Charlene Cothran may no longer identify as a lesbian - a move that has helped ingratiate her with Peter LaBarbera and his Americans For "Truth" - but she's not necessarily straight. Sitting down with Clay Cane for her first black media interview, the Venus publisher explains that her "spiritual war" with homosexuality's less about getting down with guys and more about getting down with God:

Cane: Are you saying that you are not heterosexual?

Cothran: I am saying that I am celibate right now. I’m not saying there won’t ever be a man in my life. You’re asking me about where I am and that's all I can speak to. ...There is one thing I can say and one thing I will go on record and say—I will never be entangled with the bondage of lesbianism again... Right now I’m celibate, now, where the Lord's going to move me, what opportunity he's going to place in my path for me from here on—I don't know.

So, basically, she's not a lesbian because she's not having sex? Why not just be celibate rather than making this big ex-gay stink? Because she wants to save your soul, of course.

CONTINUED »

Like a lot of people, we rolled our eyes in disgust when financial guru and freshly outed lady lover Suze Orman justified her quest for gay marriage by lamenting the potential loss of her millions. She griped to The New York Times' Deborah Solomon:

[My lover KT and I] have millions of dollars in our name. It’s killing me that upon my death, K.T. is going to lose 50 percent of everything I have to estate taxes. Or vice versa.

Alright, that's kind of a gross justification, but not as sickening as ex-gay and Exodus International leader Randy Thomas' uncivil statements.

CONTINUED »

A friend from CBC's The Hour send us this video of their piece on Reparative therapy - the controversial, Biblically proportioned "conversion" ex-gays think "cures" homosexuality. Among the tactics, suggesting men stop wearing earrings and pick up a football. Genius!

We know you guys love that shit, so we figured you'd be intrigued. Warning, it's not for the faint of heart. Luckily, we know most of you kids don't have hearts, so you should be okay.

While Jimmy Im's living it up at WinterPride, we've been hard at working planning our next issue. While we can't give away any of the details, we can say that our research led us over to the Love In Action website.

In case you're not aware, Love in Action's one of the many ex-gay movements who claim homosexuality can be cured through "the power of Jesus". Founded in 1973 by John Evans and the Reverend Kent Philpott, they define their purpose thus:

Love in Action International is passionately committed to helping people discover the truth about God and about who they really are in his son Jesus. In the safety and strength of God's love men and women of all ages have found the courage to step out of destructive and enslaving life behaviors.

Of course, destructive and enslaving behaviors can be read as many things, but the group focuses primarily on the most damning of all behaviors: same-sex lovin'.

Upon entering their site, the reader's asked to choose one of three links: men, women and clergy. It's with the first two that we're concerned. What's this concern? Well, dive into the glorious jump to find out...

CONTINUED »

Just over two weeks ago we reported on a man named Noe Gutierrez: a man who joined the ex-gay movement and then renounced his ex-gay status. Despite the turn-over, Gutierrez refused to discuss his sexuality, discussing publicly that it's not up for public discussion.

While Gutierrez may want to slink into the shadows of his own shadowy sexuality, there's another ex-ex-gay who'd like to take his show on the road: Peterson Toscano.

After years in the ex-gay movement - and taking a wife - Toscano found himself playing missionary in Zambia, where his desire for dick - er - exploded. It took more years and more tears until he finally accepted his sexuality.

Now, back in America and a happy homo, Toscano's penned a play on his experience, Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House. Promoting a Portland-based production at the gay-friendly Metropolitan Community Church, Toscano sat down with journo Scott Moore for a little chat. Here's what he has to say about his time at ex-gay camp, Love in Action:

I stayed there and worked during the day, and at night and on weekends had intensive therapy, a lot of it based around the 12-Step Program, seeing homosexuality as an addiction. And there was some gender readjustment... We had a football clinic. Changing your oil and stuff like that.

The final involved two Russian hookers, a sling and a bucket of liube. He failed.

Toscano also traces his path to the ex-gay movement. Let's just say it's some scary shit. Read all about it here.

Also, head on over to Peterson's website. He'll love you forever.

Who could forget yesterday's post featuring reformed homosexual and fag-hating rocker, Donnie Davies? Well, here's a video of him introducing himself and Love God's Way.

Just remember, he wants to know what's going on in your life. So, send him a MySpace message. He'll love it.

(PS: How many takes do you think it took for him to get the coat flip just right? We say eight...)

We knew America's schools were suffering, but this shit's too much. An affluent Maryland school district has agreed to distribute flyers from an organization called Parents and Friend of Ex-Gays. Founded in 1998, PFOX describes itself as,

a nonprofit organization providing outreach, education, and public awareness in support of families and friends of homosexuals and the ex-gay community.

So, it's sort of like a club where openly gays and "reformed" gays can come together to celebrate...well, we're not sure: they're diametrically opposed views of homosexuality? The fact that one side thinks the other's going to rot in hell? We're really not sure...

A spokesman for the Montgomery County School, Brian Edwards, insists it's the schools policy to pass out flyers from all non-profits, no matter their scope.

The situation is brought to us by a Fourth Circuit of Appeals ruling declaring parts of the previous flyer policy unconstitutional. The Board of Education had little choice but to allow flyers to be distributed in the manner in which they decided.

Though many Board members apparently disapprove of PFOX's message, but must comply with their policies.

