Dear MPIPP Volunteers,

As you may have heard, the American Family Association is planning a Love Won Out Conference in Grand Rapids on June 13th at Sunshine Community Church. These conferences aim to convince people that faith in Christ or Christian ideals and conversion therapy are successful tools to help cure someone of their LGBT identity. They feature speakers that include personal testimony of “ex-gay” men and women who have used reparative therapy and/or “ex-gay” ministries to become heterosexual.

In contrast, Grand Valley State University will be hosting a forum on religion and homophobia that will feature national and local experts. “Religion and Homophobia: Spiritual Violence in Our Community” will be held on Thurday, June 11th, from 7-9p.m. in the Eberhard Center, room 215, on Grand Valley’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus at 301 W. Fulton St. The event is free and open to the public. It will include an introduction by Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out and will include a panel discussion on the nature, validity and impact of “ex-gay” or reparative ministries or therapies. Panel members include John Corvino, Wayne State University professor, author and lecturer; Milt Ford, director of Grand Valley’s LGBT Resource Center; Judith Snow, Grand Rapids area forensic therapist and author; Doug Van Doren, pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and Josh Sleutel, GVSU student, previous reparative therapy patient.

MPIPP is currently looking to get involved in this historic event. If you have had clinical experience working with clients who have been involved in “ex-gay” ministries or conversion/reparative therapies please contact me immediately.

Please see the following links that provide information and commentary on this event and stay tuned……

Two Discussions will debate religion, homosexuality and the merits and failings of conversion therapy
by: Nardy Baeza Bickel, The Grand Rapids Press
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 9:29am
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/06/two_discussions_will_debate_re.html

This month, Grand Rapids will be a hot zone for discussions about whether homosexuality is matter of heredity or choice as advocates for two national organizations with opposing views on the so-called “ex-gay” ministries arrive in town.

As a middle-schooler, Josh Sleutel spent two years in Christian-based therapy to help stop him from being gay.

But while he dated women and did everything in his power to end something his religion and family considered deviant, Sleutel, 22, of Caledonia, continued to be gay.

It’s a struggle that the Grand Valley State University student, now openly gay, will speak about as part of an upcoming panel discussion at his school’s Pew Campus.

Sleutel’s experience was worlds apart from that of Daniel Hitz, 47. The Detroit man believes attending a similar program proved to be a blessing that helped him “overcome” his homosexuality and keep his family.

Reparative ministries, also known as conversion therapy, reparative ministries seek to change people’s sexual orientation from a Christian perspective through prayer and therapy.

Love Won Out, a conference organized by the Christian-based Focus on the Family, will offer seminars at Sunshine Community Church on how to deal with gay loved ones, and theories on how those willing to change their sexual orientation can do so.

Hollyn Johnson | The Grand Rapids Press
His experience: Josh Sleutel says two years of conversion therapy didn’t change his sexual orientation.

 

Its counterpart, Truth Wins Out, will be part of “Religion and Homophobia: Spiritual Violence in Our Community,” a panel discussion organized by GVSU to offer an alternative perspective on the issue.

Rallying against Love Won Out will be the local chapter of the National Organization for Women, which is planning a protest in front of Grand Rapids’ Calder Plaza on June 13, noon to 1 p.m.

For those who have participated in reparative ministry programs, results are mixed.

Sleutel, the GVSU student, said when he talked to his parents about his sexuality while in middle school, it was a tense moment for the family.

“I was like, ‘I’m attracted to males but I don’t want to be,’ ” he said. “They believed it was their fault, that it was their parenting that made me gay. They seemed distraught.”

They signed him up for therapy, in which he was to try to identify with and befriend strong male role models so he, in turn, would start liking women.

After two years, it became evident his sexual orientation wasn’t changing. He stopped the sessions.

“I really don’t regret (the therapy) but I do think it helped discourage me from being who I am, from being fully me,” Sleutel said.

Courtesy Photo
Another view: Dan Hitz says therapy helped him ‘overcome’ homosexuality.

Hitz, who now runs his own ex-gay program on the east side of the state, said he had homosexual thoughts since he was a child.

He lived a homosexual life until becoming a Christian in 1984 and married in 1986. But, while he didn’t act on it, he continued to harbor homosexual thoughts and went through a reparative program in 1999.

