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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
News Gay groups to publicly challenge local "ex-gay" conference
Posted By Carlton Hargro on Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 12:14 PM
This just in from the Charlotte Rainbow Action Network for Equality:
Gay groups to publicly challenge Focus on the Family, "ex-gay" conferenceAnti-gay organizations' myths and lies countered by author and activist
CHARLOTTE -- The Charlotte Rainbow Action Network for Equality (CRANE), a grassroots activism network, has teamed up with several local and national organizations to challenge so-called "ex-gay" ministries touted by anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family and Exodus International. The fundamentalist Christian groups will hold their controversial conference, Love Won Out, on Feb. 21, the same day as the popular Human Rights Campaign Carolinas Gala.
Wayne Besen, Director of TruthWinsOut.org and author of "Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-gay Myth," will give a presentation on the lies, myths and harmful practices of "ex-gay" ministries on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2008, at 7 p.m. at the Lesbian & Gay Community Center of Charlotte, 820 Hamilton St., Charlotte, NC 28206 (for directions, visit www.rainbowaction.org/events/centerdirections/).
"These programs sell false hope and take advantage of desperate and vulnerable people who just want acceptance from loved ones," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. "Love Won Out's dangerous sexual engineering campaign is ineffective, psychologically damaging and confuses stereotypes with science. We hope to educate the community and provide people with accurate and reliable information."
On Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, 11:30 a.m., CRANE and several community and national organizations including Truth Wins Out, Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign and others will hold a press conference discussing the harms of the ex-gay industry. Besen will unveil a new Truth Wins Out/Lambda Legal publication, "Ex-Gay and the Law," including resources for victims of unscrupulous "ex-gay" ministries. The press conference will be held at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Charlotte at 234 N Sharon Amity Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211.
On Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, CRANE will hold a silent, non-violent protest of the conference at Central Church of God. LGBTQI and straight citizens from across North Carolina are expected to attend. Information for protest participants and media, including parking access can be found at: www.rainbowaction.org/events/#protest
The Charlotte Rainbow Action Network for Equality (CRANE), www.rainbowaction.org, is a grassroots coalition of activists and community members working toward civil and social equality for Charlotte's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community.
Detailed event information and archived press releases and statements can be found at: www.rainbowaction.org
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