Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth: Wayne Besen: 9781560234463: Amazon.com: Books

The real story behind “ex-gay” ministries and reparative therapy!

Nationally known activist Wayne Besen spent four years examining the phenomenon of “ex-gay” ministries and reparative therapies—interviewing leaders, attending conferences, and visiting ministries undercover as he accumulated hundreds of hours of research. The result is Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth, a groundbreaking exposé of the controversial movement that's revered by independent religious groups and reviled by gay and lesbian organizations. The book presents a historical perspective on the dispute, examining “ex-gay” groups such as Love In Action, Exodus International, Homosexuals Anonymous, and profiling a cast of characters that includes Pat Robertson, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, “ex-gay” poster boy John Paulk, National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality activist Richard Cohen, and psychiatrist Dr. Robert Spitzer.

An in-depth, well-researched, and historically significant account, Anything but Straight is full of startling facts and alarming surprises. The original content and novel material in the book includes:

a first-ever comprehensive history of the “ex-gay” ministries and “reparative therapy”
the inside story of the night the author photographed “ex-gay” poster boy John Paulk inside a gay bar
the author's discovery that Anne Paulk lied about being a lesbian and has admitted to having a strong attraction to men BEFORE she became “ex-gay”
previously undisclosed bizarre techniques used by the “ex-gay” ministries and “reparative therapists”
the author's exclusive in-depth interviews with leading “ex-gay” leaders—they disclose their deepest secrets, hidden desires, and true motivations
an extraordinary new study that shows that most “ex-gay” leaders have suffered from substance abuse or severe emotional problems—while many “ex-gay” leaders claim they were “unhappy being gay,” this report helps prove that their dissatisfactions came not from their homosexuality, but from poor life choices and irresponsible behavior
new revelations that one of the nation's leading “reparative therapists” hailed from a secretive cult that was scandalized for practicing nude therapy

From the author: Through my extensive experience, I have learned that the extraordinary claims made by the “ex-gay” groups are without merit and the efficacy of their programs is dubious at best and harmful at worst . . . One frequent question I get is, “Why can't gay activists simply leave 'ex-gay' groups alone and let them go about their business?” This is exactly what happened for nearly three decades while “ex-gay” groups labored in near anonymity. But all this recently changed when the “ex-gay” groups intricately aligned themselves with the anti-gay political agenda of the Religious Right. With “ex-gays” added to their arsenal, the Right could disingenuously claim to love gay people and offer them “hope for change,” while simultaneously fighting for punitive legislation. Their insidious message: Since gays and lesbians can change, there is no need for laws that protect them against arbitrary prejudice.

Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth is an essential read for activists on both sides of the “ex-gay” fence, family members of gays and lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Transgender church members, psychiatric and social science professionals, and anyone who has dealt with “coming out” issues. An appendix of resources and a helpful bibliography make it easy to find additional information on this fascinating topic.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } The real story behind “ex-gay” ministries and reparative therapy!

Nationally known activist Wayne Besen spent four years examining the phenomenon of “ex-gay” ministries and reparative therapies—interviewing leaders, attending conferences, and visiting ministries undercover as he accumulated hundreds of hours of research. The result is Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth, a groundbreaking exposé of the controversial movement that's revered by independent religious groups and reviled by gay and lesbian organizations. The book presents a historical perspective on the dispute, examining “ex-gay” groups such as Love In Action, Exodus International, Homosexuals Anonymous, and profiling a cast of characters that includes Pat Robertson, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, “ex-gay” poster boy John Paulk, National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality activist Richard Cohen, and psychiatrist Dr. Robert Spitzer.

An in-depth, well-researched, and historically significant account, Anything but Straight is full of startling facts and alarming surprises. The original content and novel material in the book includes:

a first-ever comprehensive history of the “ex-gay” ministries and “reparative therapy”
the inside story of the night the author photographed “ex-gay” poster boy John Paulk inside a gay bar
the author's discovery that Anne Paulk lied about being a lesbian and has admitted to having a strong attraction to men BEFORE she became “ex-gay”
previously undisclosed bizarre techniques used by the “ex-gay” ministries and “reparative therapists”
the author's exclusive in-depth interviews with leading “ex-gay” leaders—they disclose their deepest secrets, hidden desires, and true motivations
an extraordinary new study that shows that most “ex-gay” leaders have suffered from substance abuse or severe emotional problems—while many “ex-gay” leaders claim they were “unhappy being gay,” this report helps prove that their dissatisfactions came not from their homosexuality, but from poor life choices and irresponsible behavior
new revelations that one of the nation's leading “reparative therapists” hailed from a secretive cult that was scandalized for practicing nude therapy

Customer Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars

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“ Still, Besen also shows how most of the people who become involved with or lead these ministries probably mean well. ” Duane Simolke | 1 reviewer made a similar statement

“ His work is extremely valuable. ” Anthony Venn Brown | 1 reviewer made a similar statement

“ This was simply the best book I ever read. ” Billy G | 2 reviewers made a similar statement

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 101 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Grand Uncovering of Covering Up November 9, 2003

By James Hiller TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

For the past few years, the ex-gay movement has started to take it's hold on the United States. Several prominent people have lined up to say that under therapy, with a distinct desire to change, homosexuals can honestly wake up one day to find out they are straight. Wayne Besen disagrees with that thought. Besen loads up his ammunition and fires at pointblank range at the ex-gay movement with his powerhouse of a book called "Anything But Straight".