“I got the help I desperately needed. I became a new man. It changed my life.” he said.

Melissa Fryrear, director of gender issues at Focus on the Family, said the organization was asked to bring the conference a year or two ago by several area churches.

“We’re helping Christian families, how they can maintain a good relationship with a loved one without condoning homosexual behavior. And for men and women who are dissatisfied (with homosexuality), we can help on a practical level on how they can begin a journey of overcoming homosexuality in their own life.”

GVSU’s Colette Beighley said nine of the college’s groups came together to take a closer look at the validity and impact of the “ex-gay” ministries.

“It sends the message that this person is not OK the way they are, and it creates such deep and painful conflicts within individuals,” Beighley, assistant director of the university’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center.

Among the GVSU panelists will be national and local voices such as Sleutel, who believes ex-gay programs have a negative effect on young people.

“Making your sexual orientation a problem that needs to be fixed can be alienating and oppressive to young people,” Sleutel said.

The Rev. Vern Bareman, Sunshine Church’s executive pastor, said he was unaware of how controversial the program was before renting out the facilities to Focus on the Family.

“We like (Focus on the Family) as an organization. We trust their message will reflect family values. That’s why we’re willing to work with them in terms of hosting this event,” he said, adding he has no problem with GVSU’s decision to host Truth Will Win.

“I think all viewpoints are welcomed. If Grand Valley wants to do it, that’s fine.”

The Impact of Spiritual Violence
by: Colette Seguin Beighley
June 1, 2009
http://www.chanceofgay.org/

The Impact of Spiritual Violence

 

Many factors have led to my becoming an advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. One of the most devastating events was the disappearance of my beloved friend Liz.

In college I was involved in a nationally-known, campus-based Christian organization. I found this group provided some structure for my life as well as deep, loving friendships. One of those friendships was with Liz.

Liz and I were the same age. She was bubbly, fun, animated, caring, and a great sister to me. Liz was one of my best friends and I loved her.

One Friday night, I went to our weekly meeting and Liz wasn’t there. I asked the leadership and was told Liz was sick. That week I tried to reach Liz by phone but was unsuccessful. The following Friday night, no Liz. Once again I asked and was told that Liz would not be returning to the group and that I was not to ask anymore questions. Needless to say, I went ballistic. The head female group leader took me upstairs to a secluded room and sat me down. She then proceeded to tell me that that Liz was no longer part of our group and then informed me that I was forbidden to try to contact Liz because . . .

Liz was “a homosexual.”

Of course, I did not respond to this news nor the directive in the manner to which I had been instructed. I was enraged!

I searched for Liz in the limited non-Internet ways that were available to me at the time but she was gone. I was both heartbroken and incredulous. Was this not the same Liz we had loved? Her being a lesbian had zero impact on my feelings for or commitment to her.  That revelation was barely a blip on the radar for me. I just wanted my friend to know that I was not a part of the horrifying message she was receiving. I never got a chance to tell her. I never saw or spoke to Liz again.

My heart continues to break for Liz as I wonder how that rejection and alienation impacted her life. I search for her online periodically. Being connected to the devastating spiritual violence that Liz experienced is unfinished business in my own life. When the dominant group in society demands assimilation from the minority group, they not only oppress their target but also diminish their own humanity. I felt diminished. I feel diminished. I am diminished.

On Thursday, June 11th, Grand Valley State University will host a forum to examine the impact of homophobia in faith communities. I hope you will join us and add your voice to this continuing conversation.

Religion & Homophobia: Spiritual Violence in our Community
Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 7 p.m.
GVSU downtown campus – Eberhard Center, Room 215

This event is sponsored by the Vice President for Inclusion and Equity, Dean of Students Office, LGBT Resource Center, Women’s Center, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Allies & Advocates, LGBT Faculty and Staff Association, Department of Liberal Studies, and Department of Women and Gender Studies.

For more information, visit the LGBT Resource Center website. Also, follow us on Facebook: Our fan page is “Grand Valley State University LGBT Resource Center” and join the group “Religion & Homophobia: Spiritual Violence in our Community.” You can track this event and others on Twitter by following “gvsulgbtcenter.”

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Sara Van Wormer, MA
Project Coordinator
Michigan Project for Informed Public Policy (MPIPP)