April 13, 2008

Mercury News Covers Truth Wins Out Protest

Backstory (with photos): Truth Wins Out Trumps Love Won Out

Yes, I’m the “Rogers” quoted here:

Hundreds gather to learn about ‘ex-gay’ movement

By Jessie Mangaliman

A traveling national conference billed as an event “to provide help for those struggling — and those whose loved ones struggle — with unwanted same-sex attractions,” drew about 700 people to a Mountain View church on Saturday.

The gathering at the evangelical Christian church, Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, also drew a small protest by members of the Bay Area’s gay and lesbian community incensed by the conference topic, the longstanding controversy on whether gays can be “converted” — or turned into so-called “ex-gays” through a Christian “step out” program.

It was the first time that Love Won Out, a 10-year-old traveling conference sponsored by Focus on the Family, an evangelical group based in Colorado Springs, Colo., was held in the South Bay.

Inside the church, there were conference sessions on “Understanding Male Homosexuality,” “Hope For Those Who Struggle,” and “Straight Thinking on Gay Marriage.” …

Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, a New York City-based non-profit that tracks the “ex-gay” issue, led the protest of about 25 gay men and lesbians outside the church.

“It’s false advertising,” said Besen, author of a book, “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth.”

“There’s no one there who’s going to be ex-gay,” he said.

Joyce Rogers stood on the sidewalk holding a hand-lettered sign that said, “Homophobia: Now that’s a choice.” Another sign said, “Science! Not Stereotypes.”

“These poor, deluded people inside are being told an absolute lie,” Rogers said, “that you can pray away the gay. If that’s the case, then you can pray away the straight, too.”

After the hourlong protest, Rogers and others traveled to San Jose to attend a counter-conference at the Billy DeFrank LGBT Center on The Alameda.

“We felt we had to do something,” said Aejaie Sellers, the center’s executive director. “We felt we had to represent our outrage.”