Pro, "Ex" Gay Spiritual Events Converge in Charlotte, NC

As the cultural storm over gays, their families, and their souls sweeps America, an unexpected, if momentary, focus has emerged: Charlotte, North Carolina.

A Feb. 19 article in the Charlotte Observer notes that no fewer than events in Charlotte are aligning to draw attention to that city with regard to GLBT issues.

First off, two very different religious events are coinciding. One promises gays that they can be "cured" through God's intercession; the other tells the GLBT faithful that God loves them as they are and that a fulfilling spiritual life and a gay identity are not necessarily exclusive to one another.

These competing visions for the gay soul trail in the wake of a recent decision by local Presbyterians to allow their gay clergy to be partnered.

On the political front, the article noted, the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest GLBT equality lobbying group, is scheduled to celebrated its annual Carolinas Gala, the fourteenth such, on Feb. 21, with a senator, North Carolina's own Key Hagan, slated to deliver the keynote address.

The one-day seminar offering gays who feel that they would prefer to "overcome" their innate sexuality is offered by anti-gay group Focus on the Family. The workshop, called "Love Won Out," is based on the premise that homosexuals can be "converted" into heterosexuals though prayer and effort.

Mental health professionals acknowledge that for some individuals, such a change in sexual preference may be possible, but for many such attempts result only in a long and painful process of sexual self-repression; indeed, so-called "ex-gays" often say that they still struggle with sexual urges that involve others of their own gender.

The "Love Won Out" conference will be the eleventh annual event. The article quoted Melissa Fryrear, who claims to be formerly gay herself.

Said Fryrear, "It's a message of hope and encouragement."

Unless, that is, one happens to belong to the part of the gay community that knows they cannot change their sexuality no matter how much they pray for the gay in them to go away.

Those who disagree with the idea of trying to "convert" gays have planned events of their own, including a rally to celebrate spirituality that doesn't condemn gay sexuality.

The article noted that critics of the "ex-gay" movement fear that young gays and lesbians are frightened by stereotypes of gays and that such movements exploit those fears, without helping the majority who turn to them.

One vocal critic of groups like Love Won Out is Wayne Besen, founder of "Truth Wins Out," a counter-organization dedicated to resisting the message that being gay is a matter of choice.

Besen was scheduled to speak on the evening of Feb. 19 at Charlotte's Lesbian & Gay Community Center, the article said.

A local group founded to counter the "ex-gay" movement, CRANE-- Charlotte Rainbow Action Network for Equality--is slated to take point in a protest between 11 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, at Central Church of God. But it won't be a shouting match or feature bullhorns and rhetoric: the demonstration is meant to be carried out in silence, the article said.

The article quoted Matt Comer, editor of Web-based GLBT publication Q-Notes, who said, "These protests are not to get angry at these organizations, because they're simply misled."

Explained Comer, "It's to be a visible presence for those people who are going to be victimized by these false hopes of ministries and therapies."

But the counter-programming to the "ex-gay" ministry is not the only spiritually nourishing event for GLBTs; the Leadership Conference is also in town, the article said, running from Feb. 18 until Feb. 22, featuring church leaders and drawing gay Christians.

The article quoted Metropolitan Community Churches' Rev. Nancy Wilson, who said, "It's very challenging to be a leader in our community."

Continued the Rev. Wilson, "There are a lot of needs, a lot of brokenness, a lot of challenges. There's a lot of healing that's needed.

"You have to have strong leadership for that to happen."