Volume One Issue Eight Thursday May 3, 2012
Introduction From the Creator
If you'd like to see more frequent LGBT news in and around Indiana, check out the HOOSIER LGBTQ Facebook page!
--Kim Flowers
Flaming National Headlines
Tennessee's "Don't Say Gay" bill is expected to die without a vote. GOP sponsor Rep. Joey Henley says he won't bring it up. --Huffington Post
Missouri Republican Representative Zach Wyatt comes out, opposes Missouri's "Don't Say Gay" bill -- Advocate
Jodie Brunstetter, wife of North Caroline state senator Peter Brunstetter, claims that Amendment 1, which will ban same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships, will protect the Caucasion race, and that same-sex marriages don't produce children. --Think Progress
Community News
Darnell Young, a gay student at Tech High School in Indianapolis, is facing expulsion for carrying a stun gun his mother gave him to protect against bullies. After being cursed and threatened Young fired the stun gun into the air while surrounded. His mother has previously filed 10 formal complaints about bullying. --Indianapolis Star, LGBT Nation
IMO: Too Late to RuPologize?
Dr. Robert Spitzer, who led the way in declassifying homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973, also published a study in 2001 claiming ex-gay therapy could change a person's sexual orientation. Since then, his words have been used by many ex-gay groups, including Exodus International, to support their cause. In March of this year, Spitzer retracted his findings and apologized to the LGBT community.
Does this change anything?
Right now, I don't think so. It is admirable that Spitzer has taken these actions, even though I'm not sure why it took him so long. In the future I think this will impact the ex-gay therapy lies and beliefs of those who think homosexuality can and should be changed, but right now it only seems to be affecting those who already knew the crap didn't work anyway.
I attempted ex-gay therapy through Exodus International via email and with my campus counselor in 1999-2000, a year before Spitzer's study was published. Reparative therapy groups existed before this study and will continue to exist after. His apology doesn't take away the horrible experience I had, nor those of others who attempted to change themselves because they thought that according to their religion, society, and family they had no other choice. But this is definitely a step in the right direction.
Want to read more about the experiences of myself and a friend in ex-gay therapy? Check this out: http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/VIEWPOINT-Ex-this/33737.html
Thanks for reading!
