A roomful of “ex-gay” survivors
confronted Alan Chambers, the president of the ex-gay ministry Exodus
International, during a powerful episode of Our America.
Last year, Chambers began leading
Exodus away from supporting therapies aimed at “curing” gay men
and lesbians of their sexual orientation. Chambers, who at one point
starred in ads for the ministry touting “change is possible,”
reversed course, saying such therapies do not work and revealing that
his attractions to other men have not faded.
On Wednesday, Chambers apologized for
promoting such therapies and announced the shuttering of Exodus,
which bills itself as the world's oldest and largest “ex-gay”
ministry.
The following day, cabler OWN aired an
Our America special on the group in which Chambers is
confronted by a roomful of “ex-gay” survivors, including Michael
Bussee, who help found Exodus.
In the segment, Chambers attempts to
rationalize his work by suggesting that some people were helped.
“There is a real demographic of
people who chose the life that I've chosen,” Chambers, seated next
to his wife, told the group. “There are people who are looking to
live celibate lives. And there are small numbers of people like me
who will get married. And so, for that group of people we're there.
Not to tell them that change is possible or to wave the magic wand
over them, but to provide a place of community for them.”
A female “ex-gay” survivor
disagreed, calling Chambers a “cult” leader.
“And you say there are people like us
still out there. Absolutely there are. You can always prey on the
vulnerable. There will always be vulnerable people. That's what
cult leaders do.”
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