Summer slow-down, gay bingo and the ex-gays
by Matt | May 19th, 2006 |Looks as though there isn’t really much happening around North Carolina in terms of LGBT news. At least none that I can find today. Maybe we are just entering the Summer slow-down of things. Oh Well. If someone knows of some good stuff going on, let me know.
The Guilford Green Foundation’s Green Queen Bingo was featured in Greensboro’s GoTriad today. You can check it out here.
A few thoughts: There is a really good article in the May 6, 2006 online edition of Q-Notes. The article, “Day of Truth or Day of Lies?”, focuses on the Day of Silence, the anti-gay Day of Truth and the ex-gay movement’s efforts to convert and “change” youth.
One of the most outstanding and shocking parts of the article is when the the author talks about the misinformation being spread by groups such as the Liberty Counsel, the Alliance Defense Fund and Parents and Families of Ex-Gays (PFOX):
“The information they are giving out that supposedly tells the truth about homosexuality is nothing but lies,” says Alvin McEwen a research specialist focusing on right-wing, anti-gay efforts throughout the country.
For over a year, McEwen has studied religious right studies and research papers pertaining to the gay community that are riddled with lies and inaccuracies.
McEwen points to a handout offered on the “Day of Truth” webpage entitled “The Ten Big Myths of Homosexual Behavior.”
Those who practice “homosexual behavior” are at a much higher risk for many sexually transmitted diseases, including not just HIV, but also syphilis, gonorrhea, human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis, chlamydia, and a whole group of infections called “gay bowel syndrome.”
“Gay bowel syndrome” is an obsolete medical term that is no longer used by any credible physician. According to an April 8, 2005 edition of the Washington Blade. The Centers for Disease Control does not even recognize the term.
In another handout, “Homosexuality FAQ,” is the following charge:
“The Centers for Disease Control have found that 60 percent of new cases of HIV infection are men who have had sex with men and also that the number of homosexual men who admittedly neglect to use condoms is rising. Homosexual victims of AIDS, they found, had an average 1,100 sexual partners in their lifetimes. They estimated that 30 percent of 20-year-old homosexual men will be HIV positive or dead before they reach their 30th birthday.”“There are so many inaccuracies in that statement,” says McEwen. “The main thing is that the gay lifespan claim is a lie.”
It really doesn’t surprise me that these lies are being used. It is the exact same thing as when people used to say black men will rape your white daughters, women will overthrow their husbands, and now, when people start freaking out about the declining of the white population of America (as one broadcaster recently did on Fox News).
Could someone please tell me why people who claim to be Christians use lies and tricks to get their message across? Could someone please tell me the some Christians just aren’t acting like Christ? It is an answer I can’t find anywhere.
10 Responses to “Summer slow-down, gay bingo and the ex-gays”
Yes… Brandon… I actually heard about it and blogged about it a while ago…
Check out here
By Matt on May 19, 2006
Hi Matt–
Something bothers me about your analysis. You call the claims by the subject groups “lies,” yet do not provide the “truth.” Just calling something a lie isn’t good enough. You need to provide the evidence to refute what you claim is a lie. Neither you nor the gentleman quoted in the article do so.
On the subject of GBS, I’ll take the “expert’s” word that the term is no longer widely used, but even if this is so, it doesn’t mean that GBS does not exist. All that means is that the PC Police decided to issue a warrant on the description of something that most certainly does exist, no matter what you call it.
Can you provide evidence that gay men are NOT more likely to carry the diseases mentioned? You can’t because the statement is true.
Instead of calling people liars for presenting easily confirmed facts, why not work in your community to reduce these very real, but uncomfortable to acknowledge, problems?
By Nunja Bidnet on May 19, 2006
Nunja,
I am not sure what medical establishment you graduated from, but the use of the term “gay bowel syndrome” is in fact a “dead term.” I just phoned the National Medical Association and the Center’s for Disease Control and received creditble reports that the term was pre-dated to the time that the NMA claimed “homosexuality” was a mental disorder.
Matt’s post above simply displays the information provided in a mainstream article. The evidence is backed by medical professionals and government-sponsored science.
I would encourage you to know what you’re talking about prior to lashing back at someone taking a stand against the ex-gay movement. I pray for the day that the ex-gay movement is swept into the grave they crawled out of.
