‘Ex-Gay’ Activist Denounces Use of LGBT Pride Flag to Mourn Orlando Victims

Jeremy Schwab Calls Rainbow Banner ‘Symbol of Evil’ That Destroys Life

“Ex-gay” activist Jeremy Schwab says the LGBT Pride flag is a “symbol of evil” that destroys life in the same way that the Orlando terrorist did when he murdered 50 people at a gay nightclub early Sunday. 

Schwab, who lives in Dallas and authored a plank endorsing “ex-gay” therapy in the Texas GOP’s platform, sent this reporter a Facebook message early Monday denouncing the use of the flag to mourn the victims of the massacre at Pulse Orlando. 

“It’s really sickening that anyone would use the rainbow flag in the context of today’s tragedy,” Schwab wrote. “The victims of this horrific tragedy were sons and daughters of God. It is a disgrace to refer to them by a reductionist reference to their sexual attractions. The rainbow flag is propaganda for the false “gay” construct and lies that continue to oppress millions of people. It is [a] symbol of evil that destroys temporal and eternal life in the same way that this terrorist destroyed earthly life. BOTH are evil.” 

Schwab posted an identical message to his Facebook timeline, where it had received 61 likes by Monday morning. Most commenters were supportive of Schwab’s post, with one person calling him “a stud” and another referring to the LGBT Pride flag as “a monstrosity.” Only two commenters criticized Schwab. One said his post was “in poor taste,” while the other, gay Republican Rudy Oeftering, wrote: “Give it a rest. Can you spare your attacks on gays, however couched in big words, until the families bury their loved ones?”

In response to the commenters, Schwab wrote: “I can’t throw any stones. I used to wear this rainbow flag bracelet everywhere when I was in high school and my 20’s. I bought in to that false identity for a long time. I understand its appeal. I just don’t want to see it further perpetuated, especially by a tragedy like this.”

When I shared Schwab’s Facebook message with Rafael McDonnell of Resource Center, Dallas’ LGBT community center, he responded: “Just when you think they can’t get lower, they find a sub-basement.” 

Schwab, who leads an “ex-gay” ministry called Joel 2:25 International, made headlines in 2014 after the Texas GOP approved the plank endorsing “ex-gay” therapy, which has been dencounced by virtually all of the major medical and mental health organizations. 

Schwab is also an actor who’s appeared in films including “My Father’s Daughter,” “True Romance” and “Zombie Campout,” according to IMDb. 

According to an interview posted on YouTube, Schwab lived an active gay life for about six years. He had two long-term relationships and attended a gay church but remained religiously conflicted and dissatisfied. In 2009, Schwab sought treatment from infamous California psychologist Joseph Nicolosi, a founder and former president of the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). Nicolisi referred Schwab to an ex-gay retreat called Journey Into Manhood, which he says reduced his same-sex attraction by 50 percent in one weekend.

In the 2012 YouTube interview, Schwab said his “same-sex attraction” had dropped to 10 percent and he looked forward to the possibility of marrying a woman. “I don’t believe that I was created gay,” Schwab said. “I believe it’s something that developed over time.”

 

Image: Screenshot via YouTube