Maggie Gallagher, a co-founder of the
National Organization for Marriage (NOM), has come to the defense of
providers of “ex-gay” therapy.
In an op-ed published in the National
Review, Gallagher praised lawyer Chuck Limandri as “brave”
for defending JONAH, a New Jersey-based Jewish “ex-gay” group, in
a lawsuit filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
“Chuck Limandri, my old friend from
the Carrie Prejean, Prop 8 fights, is a heckuva a lawyer and one
brave man,” Gallagher wrote. “He's taking on the Southern
Poverty Law Center's massive legal machine to defend the right of
Jewish gay people to seek help.”
“SPLC is using consumer-fraud laws to
try to bankrupt these small nonprofits and if it wins this case has
announced plans to take it nationwide against 70 groups offering some
form of sexual-orientation-change efforts. They must not want
publicity because this landmark case is flying under all media radar
screens.”
The SPLC announced its
first-of-its-kind lawsuit with several press releases and plaintiffs
in the lawsuit made television appearances discussing the details in
the case.
(Related: Chaim
Levin on undergoing “ex-gay” therapy: It wasn't kosher.)
Gallagher waded in on the issue as the
“ex-gay” movement faces increasing turmoil. In addition to the
case against JONAH, the SPLC
has filed a complaint against an Oregon therapist alleging that he
attempted to turn a young gay man in his care straight without his
consent. Also, the implosion of Exodus International, which
billed itself as the world's oldest and largest “ex-gay”
ministry, led the Family Research Council (FRC) to form two new
“ex-gay” groups, Voice of the Voiceless and Justice for All,
which in turn announced – then
canceled – Ex-Gay Pride Month.