Some of us
received a disturbing newsletter from the LGBT activist group AllOut yesterday
saying.
They're coming to
Australia. This week, an extremist religious group is
holding workshops for gays and lesbians on how to hate themselves for who they
are. These type of "therapy sessions" collect cash for one
purpose only: to sell the idea that people who are not straight should
stifle it.
On Sunday it's
happening in Sydney. But we can shut it down. Already almost 50,000 people
around the world have taken a stand against these harmful and unnecessary
treatments - and All Out members successfully called governments to action in
France and Argentina.
We're setting off
a global domino effect to shut down these sessions and ban
"gay cures" for good. Will you call on the Australian
government, and the governments at every tour-stop, to stand against "gay
cures"?
Immediately I
began getting emails and messages from people distressed and angry about this
news.
This was
disturbing to many of us because:
- Those
of us who have been monitoring ex-gay activities in Australia for many
years knew nothing about these things.
- The
newsletter gave the impression there was a new push in this country when
clearly ex-gay ministries are in decline here. Two thirds
gone in the last decade
All my inquiries
and research within Australia came up with nothing.
I spoke with a
representative at AllOut in New York this morning. AllOut's initiatives globally have been and
are important projects worth supporting. One of their projects is to follow
Desert Streams seminars around the world and do activism in those countries by
engaging with the governments and making them aware of the dangers of
associated with ex-gay programs.
Unfortunately the
information in the AllOut newsletter sent to Australian's wasn't entirely
correct.
They're coming to
Australia. ....They
is referring to Desert Stream.......but they are not coming here. Desert Stream
is branded Living Waters here. It is not a Desert Stream organisation as such
but uses Andy Comisky's Living Waters programs and are affiliated.
On Sunday it's
happening in Sydney. An error has been made here.
AllOut got this information from this page assuming this was
a Desert Stream initiative as they are doing in other parts of the world (Europe, USA
& Asia). As I pointed out to the AllOut representative, these
programs have actually been running regularly for the last 20 years in
Australia (and appears to
gettiing less and less attending).......so this is nothing new or a
US/Desert Stream initiative as expressed in the newsletter.
I will continue to
keep you informed about progress here in Australia.
We will be continue
to determine ways we can effectively overcome misinformation and ignorance
about sexuality and gender diversity here in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
If you would like to support this work then use the DONATE button on top right
hand corner.
Thanks.
Press quote:
"I was
shocked when I read the AllOut newsletter announcing an extremist Christian
organisation was coming to Australia and commencing ex-gay programs the coming
weekend. Shocked because I've been monitoring ex-gay activities in Australia
and New Zealand for 12 years now and wondered how such a significant event
could have slipped under my radar. Then I began getting emails and messages
from people who were also distressed and angry about the news. When I contacted
a representative at AllOut in New York I discovered where the error had been
made. It is easy to see how AllOut had connected dots in cyberspace and come to
a false assumption. But an email or call to someone in this Australia with
expertise and local knowledge would have made them realise their one plus one
equalled three. The group they are speaking about has been operating for over
20 years here and the programs they said were being launched have been declining in numbers and
frequency as I pointed out two years ago. A little bit of extra homework on
AllOut's part would have saved us all some unnecessary stress."
ABOUT ANTHONY
VENN-BROWN
Anthony Venn-Brown
is a founder of Freedom 2 b[e], Australia’s largest network of
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people from Christian backgrounds
and is currently director of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders
International. He is an educator, consultant and commentator on
LGBT/faith issues and been committed to deconstructing the ‘ex-gay’
myth in Australia. Anthony’s journey from married, high profile preacher in
Australia’s mega-churches to living as an openly gay man is detailed in his
autobiography 'A Life of Unlearning'.
Anthony has been twice voted ‘One of the 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian
Australians’ (2007 & 2009) and was one of four finalists for the 2011 ACON
Community Hero Award.
Labels: correspondence, ex-gay, Living Waters, media release, Ron Brookman, unwanted same sex attraction