The Gay Parenting Show # 27: Wayne Besen and the “Ex-Gay” Threat
The Gay Parenting Show # 27: Wayne Besen and the “Ex-Gay” Threat (MP3 –20MB –57min)
August 24, 2006: I’m SO glad to be back podcasting! Today’s show features and essential interview with Wayne Besen, author, activist, and the Executive Director of Truth Wins OUT, an organization dedicated to founded to combat the ‘ex-gay’ myth and right wing propaganda. Wayne talks about the incredible threat these hateful people are posing to our children and their schools. This one is must listening.
I also talk about how our family is doing. I give an update on everyone’s acclimation to the move, and let you know about the latest wrinkle in making our foster son a permanent part of our family.
In news, we talk about why we are loving the American Psychiatric Association, but not so thrilled with the people of Arkansas.
Thanks to HRC for their sponsorship and thanks to you for listening.
August 31st, 2006 at 4:02 am
I just want to say thank you for your show. I always find it very interesting and informative. My partner and I live in Boston and are contemplating starting a family through adoption. It’s nice to hear about your experiences and the perspectives of the guests you bring on. Keep up the good work!
Thanks.
Eric
September 7th, 2006 at 10:25 am
Scott,
I am so happy to hear that the move has gone well and that you are all settling in.
I really enjoy the podcasts, keep up the great work!
My Best Always,
Heidi
September 8th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Hi,
No. 27 was the first of your shows I listened to and it wont be the last. I live in Australia and have a very close friend who is Gay. At his recent ‘commitment’ Ceremoney (Gay marriage is illegal in Australia), where Neil got commited’ to Bill (now also a close friend), my partner and I met DOug and Phil, 2 guys who were in the process of adopting a child from the USA which was being born to a surrogate (also illegal here). They have been in a stable relationship for I think 10 years or so and are deeply commited to each other (the type of couple you look at, tilt your head to the side and go awwww…), and they want kids. They are both professional people and Im sure any child a truely magnificent upbringing, but the amount of legal hoops they have to jump through to adopt a child (gay people cant adopt in Australia) are horrendous. They say its going to cost them over $200,000Aus to adopt and yet the way the system is, governments think that some 16yo ho who goes out, gets herself drunk and knocked up to some guy she will never meet again will make a better parent.
I think not.
I also noted with interest your story on the statement that the American psychiatric Association made recently. The one saying that being gay was not a mental illness. Your guest also made reference to their being more and more evidence pointing to a biological basis for being Gay. I would agree to this.
I read a book not that long a go called ‘brain sex’, it was written by a neurophysiologist who said that the way your brain is wired happens in the womb. They also mentioned that in addition to the typical ‘male’ and ‘female’ wiring, pattern, there was also a ‘gay’ pattern as well (my friend bill reckons this would be the most stylish pattern of the 3). The Book also said that because of this, there has been and will always be a section of the community who is gay and that discriminating against a person on this basis is as stupid as discriminating against someone who is left handed.
Just like left handedness, homosexuality is a perfectly normal variation for our species.
I believe that your guest was right, its the right wing religous nut bags who have a sickness not gay people.
As for me, I would have no problem whatsoever leaving my 5 & 7 year old boys with my gay mates Neil and Bill. They are good people.
Keep up the good work.
John McGuinness
December 21st, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I listened to your podcast on my computer tonight because I am also reading “Anything But Straight”, which is a fascinating, frightening, and at times, humorous book about these brainwashed bible bigots.
But I have no desire to get married or to adopt children. In fact, I am many times envious of people who can have long time relationships, and be so unselfish as to want to take care of children and provide for them.
Nonetheless, I will fight tooth and nail for anyone who wants to achieve this happiness.!
And of course, I realize that the religious right is trying to take every single right away from us. I have been in many protests, made contributions, done phone banks, but the “Evangelical Zombie Brigade” and their ex-gay ministries are my main target now. Wayne Besen, here I come!