Fairfax County Teacher Responds to Steve Hunt
Pretty good editorial on the topic. Robert Rigby Jr. does a great job here explaining the problems with the "ex-gay" approach and also refuting Steve Hunt's claim that schools are currently promoting a "pro-gay" agenda.
From www.washingtonpost.com
Free Speech Welcome, Virulence on Gays Is Not
Thursday, February 10, 2005; Page VA06
According to Steve Hunt, I am near the end of my life span, since I am a gay man in my forties (alas, the fleeting years). He would have you and the schoolchildren of Fairfax County believe that I lead a destructive lifestyle, full of drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse and suicide. He asks principals to share with students his touted "ex-gay" video and pamphlets, I would suppose, to lead them away from this destructive lifestyle. He couldn't be more wrong. I am, at this point in my life, happier and healthier than I've ever been.
This was not always the case. For many years, as a young man, I was involved in various forms of what the "ex-gay" movement refers to as "reparative therapy" and "transformational ministries." My life was a wreck. I was in and out of school, in and out of jobs, and in and out of mental hospitals. I, like many in reparative therapy, had perpetual gastrointestinal complaints (all that denial and shame really wracks up your insides).
Since I have left that, and instead sought the acceptance of my family and friends, my colleagues and students (and my God), my life has been truly transformed. My experience with the very "ex-gay" stuff that Mr. Hunt promotes, and my experience in leaving it behind, tells me that we should at every juncture avoid promoting "ex-gay" materials to youth.
Now that I have the personal testimony out of the way, let's take a more detailed look at some of the things that Mr. Hunt says.
He states: "I know that many schools in Fairfax County have brought in speakers to talk about homosexual and transgender issues. It is my understanding that these have been speakers that have spoken in favor of the homosexual lifestyle."
That's just not true. To my knowledge, no county school ever has invited speakers to talk about gay or transgender issues to students. I think what Mr. Hunt is talking about is student clubs, which are allowed under the First Amendment to invite speakers to speak to groups on various topics. I know of occasions when independent student organizations have invited speakers to talk about such topics as activism within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, gay spirituality, protection from harassment (police departments have been helpful here), combating homophobia, educating peers about differences among people, etc.
Many high schools in Fairfax County have student organizations called Gay-Straight Alliances, which are exactly what they sound like: gay and straight students coming together to create a safe space where they can accept one another and perhaps educate the community about acceptance a little bit. These clubs could invite speakers from Mr. Hunt's "ex-gay" movement if they chose, and there are some speakers who I would recommend to them.
However, the group that Mr. Hunt proposes, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, I would not recommend. I've heard their executive director, Regina Griggs, speak publicly, and she does not speak gently of gay people. Their president, Richard Cohen, was recently evicted from his professional organization, the American Counseling Association, because of questions about interactions with clients. These are not the people I would want speaking to students.
I wouldn't invite Mr. Hunt to speak either: His rhetoric is too harsh and virulent. I will ask him to dinner, though. It would be a fruitful experience for him to meet a successful person who has left the "ex-gay" movement (an ex-ex-gay, as it were). I would rock his world.
Robert Rigby Jr.
Teacher
Falls Church High School
From www.washingtonpost.com
Free Speech Welcome, Virulence on Gays Is Not
Thursday, February 10, 2005; Page VA06
According to Steve Hunt, I am near the end of my life span, since I am a gay man in my forties (alas, the fleeting years). He would have you and the schoolchildren of Fairfax County believe that I lead a destructive lifestyle, full of drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse and suicide. He asks principals to share with students his touted "ex-gay" video and pamphlets, I would suppose, to lead them away from this destructive lifestyle. He couldn't be more wrong. I am, at this point in my life, happier and healthier than I've ever been.
This was not always the case. For many years, as a young man, I was involved in various forms of what the "ex-gay" movement refers to as "reparative therapy" and "transformational ministries." My life was a wreck. I was in and out of school, in and out of jobs, and in and out of mental hospitals. I, like many in reparative therapy, had perpetual gastrointestinal complaints (all that denial and shame really wracks up your insides).
Since I have left that, and instead sought the acceptance of my family and friends, my colleagues and students (and my God), my life has been truly transformed. My experience with the very "ex-gay" stuff that Mr. Hunt promotes, and my experience in leaving it behind, tells me that we should at every juncture avoid promoting "ex-gay" materials to youth.
Now that I have the personal testimony out of the way, let's take a more detailed look at some of the things that Mr. Hunt says.
He states: "I know that many schools in Fairfax County have brought in speakers to talk about homosexual and transgender issues. It is my understanding that these have been speakers that have spoken in favor of the homosexual lifestyle."
That's just not true. To my knowledge, no county school ever has invited speakers to talk about gay or transgender issues to students. I think what Mr. Hunt is talking about is student clubs, which are allowed under the First Amendment to invite speakers to speak to groups on various topics. I know of occasions when independent student organizations have invited speakers to talk about such topics as activism within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, gay spirituality, protection from harassment (police departments have been helpful here), combating homophobia, educating peers about differences among people, etc.
Many high schools in Fairfax County have student organizations called Gay-Straight Alliances, which are exactly what they sound like: gay and straight students coming together to create a safe space where they can accept one another and perhaps educate the community about acceptance a little bit. These clubs could invite speakers from Mr. Hunt's "ex-gay" movement if they chose, and there are some speakers who I would recommend to them.
However, the group that Mr. Hunt proposes, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, I would not recommend. I've heard their executive director, Regina Griggs, speak publicly, and she does not speak gently of gay people. Their president, Richard Cohen, was recently evicted from his professional organization, the American Counseling Association, because of questions about interactions with clients. These are not the people I would want speaking to students.
I wouldn't invite Mr. Hunt to speak either: His rhetoric is too harsh and virulent. I will ask him to dinner, though. It would be a fruitful experience for him to meet a successful person who has left the "ex-gay" movement (an ex-ex-gay, as it were). I would rock his world.
Robert Rigby Jr.
Teacher
Falls Church High School