Gay rights advocates are calling for a
social conservative to step down from the board of an ex-gay group
after being linked to a male prostitute.
The Miami
New Times alleges that George Alan Rekers of North Miami
hired a young male prostitute to accompany him on a 10-day European
vacation. Rekers found the escort – named Lucien but not his real
name – on gay escort website Rentboy.com.
“This is a bombshell that completely
discredits the ex-gay industry and proves that the movement is a
fraud,” said Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth
Wins Out, a non-profit group that advocates against ex-gay
ministries.
“While Rekers keeps a low public
profile, his fingerprints are on almost every anti-gay effort to
demean and dehumanize LGBT people. Lobby groups that work to deny
equality to LGBT Americans ubiquitously cite his work.”
“Rekers has caused a great deal of
harm to gay and lesbian individuals,” he added.
Rekers, a Baptist minister, is a
founder of the socially conservative Family Research Council headed
by Tony Perkins and a board member of the National Association for
Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), a group that
believes gay men and lesbians can – and should – alter their
sexuality. He was also called to testify as an expert witness in
favor of gay adoption bans in Arkansas and Florida.
Rekers has authored numerous books on
sexuality, including Growing Up Straight: What Families Should
Know About Homosexuality and Your Child's Sexual Identity.
When confronted with the allegation,
Rekers told the paper that he hired Lucien because “I can't lift
luggage.” While both men deny having sex on the trip, Lucien says
Rekers “likes younger guys to hang out with.”
“Given the sordid and tawdry facts,
he should immediate step down from NARTH's board and apologize to the
LGBT community for his extreme hypocrisy and self-loathing,” Besen
said.
“As of today, his entire body of work
on LGBT issues in rendered meaningless,” he added.