CONTINUED »

While we're on the subject of inflammatory comments, let's consider this op-ed from "saved homosexual:, Andrew Comiskey. Weighing in on the tenuous relationship between gays and the omnipresent and equally ambiguous institution known as The Church, Comiskey writes:

I entered into the faith as a practicing homosexual and discovered through the community of faith a clear and loving track of redemption on which I matured into the capacity for heterosexual marriage and family.
...
In this process, marked by failure and halting progress, heterosexual desire began to stir within me and prompted me to engage with women, including the one I married.

Together we worked out our commitment to wholeness in the community. I faced residual temptations with the help of friends there, as did she for her issues of fear and control.

We're not sure who we feel worse for: the misguided and manipulated Comiskey or his wife, a woman who certainly has cause for worry. Never fear, though, she's nailed him down with four kids. Way to go, girl. Let's just hope Jesus doesn't fail you now.

Comiskey goes on to urge his Kansas City brethren to implore Christ's power in an effort to fight the homosexual menace:

It’s time for the churches of Kansas City to do their jobs. We can do better than brace ourselves for another sex scandal or plan another round of dialogue.

Let’s manifest Jesus, full of grace and truth, by becoming communities of healing for the homosexual.

Gee, thanks. We'd rather writhe in gay pleasure than repress ourselves in "God's" name. Unless Jesus cures by giving head. Then maybe we'll consider it. Oh, and if he gives us unlimited wine.

Let it be known that proud queer turned former fag Noe Gutierrez has publicly insisted his sexuality's not up for public discussion. Gutierrez's name may ring a bell after his roles in two contradictory movies. In 1999's It's Elementary, Gutierrez helped educate children on homo-inclusion. Flash-forward five-years and a religious experience later, and Gutierrez popped up as one of Dr. Warren Throckmorton documentary subjects in the ex-gay documentary, I Do Exist. In that film, Gutierrez professed his Biblically-founded ex-gayness.

Now, Gutierrez has released a statement distancing himself from the controversial movement, Ex-Gay Watch reports. In a statement issued January 7, 2007, Gutierrez insists:

This video record of my testimony in support of the ex-gay movement is but a snapshot in time, it seemed important for me to establish the broader picture of where I am in my own life and how my ideas have changed over time. Of utmost importance is my integrity, which can only be maintained through persistent honesty with myself and with others.

Question: how does one measure integrity? You know, just some food for thought...

Gutierrez goes on to say that while he does not consider himself an ex-gay, he doesn't exactly rebuke it's message: that Christian teaching can cure homosexuality:

I am a person who believes in change, especially that espoused by an active Christian faith. However, I do regret the divisive message of the ex-gay movement and that my story became a vehicle for that message. I personally have had a change of heart in the matter of a person’s sexual orientation. It has been my experience in the years since joining (and later leaving) the ex-gay movement that a person’s sexual orientation may or may not be an area impacted by the change that comes by way of a diligent Christian faith. I believe that a true faith in Jesus Christ is made manifest in the positive and visible change of a believer’s heart.

Okay, while we totally disagree with the ex-gay movement, we have to give them credit for not kidnapping Gutierrez and trying to brainwash him a la Ted Haggard.

Despite his declaration, Gutierrez would not emphasize his sexual complexities:

For those left wondering about my own sexuality, I have decided no longer make this small part of my identity a topic for public discussion.

Too late.

Remember kooky Richard Cohen, the guy who teaches you to "cure" your homosexuality by beating a pillow with a tennis racket and lying down on his sweaty lap? Well, he's back on television, this time on Jimmy Kimmel Live, trying to show the world how easy it is to be straight. Kimmel's other guest, George Foreman, plays a role in Cohen's demonstrations and looks visibly disturbed by his crazy antics.

Some highlights include Kimmel correcting Cohen's use of the term "case study," which Cohen used in reference to his reading Rosie O'Donnell's biography. Kimmel rightly interjected, "That is called reading, not a case study."

And our favorite moment was when Cohen asked Foreman, "Can I hold you?" like only a creepy ex-gay can.

The Malcontent has a full clip of this priceless segment.

Cohen’s Got Quite a Racket [Malcontent via Ex-Gay Watch]

Christian activist and ex-gay James Hartline finds it painful to enter Starbucks because it reminds him of his former lifestyle. All the brushed steel and pastry constantly calls him back to the homosexual decadence that he enjoyed for 30 years. Yes, that's right. 30 years of being gay only then to become a Christian ex-gay activist. We wonder what could happen after that much time to cause such a change. We suspect he had his heart broken.

He is now urging all Christians to patronize other, less faggy establishments.

Former Homosexual, Now a Christian, Highlights Starbucks' Strong Support for Homosexuals [Agape Press via PAYOR]

We haven't been to church for fifty or sixty years a few weeks, and the guilt is killing us. We're filthy, sinning infidels looking for the path to righteousness, but in these days of being talked down to by the Evangelicals--oh, how that word gives us agida--it's hard to remember we're supposed to pray to God, not to a church. The church used to be such a happy place for us...we have such fond memories of youth group, going to dance parties and camping out on canoe trips and praying for boys to like us the homeless and world peace and stuff. Alas, those days are long, long gone.

Entre' Wes Mullins, a survivor of an "ex-gay" conversion program, who decided to keep his gayness after all and enrolled in seminary school. Of course, he got kicked out for marrying another man, but that just makes him that much cooler, really. He now leads the masses as Assistant Pastor at Metropolitan Community Church in Portland, Oregon, gay as can be and loving it. Hallelujah.

It's such a shame that "religion" has become a dirty word in gay circles, and we're thrilled people like Mullins are putting a fresh face on things. We've never been to a MCC service, but perhaps we'll give it a try. Mom would be proud of us.

Gay Preacher Boy [Wilamette Week]