"Ex-Gay" Group Demands Protections

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays -- a group that advocates for people who have "overcome" homosexuality -- has sued the Washington, D.C., office of Human Rights for failing to protect "former" gays and lesbians under its sexual orientation antidiscrimination law.

"The ex-gay community is the most bullied and maligned group in America, yet they are not protected by sexual orientation nondiscrimination laws," said Regina Griggs, PFOX's executive director, in a release.

PFOX's lawsuit asks the D.C. superior court to direct the city's office of Human Rights to include "former" homosexuals under the sexual orientation law. In D.C., the law currently prohibits discrimination based on sexual preference, sexual orientation, and gender expression.

"Former homosexuals and their friends have been fired from their jobs, repeatedly ridiculed, assaulted, and intimidated," Griggs said. "This harassment is most often perpetrated by the same groups who demand protection under sexual orientation laws but work to deny ex-gays the same respect."

On August 25, PFOX sent a letter to presidential candidate Barack Obama asking whether ex-gays will be protected under the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which he said would sign into law as president. Obama has not yet responded.

"Former homosexuals should have the right to be out, open, and safe in society," Griggs said. (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Name: Keny LaRage
Date posted: 2008-10-15 10:04 AM
Hometown: Va Beach

Comment:

I must say that this story has me confused. How are the ex-gays now claiming to be a special group in need of protection under sexual orientation non-discrimination laws? They are straight people. That's the group to which they belong. They have all the protection in the world. They're basically saying that they need protection from themselves. Is that about right? Because straight people are the ones that do most of the harrassing. Most gay people I know, myself included, don't spend time harrassing people, straight or otherwise. Like someone posted earlier, I think this is all just some sort of right-wing publicity stunt. I'm shaking my head because I just can not figure out where the ex-gays, aka straight people, are going with this. I served my country as an active duty military member and I don't have the right to marry the person I love. Now I have to sit back and watch as ex-gays, aka straight people, fight to get rights they already have. I don't understand it.

Name: Wayne
Date posted: 2008-10-15 7:33 AM
Hometown: NYC

Comment:

No one should be surprised that the "ex-gays" are calling on Obama to help them. Afterall, Obama has a long history with the "Ex-Gay" Movement. Obama hired the notorious "Ex-Gay" Donnie McClurkin to shill for Obama's first "Faith Tour" in South Carolina. McClurkin is the "ex-gay" who preaches that all gays are child molesters and that he himself was "made gay" by being raped by Gay men, and that he was "saved" by God and made into an "Ex-Gay". This is the guy Obama decided to make into his representative for the South Carolina tour!!!! So of course the Ex-Gays see Obama as their hero. Too bad so many REAL gays, seem to have fallen for the same foolishness. Obama is not a friend to the LGBT community, his past actions prove that. And don't expect one single iota of help from Obama on the fight against Prop 8, you won't get any.

Name: Michael Blair
Date posted: 2008-10-15 5:54 AM
Hometown: Clayton, CA

Comment:

If "ex-gays" are heterosexuals as they claim, they are already protected under the category of "sexual orientation." Since we all know that they are most likely bisexuals who are choosing the heterosexual lifestyle, bisexuality is also covered under sexual orientation. So it's a moot point. This sounds like a cheap publicity stunt. This is the same garbage "ex-gay" groups pull in schools when they demand the right to be included as a formal group or minority since gay people are. The solution to this is every time they make these demands and are included as a group, then we need to demand the same rights for ex-ex-gays. After all, ex-gays are the ones maligning and persecuting ex-ex-gays.

Name: Paul
Date posted: 2008-10-14 11:44 PM
Hometown: New York

Comment:

Aw, poor, deluded, de-sexualized homo - er, heterosexuals. They want love and no one will love them (except the right wing and they don't really want to be near them either). Hey, since you're now "straight" you're already taken care of by American society. If you want to pretend to be hetero, then what's your problem here? Who is attacking you? Authentic, emotionally healthy gay people who know you can't change your orientation like you can't change your eye color or height? We all know you aren't straight, you'll never be straight, and even the pretty clueless radical Christians know you'll never be straight. Own up to who you are and you'll be a lot happier.

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