“Ex-gay” activists have gathered in Washington D.C. to snuff out legislation that would create new protections for people in the LGBTQ community.
The California-based groups Church United and Changed attempted to lobby Congress this past week in opposition to bills H.R. 5, the Equality Act, and H.R. 3570, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act. The groups are comprised of people who identify as “ex-gay” or “formers” and claim that, with a devotion to Jesus and the Church, any individual can alter their “chosen” sexual orientation. Changed founder Elizabeth Woning said they have come to “appeal to Congress to focus on human dignity, not identity politics.”
H.R. 5 would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Changed and Church United claim that the Equality Act would challenge their First Amendment rights. Jim Domen, Church United’s founder, says that “The Equality Act treats sexual preference as an elevated class and would strip people of religious freedom.” The groups even go so far as to argue that LGBTQ discrimination is non-existent, “evidenced” by the fact that gay people have achieved success as scientists, authors, and politicians.
Ryan Thorenson, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, says these claims made by the “ex-gays” are anything but fact. “Maybe this group of people doesn’t feel it’s been discriminated against when they identified as LGBTQ+, but whether a particular group feels like it’s discriminated against isn’t an indication of whether discrimination exists for other people,” Thoren adds. “There’s a clear consensus from groups that work with LGBTQ+ people that this legislation will benefit them and help them live better lives.”
The “formers” are also attempting to nix The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act that would target individuals and groups operating conversion therapy sessions. Conversion therapy has been discredited by both the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association as ineffective and ultimately harmful, and H.R 3570 would make the practice fraudulent. Changed and Church United say that there’s a difference between conversion therapy and seeking to “overcome” one’s sexual orientation, but they have not defined what this alleged difference is.
Meanwhile, as the religious organizations continue their anti-gay crusade, many significant members of similar groups have come out as LGBTQ. David Matheson, a previous Latter Day Saints therapist who pioneered an “ex-gay” program called Journey into Manhood, came out as gay as well as McKrae Game, the leader of a prominent conversion ministry in South Carolina.
President Biden had originally promised that the Equality Act would be passed within his first 100 days in office, but roadblocks like these have made it difficult to achieve. With H.R. 5 at a standstill, Biden signed an executive order that the Bostock v. Clayton County Supreme Court ruling on sex discrimination would be applied in cases of discrimination in housing, healthcare, and education, as well as employment. However, this could be overturned by future administrations. The Equality Act would codify Bostock, securing protections for the LGBTQ+ community for decades to come.
We’ve made great progress over the last few decades, but our fight for full equality isn’t over. It’s time we pass the #EqualityAct — for our families, our friends, our neighbors and ourselves. pic.twitter.com/IYMa2o6pCc — Human Rights Campaign Rapid Response (@HRC) May 26, 2021
