Zach is Back

Ex-Gay Teen Celeb Pops Up Six Years Later

Remember Zach Stark? The teenager set off a firestorm back in 2005 when he posted on MySpace that his parents were sending him to “ex-gay therapy,” which is really just another way of saying “anti-gay abuse.”

Also, remember MySpace?

Anyway, Zach became an unwilling internet celebrity for a little bit as it seemed like the entire web was in an uproar over what his parents were doing to him. Zach made it clear that he wanted to be left alone. And then he faded from public view. Until now.

A documentary about his experience (and about one of the cruel organizations that abuse gay teens) is slated to debut at Frameline, San Francisco’s storied LGBT film festival. How’s Zach doing these days? What happened to him? How’s his relationship with his parents?

The documentary’s been kicking around since 2008, so it’s nice to see that it’s finally ready to screen. So, gays, you know what to do: everyone pile onto the big gay rainbow bus and make a roadtrip to SF for Frameline in June.

Plenty of mysteries still surround the whole situation. Will we learn more about Zach, or be left with more questions? So far, all we know about the Zach of today is that now he has a beard. Woof?

Jump to 12 Comments

By: matt baume
On: May 4, 2011
Tagged: Ex-Gay, Love Won Out, zach stark

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12 Comments

No. 1 · jon
Very cool would like to watch!!! Watch Jesus Camp if u haven’t…gotta learn about those crazy Christian Soldiers.

May 4, 2011 at 2:25 pm · @Reply ·
No. 2 · Mike
I hope he is ok. I remember contemplating going into this kind of treatment right when this all happened in 2005. Glad I didn’t, but I hope he is ok.

May 4, 2011 at 3:35 pm · @Reply ·
No. 3 · Brandon H
I heard rumors on other blogs, just rumors mind you, that he went all “straight with gay tendencies”, what ever the fuck that means.

I certainly hope it isn’t true and he is able to let his homo flag fly.

May 4, 2011 at 3:59 pm · @Reply ·
No. 4 · RomanHans
He didn’t want to talk to us, and now we have to buy a ticket to hear what he has to say? Thanks but no thanks.

May 4, 2011 at 5:07 pm · @Reply ·
No. 5 · Ken
@RomanHans: This may not have occurred to you, but he was, what, 16 at the time? His parents obviously still controlled his life. Maybe we could have expected something at 18, but since when does the media wait that long?

May 5, 2011 at 12:30 am · @Reply ·
No. 6 · American Again
This would be a non story if the young man was 5 foot and 250 pounds…….but he’s good looking so let’s exploit the dude.

May 9, 2011 at 7:16 pm · @Reply ·
No. 7 · RomanHans
Ken, we’re still waiting. Is he gay? Was he forced into reparative therapy? He could help a lot of people by coming out with his story. Why the silence?

If he’s still being controlled by his parents, it’s definitely tragic, but then why would we want to hear what he says?

May 11, 2011 at 1:44 pm · @Reply ·
No. 8 · Armand
@American Again: Agreed. Whatever promotes our gay community, at whatever the cost.

Ethics and decency are out the window.

May 17, 2011 at 12:50 pm · @Reply ·
No. 9 · MattGMD
If a christianist organisation has the word “Love” in its title, then that is Major Clue Numero Uno that something is amiss.

Bring back the lions.

May 23, 2011 at 12:17 pm · @Reply ·
No. 10 · Red Meat
@jon: Oh lord, that just reminded me of the fat ass Christian soldier on Trading Spouses back in 2007.

Jun 7, 2011 at 12:49 pm · @Reply ·
No. 11 · Andrew Gates
He’s too cute to be straight. I’m glad it didn’t work!

Jun 25, 2011 at 4:06 am · @Reply ·
No. 12 · Ian
@American Again: @Armand: Help me understand: Do you mean that it’s NOT a story or worth covering specifically BECAUSE he’s a good-looking young man? I don’t understand how it becomes exploitation or unethical simply because the kid is nice looking.

Jul 20, 2011 at 10:41 pm · @Reply ·