ‘cure’ LGBTQ people is mtg d, ” Li workg to fend nversn therapy, Domen and other group members also claimed nversn therapy isn’t real.

GAY NVERSN BAN GETS PERSONAL FOR LAWMAKERS EMOTNAL BATE

For one, there are varyg levels of therapy, om rmal pastoral unselg to lobotomi, and the church that acunt for the majory of this sort of unselg have no rponsibily to report to any Ben, the executive director of the group Tth Ws Out, which fights agast “anti-gay relig extremism, ” agreed that thgs like shock therapy are que rare. He argued that the ma danger of nversn therapy is that mak gay people feel ls than, that n do psychologil damage, and make them feel, wrongly, that homosexualy is a add that the heterosexual relatnships rultg om nversn therapy uld also be damagg for the spoe, as there’s no evince anyone n actually change their sexual the Changed group ― which featured the hashtag #OnceGay on s lerature promotg members’ stori ― says sexual orientatn is a choice.

MNOTA GOP LEAR HAS FAY STAKE GAY NVERSN VOTE

A ltle over 12 years ago, my “ex-gay” unselors at Love Actn, a now-funct gay nversn therapy facily Memphis, Tenn., employed language that is currently beg echoed the Republin Natnal Commtee’s suggted platform planks.

When given a chance to follow the lead of our prumptive printial nomee and reach out to the LGBT muny the wake of the awful terrorist massacre Orlando on the gay nightclub Pulse, the platform mtee said no.

MY HARROWG JOURNEY THROUGH GAY CONVERSN THERAPY RSIA

So he began to try to pray the gay began a seven-year journey through ne gay nversn therapy programs, also lled reparative therapy, which clud hypnotherapy, physil psychotherapy, evangelil spirual groups, and a 12-step addictn revery program. Print Obama supported a natnal ban, and some stat have already passed such gay nversn therapy has re-entered the natnal spotlight after a draft of the GOP's official 2016 platform—much farther to the right than years past, and far more nservative than Donald Tmp's own posns—ntaed language that seemed to support s implementatn and e.

"Fergon began to try to pray the gay man most rponsible for that language is Tony Perks, head of the Fay Rearch Council and an official mtee member of the Republin Platform 2016. ")Furthermore, news recently rurfaced that Donald Tmp's nng mate, Mike Pence, durg his first succsful n for Congrs 2000, supported gay nversn therapy, wrg on his mpaign webse, "Rourc should be directed toward those stutns which provi assistance to those seekg to change their sexual behavr.

I tried ne different modali, cludg an evangelil Christian group that tried to "pray the gay away" and a 12-step addictn revery program bee one bishop advised me that my same sex attractn was related to beg addicted to attentn om the urtroom durg Fergon v.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GOP GAY CONVERSION THERAPY

Opn: Why is Texas GOP backg gay nversn therapy? | CNN .

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