These Billboards Promoting ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy Just Inspired an LGBT Pride Celebration in Waco, Texas

Gay Pastor Has Perfect Response to Ads Sponsored by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays

An “ex-gay” advocacy group has erected two billboards promoting the dangerous, discredited practice in Waco, Texas — inspiring an openly gay pastor to organize an LGBT Pride celebration.

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX) recently put up the billboards saying, “Ex-Gays Prove Change is Possible,” KTRE-TV reports. 

Waco, of course, is home to Baylor University, one of the nation’s most anti-LGBT schools. But the city halfway between Austin and Dallas is also home to a growing LGBT community, and Charley Garrison, pastor of Central Texas Metropolitan Community Church, is speaking out against the signs.  

“Ex-gays implies there’s something wrong with gay, lesbian, and transgendered people,” Garrison told the station. “Ex-gay therapy does not do any good and in fact, can do harm in increasing the suicide rate in the LGBTQ community.” 

David Pickup, an ex-gay therapist who serves on the board of PFOX and recently erected a similar billboard in Dallas, told KTRE there’s a difference between “reparative therapy” and “conversion therapy.”  

“The people who are criticizing this, they are automatically assuming for everyone homosexuality is genetic or inborn,” Pickup said. “Because they are assuming this about everyone they are hurting a lot of people who have traumatic causes for their homoerotic feelings. So that’s why need billboards like the one in Waco that tell the truth.” 

Last year, the owner of the Dallas billboard took down Pickup’s ad after realizing the nature of his practice. Pickup, who identifies as “ex-homosexual,” was among the authors of a plank in the Texas GOP’s platform endorsing reparative therapy. 

Garrison told KTRE he initially considered putting up another billboard to respond to the ones paid for by PFOX, but determined it would be too expensive. That’s when he decided to raise money for an LGBT Pride celebration next year.  

“Quite simply, self-hatred is not therapy. But it is dangerous!” Garrison wrote on Facebook. “Join others in opposing the message of this billboard, by contributing to an LGBT Pride event in 2017. You may wish to make a pledge of any amount for each week the billboard remains standing. Or you may choose to make a single donation. Any donation you make will go toward celebrating the diversity of Waco’s LGBT community, rather than condemning it. Instead of getting angry at the billboard’s message, allow it to motivate you toward supporting Waco’s LGBT community.”

To donate, go to the church’s website and click on the PayPal “Donate” button at the bottom of the page, or mail a check with “LGBT Pride 2017” in the memo to:

Central Texas MCC
P.O. Box 1722
Waco, TX 76703

 

Image by Charley Garrison via Facebook