POZ Magazine has a cover story dealing with how “ex-gay” organizations exploit fears of HIV and AIDS to recruit new members.
Interestingly, in the story, Exodus’ President Alan Chambers says that his group is leaving the culture wars and will remain neutral on political issues. (We’ve heard this line before, even as Exodus took part in mobilizing voters to support Prop 8 in California. Let’s see if Exodus can keep its nose out of such battles and Washington)
Check out the in-depth article by Trenton Straube:
Leaders of the ex-gay movement have long used the threat of HIV/AIDS to recruit people struggling with their sexuality. Likewise, parents of children who might be gay have been scared into sending their kids to ex-gay camps or reparative therapy. But the tragic irony is that the pursuit of “better-health-through-nongayness” leads to far more physical and psychological harm—not to mention elevated risks for HIV.