Besen, employed by the Human Rights Campaign, spent four years examining this strange turn of events in American politics, the end result being this book. Dividing up the topic into four distinct sections, Besen starts with a frontal assault on nationally t outed ex-gay John Paulk, and his infamous "bathroom break" at Mr. P's, a local gay dive in Washington, D.C. He uses that incident as a spring board into the ex-gay ministry movement itself, revealing all of its ugly flaws in the process. He then moves into the practice of reparative therapy, and how it developed with the support of psychiatrists in the field. Next, Besen bashes the political movement behind the ex-gay myths, ripping down the religious right as a primary motivator in bringing to light this fallacy. He ends the book talking about the future of this movement, writing both hopeful and frightening predictions.

Originally, I purchased this book wanting to get a more well-rounded viewpoint on the ex-gay theories. One way to combat them with your family, friends, and in society, is to be able to honestly understand where the other side is coming from. Besen's book is more of an assault on this movement, which at first turned me off, but then, as his rhetoric died down a bit, made for some interesting reading. At first, Besen would liberally interject his own opinions about what he was writing, sometimes with a cutting remark or a put-down. We as readers are fully aware of the insanity of some of the things he writes, and don `t need an author to point that out for us. Perhaps some self-editing in that area would improve the book a bit.

However, the information that Besen presents is incredibly horrible in and of itself. What he presents is an incredibly thorough book, bringing to light all the negative, nasty things this movement has brought to people's lives. The ex-gay movement is essentially a house of cards built on a pile of lies, and exposure of that will help bring ruin to it eventually. In the meantime, a bunch of people, many of them struggling with their own identity, will be run over by this machine and destroyed. Besen's book is an honest, real attempt to give those people hope and some information to save themselves.

"Anything but Straight" is very much a one-sided look at this contentious issue; but when only the other side is presented in the media, in advertisements, commercials, and television, our country needs books such as these to balance out the hateful damage they do.

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60 of 73 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I can�t think of a better ex-gay resource December 2, 2003

By Duane Simolke

Format:Paperback

Despite years of hearing, reading, and writing about this topic, I can't think of a better ex-gay resource than Wayne R. Besen's book Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. Besen not only gives an accessible and easy-to-follow history of the sham's path of destruction but also makes it clear why so many gays and nongays choose to believe its obvious lies. He also exposes the many people who profit monetarily, politically, or even sexually from ensnaring more ex-gay followers.

Still, Besen also shows how most of the people who become involved with or lead these ministries probably mean well. More importantly, he shows how gays and their allies can expose these hurtful groups, which rely heavily on wild semantics, shaky statistics, pseudo psychology, and highly questionable science, all the while trying to appear Bible-based.

Besen also shows how gays can make their communities less vulnerable to ex-gay groups, while warning those communities about insidious new tactics that the increasingly media-savvy ex-gay leaders use to lure parents into forcing children to join the ex-gay circus. For groups that keep claiming that all of their members come there voluntarily, they certainly keep taking advantage of parental pressuring and other fears of rejection!

Best of all, Besen offers resources and alternatives for people who might want to join these groups. He even defends, to my satisfaction, his undercover efforts to capture all of the information that appears in this sometimes shocking but always fascinating volume. I suggest Besen's study for all gays, all of their allies, and anyone who thinks the ex-gay movement needs support or more recruits.

I also suggest Ronald L. Donaghe's scathing fictional treatment of the ex-gay movement, The Salvation Mongers, as well as the disturbing documentary One Nation Under God and-for some needed levity on the topic-the silly yet likable comedy But I'm A Cheerleader.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book of huge importance to all Gays and Lesbians! November 8, 2003

By A Customer

WOW!!!! The author has hit a grand slam with this book! I have been waiting a very long time for someone to write a book about reparative therapy and the con people who run these organizations. Besen has exposed these people and the damage they do to thousands of people every year. I hope every Gay person who is being dragged to these seminars will make their parents or friends read this book first and then let them make an intelligent decision about these radical right wing zealot organizations who are not their to help you but their to take your money and your soul. This book is a great read, very factual, very informative, and very funnny. I could not put this book down!!!!.