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Gay teen to be released from Tenn. ex-gay facility
Exodus prepares for national conference this weekend
By EARTHA JANE MELZER
Friday, July 22, 2005
Zach Stark, the Tennessee teenager who blogged about his parents’ negative reaction to his coming out, may soon be released from Love in Action, the religious facility that has been working to change his sexual orientation since the beginning of June.
Early last month, a Love in Action administrator said that two male teens in the program were both enrolled for six-week stints in the “ex-gay” camp, and last week in an interview broadcast on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Zach’s father, Joe Stark confirmed his son’s identity as one of Love in Action’s clients.
“We felt good about Zach coming here … to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn’t give him today,” Stark said.
“Until he turns 18 and he’s an adult in the state of Tennessee, I’m responsible for him, and I’m going to see to it that he has all options available to him.”
A Los Angeles-based psychologist took issue with the father’s statement.
“It appears that both Mr. Stark and the LIA director’s public comments are highly defensive and indicate that their concern is less for the child’s well-being and more for their own purposes,” said Paul Chimubulo said via e-mail.
“The sort of homophobia they espouse has been shown to be rooted in anxiety and a feeling of threat. … The gay child’s expressions are recognized and interpreted as injurious to the parent’s sense of self. With the publicity this has gathered, the father’s internal anxiety and feelings of threat over his son’s gay identity must really be ratcheted up.”
It is not yet known what effect the Love in Action experience has had on Zach, who initially blogged that his parents’ reaction to his coming out was driving him to suicidal thoughts.
Zach’s story has triggered global media coverage about efforts to change sexual orientation, about the “ex-gay” movement that supports these efforts, and about the conflicts that sometimes arise when parents have strong negative reactions to news that their child is gay.
Blogs on the Web, the gay media, the Memphis-area media and mainstream national news outlets, including the New York Times, have covered Zach’s story.
In Memphis, Queer Action Coalition formed and held educational demonstrations and has engaged Love in Action staff, the media and the community in dialogue about reparative therapy and its methods.
One facet of the public discussion has hinged on the legality and ethics of offering counseling to treat homosexuality.
As a consequence of the publicity around Love in Action, the Tennessee Department of Health began an investigation and notified the unlicensed group that it appeared to be functioning illegally and could potentially be referred to the county district attorney for prosecution.
According to a report in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Love in Action executive director John Smid said that Love in Action would change its program to remain unregulated by the state.
But Andrea Turner, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Health, said Love in Action has not yet told the state how it plans to come into compliance with the law.
A staff member at Love in Action said he could not confirm or deny reports that the facility planned to send clients to an off-site facility for drug and alcohol treatment.
Exodus International confab
A request for an interview with Love in Action administrators was declined because the administrators were busy preparing to attend Exodus International’s Freedom Conference in Asheville, N.C., this weekend.
Exodus International bills itself as the “largest Christian referral and information ministry dealing with homosexual issues in our world today.” Exodus refers parents to Love in Action’s program for minors.
Hundreds of people from across the country are scheduled to attend the Freedom Conference and participate in workshops and individualized counseling sessions designed to help them out of being gay.
Rev. Jerry Falwell and Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, along with Christian musician Dennis Jernigan and Dr. Nancy Heche, mother of the actress Anne Heche, whose lesbian affair was the subject of tabloid headlines for months, are expected to address the conference
http://www.expressgaynews.com/2005/7-22/news/national/national_zachstark.cfm
Exodus prepares for national conference this weekend
By EARTHA JANE MELZER
Friday, July 22, 2005
Zach Stark, the Tennessee teenager who blogged about his parents’ negative reaction to his coming out, may soon be released from Love in Action, the religious facility that has been working to change his sexual orientation since the beginning of June.
Early last month, a Love in Action administrator said that two male teens in the program were both enrolled for six-week stints in the “ex-gay” camp, and last week in an interview broadcast on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Zach’s father, Joe Stark confirmed his son’s identity as one of Love in Action’s clients.
“We felt good about Zach coming here … to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn’t give him today,” Stark said.
“Until he turns 18 and he’s an adult in the state of Tennessee, I’m responsible for him, and I’m going to see to it that he has all options available to him.”
A Los Angeles-based psychologist took issue with the father’s statement.
“It appears that both Mr. Stark and the LIA director’s public comments are highly defensive and indicate that their concern is less for the child’s well-being and more for their own purposes,” said Paul Chimubulo said via e-mail.
“The sort of homophobia they espouse has been shown to be rooted in anxiety and a feeling of threat. … The gay child’s expressions are recognized and interpreted as injurious to the parent’s sense of self. With the publicity this has gathered, the father’s internal anxiety and feelings of threat over his son’s gay identity must really be ratcheted up.”
It is not yet known what effect the Love in Action experience has had on Zach, who initially blogged that his parents’ reaction to his coming out was driving him to suicidal thoughts.
Zach’s story has triggered global media coverage about efforts to change sexual orientation, about the “ex-gay” movement that supports these efforts, and about the conflicts that sometimes arise when parents have strong negative reactions to news that their child is gay.
Blogs on the Web, the gay media, the Memphis-area media and mainstream national news outlets, including the New York Times, have covered Zach’s story.
In Memphis, Queer Action Coalition formed and held educational demonstrations and has engaged Love in Action staff, the media and the community in dialogue about reparative therapy and its methods.
One facet of the public discussion has hinged on the legality and ethics of offering counseling to treat homosexuality.
As a consequence of the publicity around Love in Action, the Tennessee Department of Health began an investigation and notified the unlicensed group that it appeared to be functioning illegally and could potentially be referred to the county district attorney for prosecution.
According to a report in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Love in Action executive director John Smid said that Love in Action would change its program to remain unregulated by the state.
But Andrea Turner, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Health, said Love in Action has not yet told the state how it plans to come into compliance with the law.
A staff member at Love in Action said he could not confirm or deny reports that the facility planned to send clients to an off-site facility for drug and alcohol treatment.
Exodus International confab
A request for an interview with Love in Action administrators was declined because the administrators were busy preparing to attend Exodus International’s Freedom Conference in Asheville, N.C., this weekend.
Exodus International bills itself as the “largest Christian referral and information ministry dealing with homosexual issues in our world today.” Exodus refers parents to Love in Action’s program for minors.
Hundreds of people from across the country are scheduled to attend the Freedom Conference and participate in workshops and individualized counseling sessions designed to help them out of being gay.
Rev. Jerry Falwell and Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, along with Christian musician Dennis Jernigan and Dr. Nancy Heche, mother of the actress Anne Heche, whose lesbian affair was the subject of tabloid headlines for months, are expected to address the conference
http://www.expressgaynews.com/2005/7-22/news/national/national_zachstark.cfm
Is this for effin' real?!?!? 
Anybody else think of the movie "Saved" the minute they read this??? 
- humor is my coping mechanism. No offense intended to anyone. 
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