Orgs Step Up to Help Rekers's Rentboy

A coalition of LGBT legal and advocacy groups is coming together to support Jo-Vanni Roman, the Miami escort who was caught with prominent psychologist George Rekers, an advocate of "ex-gay" therapy.

According to Joe.My.God, the alliance includes Equality Florida, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, attorney and newspaper publisher Norm Kent, Truth Wins Out, the Trevor Project, Lambda Legal, and Fifteen Minutes Publicity.

Representatives from each group, including publicist Howard Bragman, have volunteered their time in helping Roman with media requests and other events as they arise.

Roman, who went by several pseudonyms on websites like Manhunt.com and Men4RentNow.com, told The Advocate Wednesday that the situation surrounding him after vacationing with Rekers for 10 days in Europe has escalated dramatically.

"I don't think people realize how serious this has gotten, and I would have talked about this had my privacy been respected," he said, after declining to comment on the scandal.

He told the Miami New Times over the weekend that Rekers told him he'd hired other escorts in the past.