Earlier this week, Exodus International president Alan Chambers offered an apology for harms committed and announced that the organization is shutting down. While this is a tremendous blow to the so-called "ex-gay" movement, it is far from a death knoll. Other ex-gay groups, such as affiliates of the Restored Hope Network, plan to continue their efforts. Additionally, some ex-gay ministries formerly affiliated with Exodus International plan to continue, such as the Free! ministry operating out of the West Shore Evangelical Free Church in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. As you may recall, the West Shore Evangelical Free Church hosted Exodus International gatherings -- an equipping event for service providers and a Love Won Out conference -- that I infiltrated in 2012.
We still have work to do. The struggle for LGBTQ equality is making progress, but we must continue to challenge homophobic organizations and so-called "ex-gay" ministries.
Indeed we do, I imagine there will be backlash to this.
ReplyDeleteDonna -- I fully expect Religious Right backlash, as well as recalcitrant ex-gay groups. Still, recent events give me hope.
DeleteAmen to that.
ReplyDeleteSherry -- :)
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