What tactics and rhetoric are the Religious
Right currently using in their anti-gay crusade? I decided to find out
for myself first hand. On Saturday August 12, 2000 I attended the Focus
on the Family "Love Won Out" Conference in the Twin Cities. The Program
subtitle was "addressing, understanding, and preventing homosexuality in
youth." Over 1000, almost all white, conservative Christians, many who
had GLBT family members, attended the daylong event in a posh suburban
church.
The program was clearly a slick, well-oiled propaganda machine. Focus
on the Family lived up to their reputation of being obsessively
organized--efficiently collecting names and addresses for their enormous
data base, running the program with military precision, stationing
uniformed guards strategically in every room, and skillfully marketed
their plethora of glossy books, pamphlets, and videos which provide what
they see as all the right-wing answers. Display tables were also present
for P-FOX, Parents and Families of Ex-Gays, as well as Exodus and other
so called "change" ministries.
Through the entire day, the often-stressed message was how gay people
can change into straight people if only they want to. Charismatic men
and women who identified as ex-gay ran most of the program. These paid
staff members, to earn their salary, gave their very polished, power
point testimony. They consistently spoke of their troubled childhood,
their descent into the excesses of "the homosexual lifestyle," their
transformation by giving their soul to Jesus, and how they are now are
born again, married and have children. Each testimony was greeted with
overwhelming applause from the approving audience. Although this "they
can change" premise was the central tenant of the entire event, there
was never any information presented about how this change process
worked, what the success (or failure) rate was, and how they defined
"changed."
It was clear by a show of hands that many people attended because
they had a family member who was gay, and came to the conference looking
for reliable and proven facts. Unfortunately Focus on the Family preyed
upon their vulnerability and instead of providing them with sound
psychological insights or advise on Jesus-like compassion, people were
fed the dishonest and divisive idea that gay people can change to
straight. They were also instructed in "tough love" and setting rigid
boundaries. Clearly the message of the day sent to hopeful family
members was that certainly their gay loved one, if given enough prayer,
time, and "tough love," will "change," marry, and have children. All
this blatant deceit and dishonesty, in the name of family values.
Another focus of the event was retooling the anti-gay message. They
shared that the hostile anti-gay name calling and preaching of the past
has not worked. They called for an end to the "God Hates Fags" approach.
They held fast to their interpretation of the Bible that homosexuality
is absolutely sinful, and continued to promote the premise that everyone
should live by their Bible values. Homosexuality, they profess, is an
unchosen emotional disorder, like alcoholism. They consistently referred
to gay people as "people struggling with homosexuality." Gay people were
implied to all be sinful, emotionally sick, promiscuous, lonely,
isolated, suicidal, drug and alcohol addicted, intolerant, rich,
organized, and powerful. Gay people were later blamed for remaining gay
and not seeking to be changed. The new anti-gay strategy advocated,
their kinder gentler type of bigotry, is to befriend someone gay, walk
with them along life's journey, and when they are at a vulnerable time
of personal crisis in their life - pounce! Near the conclusion of the
program they prayed that gay people would have unhappy lives. The event
included an altar call for gay people present to come forward to pray
with Exodus staff and give their life to Jesus.
The real truth came out during the smaller break out sessions which
provided time for questions. When members of the audience asked direct
and pointed questions about so-called reparative therapy, speakers
conceded that change can be a very long slow process and that the new
life is never completely without challenge. They stated only some
not-fully-gay people could change, marry and appear straight. In another
response to questions, it was also shared that some people who have
changed still have same gender attractions.
In conclusion, Focus on the Family is a well-funded, well-organized
corporation that knows how to deliver a message. During the day gay
people were stereotyped, stigmatized, and blamed for remaining gay.
Unsubstantiated and unproven "change ministries" were endorsed. Families
were mislead with implied promises of change. Parents were instructed in
what they could do to help change sinful gay people in their lives. A
new kinder gentler bigotry was taught to the faithful. I shudder to
think of all pain and division brought to Minnesota families and to the
Minnesota GLBT Community by this so-called "Love Won Out" conference. |
