My name is Barry Reed. I am 45 years old and reside in Knoxville, Tennessee. My story begins a long time ago when I knew I was gay and sought help to be cured. I went to a School of Ministry in Tulsa, Oklahoma where I encountered a city prayer group that sought to deliver me of homosexual demons.

After the deliverance session I was deemed ” free.” It was a lie.

For many years I fought with the Bible, prayed, sought counsel from religious leaders, married a woman, had two wonderful children. Yet, still, I knew I was gay and finally had the strength to come out of the closet. I was also in ministry for many years.

In 2006, I was divorced and before that had already came out of the closet. I thought I was finally going to be accepted. However, because of coming out my ex-wife remarried a religious bigot. They devised plan to move out of state so my children would not have consistent contact with me except 65 days out of the year. They did this because I was gay and now have a partner.

The court system n Knoxville Tennessee would not hear the gay issue and the ex-wife was being vindictive. Love Won Out Conferences, Exodus International, etc., propel ideas such as my ex-wife’s. They preach that homosexuals teach their own children how to be gay. Plus they really do not love gay people as they state. They only do so if gays conform to their image of being “ex-gay.”

I have a wonderful partner with an ongoing relationship of now over a year.