Matt, the reason self-acclaimed ‘Christians’ use these tatics is very simple. They think by saying “I am Christian” they have the Almighty’s support. Unfortunately, many on that great day of judgement will hear “You prophesied in my name, you preached in my name… but beloved I do not know you.” It’s sad and hurts my heart, but it’s the truth.
Plain and simple, Christ is love. Christ’s compassion for the hurting and those disinfranchised from the church was evident throughout his earthly ministry. I’m tired of people using Christ’s name to do injustice. Enough is enough. May God’s wrath be plentiful on those who do wrong in His name.
By Brandon G on May 19, 2006
“I pray for the day that the ex-gay movement is swept into the grave they crawled out of.”
Interesting comment coming from someone who then states “Plain and simple, Christ is love,” but quickly follows scolds others with promises of damnation for not following your brand of theology. So, how you say, “Phelpsian.” Let me break your understanding of scripture down: “Die scum, Christ loves ME, eternal damnation for those who disagree with me.” Lovely.
Funny thing is, you jump all over an argument I never made…when did I say “Christ,” “Christian” or “God?” I challenged the blogger to provide some factual backing to the claims he cites from your “mainstream article.”
Just as AIDS was once called something else, it doesn’t mean the disease went away when the name was changed. Same thing with GBS — there are a certain category of diseases largely confined to people that engage in promiscuous anal intercourse. Just because it’s no longer PC to package these syndromes with a blanket term doesn’t mean this fact goes away. Facts are facts, no need to mount the pulpit reverend.
You exhort me to “know what I’m talking about,” but I must play rubber and glue with you and say that you need to understand what you are reading and resist the temptation to invent things that your interlocutor has never said before throwing a bombastic, scripture-manipulating hissy-fit.
By Nunja Bidnet on May 26, 2006
Nunja, Here is another article on “gay bowel syndrome.”
I’m not going to debate with you on the subject. You have made it clear where you stand and my readers definitely know where I stand. You are free to disagree with me if you want.
It is clear, however, that the use of the term “gay bowel syndrome” by the ex-gay movement in scaring teens to not be gay is medically unethical. Using an outdated term to describe what we know as other names is unethical. As the other article I linked to in this comment notes, yes there are diseases which affect the anal area, but these diseases are neither gay or straight. Would we want straight people thinking that this couldn’t happen to them, when God knows, it surely could (’cuz not all “straight” people practice just straight sex you know).
By Matt on May 26, 2006
Oh yes, a Wash Blade article on how someone else didn’t like the term GBS even though it still appeared very recently on major reference go-to’s like MSN Encarta and the NY Times. Citing activists and activist media for the gay community doesn’t make your case, it’s like picking your friends out of a crowd. GBS become un-PC, so the powerful gay lobby has shut down all further references. The fact that this group of diseases are peculiar to people that engage in frequent anal sex makes them far more likely to be found in gay men…just like AIDS is spread most easily through anal sex, hence predominantly a disease carried and spread by homosexual men, despite how the PR campaigns have convinced an ignorant populace that everyone is EQUALLY at risk. You really out yourself here: “an outdated term to describe what we know as other names is unethical.” First you deny it exists, then you describe GBS as simply an “outdated” term, conceding the existence of such a thing. So which way is it brother?
It may be far more therapeutic for you to deal in facts instead of hiding from the truth about the dangers of the gay male lifestyle.
By Nunja Bidnet on Jun 2, 2006
Nunja… I’m not going to argue with over this. You are wasting your time and my time. Do you really think my mind or your mind is going to be changed through our little chat through blog comments?
I will say, however, that the term GBS is outdated and was once used to describe certain diseases that we now have valid, scientific names for. Using such a biased, outdated term to scare teens is medically and scientifically unethical when these groups should be using the valid names of such things.
By Matt on Jun 2, 2006
And let me add… that is just my opinion… Not a charge for you to come back with something else… I wasn’t offering a debate with my last statements… the were closing statements.
By Matt on Jun 2, 2006
Nunja Bidnet,
You make very sensible and logical arguments. When common sense prevails, it leads intelligent people to conclude that those who are more likely to engage in homosexual sex (gay men) are more at risk from diseases born from anal sex.
The Centre of Disease Control already have concluded that although Men who have sex with men are a very small minority, they make up the great majority of people with HIV. Yet intolerant radical homosexual activists will shout down or intimidate those who know the truth. Yes, it is in fact an ‘uneducated populace’ which propagate this misinformation.
You’re great argument has changed my mind
By Anna on Jul 19, 2008