But I'm a cheerleader, for real!

C.E. Dorsett

Okay, I stole title of this article from the hilarious movie, But I'm a Cheerleader (see here), but it fits:

A report released Thursday by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force shines a spotlight on increasingly aggressive efforts of the “ex-gay” movement to promote “conversion therapy” and “preventative” measures for gay, lesbian and questioning youth and children.

...

“The first wave began in 1973 when Love in Action was formed, and the second wave was the nationwide ads in 1998 featuring ex-gays,” Cianciotto told the PlanetOut Network. “The third wave can be seen in the groundswell of conferences geared not just to LGBT youth but to heterosexual youth, which (Exodus) used to help them spread the word that homosexuality is an illness and can be treated (Gay.com).”

May the scars on my chest, wrists, and legs from the razor blades and box cutters I used when I was a teen to punish myself for my “evil minds” stand as a testament to the cruelty of this way of thinking. I used to believe that I am was sick, and I let these people convince me that if I wasn't cured that I would go to hell. I tried everything they said to change. I was even engaged to a woman for about a week before she broke it off because I couldn't kiss her... I even had a prayer councilor for the 700 Club encourage me to commit suicide. “In Leviticus it say that homosexuals should be put to death,” she said, “Maybe if you fulfill God's law he will forgive your abomination.” I am shaking as I write this...

They made me hate myself for so long. I tried to die so many times... If it weren't for Bishop Spong's book: Living in Sin? (see here), I wouldn't be here. I can't bear the idea of anyone else going through that. That is why I blog so often about LGBT issues. I have to speak my truth, I can't allow this evil to continue. May these people turn from their wickedness and accept their fellows as they are.