John Paulk, once one of the most visible
spokespeople for the 'ex-gay' movement, has said that he no longer
supports attempts to change a person's sexual orientation from gay to
straight.
Paulk appeared on the cover of Newsweek
in 1998 under the headline Gay for Life? Going Straight: The
Uproar Over Sexual “Conversion”. In the article, he promoted
the “ex-gay” ministry he founded, Love Won Out, and claimed that
like himself and his wife Anne, people can and do alter their
sexuality.
Paulk's status in the movement
diminished greatly in 2000 when Wayne Besen publicized spotting him
at a gay bar in Washington D.C.
Besen, who started Truth Wins Out to
counter Paulk's message, told PQ
Monthly that Paulk was getting rich by offering “false hope
and healing to desperate and vulnerable Christian parents who were
terrified and confused when their children came out of the closet.”
In 2005, Paulk moved to Portland,
Oregon, where he opened a catering company.
In an email to PQ Monthly,
Paulk, who was sighted at a local gay bar, rebuked the therapy.
“Until recently, I have struggled all
my life in feeling unloved and unaccepted,” Paulk wrote. “I have
been on a journey during the last few years in trying to understand
God, myself, and how I can best relate to others. During this
journey I have made many mistakes and I have hurt many people
including people who are close to me. I have also found a large
number of people who accept me for who I am regardless of my past,
any labels, or what I do.”
“I no longer support the ex-gay
movement or efforts to attempt to change individuals – especially
teens who already feel insecure and alienated. I feel great sorrow
over the pain that has been caused when my words were misconstrued.
I have worked at giving generously to the gay community in Portland
where I work and live. I am working hard to be authentic and genuine
in all of my relationships.”
In response, Besen called on Paulk to
do more.
“It is not enough to simply send an
e-mail that says, 'I'm sorry,'” Besen
said in press release. “John Paulk must work to atone for the
damage he has done to LGBT families by taking a public role in
renouncing and working against the harmful 'ex-gay' industry by
embarking on a speaking tour to show that he truly has changed.
Further, he should advocate for a bill in Oregon that would ban
so-called 'reparative therapy' for minors. Only then can he start to
repair the damage he has done to countless LGBT people and their
families.”