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Hungry Beast on ‘gay conversion’

Hungry Beast meets 3 men who underwent a program designed to 'convert' them to heterosexuality, including one who says it succeeded.

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Ahead of the  Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this weekend, the ABC’s Hungry Beast turns its attention to the question of “gay conversion”: is it possible?

Reporter Monique Schafter speaks to three same-sex attracted men whose Christian beliefs led them to attempt to reorient their sexual compasses through various ‘gay conversion’ techniques. One claims to have succeeded while another had an affair with one of his program team leaders.

Haydn, 29, is a devout Christian who admits to still having a sexual attraction to men despite being married with two children and leading a ‘heterosexual life’. Haydn believes his faith continues to ‘heal’ his broken sexuality which is a result of a fractured relationship with his father. Haydn works through his ‘problem’ through prayer, abstinence and spending time with other heterosexual males to make up for the lack of connection between him and his father. He says:

“I’ve had same sex attraction to men but it’s something that I see as an orientation that does not define me… It’s not who I am. I see it as being a spiritual regeneration as I trust God with my sexuality. He regenerates and changes me.”

Formerly a leader in the Assemblies of God and regular preacher in mega-churches of Australia and overseas, Anthony (59) tried a variety of methods over 22 years to change his homosexuality:

“I think I tried probably everything possible to become heterosexual. There was lots of personal prayer, counselling, I went through a live in ex-gay program for six months, I went through exorcisms, I fasted for 40 days twice and I was married for 16 years. So when people say to me ‘you didn’t try hard enough’ I want to hit them.”

Anthony (59) is the co-founder of an organisation that offers support, information and contacts to GLBTI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex) people from Pentecostal or Charismatic backgrounds, many of whom are ‘ex-gay survivors’ (the term used for people who have gone through conversion therapy but have come to embrace their sexual identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender). He has also written an autobiography about his journey to find the truth that has inspired many same sex attracted people to live authentically, while retaining their Christian faith.

When 33-year-old Anthony came out to his very religious parents as a teenager they sent him to gay conversion therapy run by the Riverview Church in Perth. After months of guilt-ridden therapy and being told there was no such thing as a happy, monogamous gay relationship, he had an affair with one of the team leaders and left the program. He is now in a long-term relationship with his boyfriend.

“I did slip up during [gay conversion] therapy. I had an affair with the team leader. Coming out of it and living the life I live now… I just can’t believe I ever did that.”

Their stories can be seen on Hungry Beast this Wednesday night at 9pm on ABC1.

Immediately after the program, Haydn and Anthony (59) will join with Monique Schafter to discuss gay conversion in a live forum on the Hungry Beast website. Go to www.abc.net.au/hungrybeast at 9.30pm on Wednesday 24 February to join in the discussion.

It airs Wednesday 24 February 2010 at 9pm on ABC1 and air agains on ABC2 from Thursday 25 February at 8.30pm as well as being available on iView.

10 Responses

  2. I assume that once this “conversion” has been proven to work, As a straight person, i will be able to go and get converted to homosexuality, ive alsways wanted to try it, but never found my own sex attractive 🙁

  3. Well, we LGBT always stand in one line. “We do support each other to get more rights just as equal as others..” said on the forum of–B-i-m-i-n-g-l-e-.-c-o-m— Anyway, we will get and learn more from it. Hope the world is beautiful for LGBT too.

  6. what i meant was that this would be a step back if the hungry beast didn’t challenge the belief that this is something that can be cured. i am confident that they will present both sides.

  7. we always knew that chasers war on everything would be hard shoes to fill, but no one seems to care about this show even though they are trying so hard to create controversy.

  8. these people may be living a straight life, but it would be impossible for them to suddenly be attracted to women and to longer men, its sad that their families didn’t just support them and accept them as who they are so they don’t have to go through this charade. this show is a step back as all this does is give people the impression those who are gay didn’t try hard enough to be straight.

  9. there’s no such thing as gay conversion, it’s not a disease that can be cured. Just live life as it is and just stay happy as long as you’re not hurting anybody.

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