Reflections on Ex-Gay Treatment by South African Trans Woman
January 16, 2010 by p2son
http://petersontoscano.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/reflections-on-ex-gay-treatment-by-south-african-trans-woman/Rarely does a narrative capture so many of my passions as the one I read yesterday and wish to share with you today. Having spent 17 years as an ex-gay and then over 10 recovering, then moving into the arena of exploring gender, transgender issues and the Bible all the while dating a dishy South Africa writer, I was so pleased to read a South African, Christina Engela her piece about her own transition along with a reflection of the US-based ex-gay movements affects on South Africa.
Over the past few months a war of words has been raging over the activities of "ex-gay" groups in the USA and around the world wherever they have set up affiliates or branches of their own – including in my own country, South Africa. The "ex-gay" movement operates on a purely religious basis and claims solely out of a misinterpretation of religious dogma, that gay (or trans) people can and should either deny their nature – or "change". They claim all sorts of "studies" and "proof" exist to support their theories, but the truth is that no such evidence exists – and that every reputable medical, scientific and psychological institute, authority or body asserts that "conversion therapy" – IE attempts to change sexual orientation by "ex-gay" industry, is dangerous, risky and harmful to those it affects.
