Ex-Gay Movement

If there's one thing that pisses me off, it's homophobia. Religious homophobia, in particular, really really makes my blood boil. Growing up gay is difficult enough as it is without fundamentalist nutters trying to convince you that your natural state of being is somehow dirty, sinful and impure.

Religious homophobia can be extremely damaging. I refer especially to the so-called "Ex-Gay Movement." (I'm not going to focus on those who believe that homosexual people are called to a life of celibacy -- that would lead to a separate and very opinionated discussion on the purpose of sex that I don't really have time to go into).

Various organisations exist, particularly in the USA, that seek to "cure" people of their homosexuality. One of the largest of these groups, Exodus International, offers to help people "leave homosexuality," (as if it's that simple!), through counselling and prayer. Oh yes... pray, and suddenly your lifelong, natural homosexuality will turn itself into straightness. Because God would NEVER create gay people: gayness is an illness or an unfortunate childhood development that stems from trauma or child-molestation. Pah.

Not only do organisations like Exodus International make adults, who have full responsibility for their own bodies and their own sex-lives, feel shameful about their homosexuality with various real-life stories and frightening articles (like this little piece of bullshit that tries, pathetically, to link paedophilia with homosexuality), but they also try and make young people feel like crap. Children and teenagers often try and repress gayness, so they are particularly vulnerable to this sort of twisted "help": and the parents need never know. Of course, evangelical Christian parents can't bear the thought of their kids being gay, and I don't blame them: if you thought your kid was going to hell, wouldn't you be worried?

Homophobia is a great evil, along with racism, sexism and other forms of prejudice and discrimination. Because Christianity has shaped, and continues to shape, much of our society, we have to eradicate Christian homophobia, because it has an affect on all of us: religious and non-religious. We need to teach kids who fall into the former category that being religious and being gay are not mutually exclusive. The good news is that groups such as the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement are attempting to change the position of homosexuals within churches.

Of course, homophobia doesn't just come from religion; though admittedly, things would be so much better if Church groups didn't insist on screwing up gay people. Ignorance is a problem: although we've come a long way, there are still many people who just don't understand that the world is full of gay people! The media doesn't exactly help, with lesbians largely invisible (I hope this upcoming BBC3 programme isn't a stereotypical let-down) and gay men usually stereotyped ridiculously. When it comes to homosexuality, as with everything in life, education is absolutely vital. Children need to understand about the reality of gay people in society from a very young age. We should be teaching our children about different kinds of families, healthy heterosexual and homosexual relationships, and about simple respect. We should be combating homophobic bullying. And we should be telling kids that religion is not a good enough excuse to condemn people. Because until all generations understand that homosexuality is normal and natural, we're never going to get rid of homophobia.