Conversion therapy revealed

Via Ex-gay watch, the Winnipeg Sun tells the story of an ex-gay minister eventually convicted of sexual assault on one of his patients. Copying from Ex-gay Watch...

A young man is found by family to be sexually attracted to men and coerced through a fear of hell to seek “therapy” to go straight. This is the story that led a young Canadian man to seek out the help of Terrance Lewis, a minister and (former) counselor at Providence College and Seminary.

The man said Lewis started a program of “touch therapy,” which included the two kissing and fondling each other and engaging in sexual roleplaying.

“He said I was to tell no one about it because no one would understand,” the man testified.

During “touch therapy” sessions in Lewis’ car, Lewis asked him to masturbate, the man said. Lewis also admitted to fantasizing about him, the man said.

Many ex-gay therapists have practiced what they call “touch therapy,” including Richard Cohen, who extends this from touching to hugging or even cuddling on the couch. Dr. Chris Austin carried touch too far and was convicted of sexual assault, as was Terrance Lewis in the story above. While certainly not all ex-gay therapists go to this extreme, starting with the premise that sexual orientation should, or even can, be changed has led to unorthodox and at times, illegal “therapy.”

A-ha! So, the much hyped therapies to become ex-gay are only intended to become a closeted gay guy with your personal therapist, eh? Five to seven sessions of touch therapy weekly and you will be able to live a perfectly normal non-gay life. Reminds me to assaults on choirboys, which wouldn't be judged by courts because, in many cases, wouldn't be understood, or be just a matter of the divine, ethics, and moral. Religion, you know. Religion which wants to keep The Only Truth, The Key to Proper Sexual Life, The Authorized Science Guidelines, and The Door to Eternal Salvation. Were I to engage in such conversion therapies, at least I'd choose two or three hot therapists. Ex-gay ministries can call at my door with Jensen Atwood as touch therapist.

Ok, Ok... Those Words: "Larry Craig".

Eventually it's official that he's going to resign. Of course all of us have been following the blogosphere coverage on the case. Of course I've been loosely following it, but not only from fellow bloggers, also from sites like Slate Magazine or Counterpunch. Craig was the last on a list of politicians who resigned because of their sexual misdemeanors, something that seems weird enough for Spain. Here, we don't pay much attention to the private life of a public person (unless that person's selling it on papier couché) and it's nothing dishonorable that politicians who strongly oppossed the Divorce Law get divorced, married and divorced years later. But the Craig affaire took First Page for many days. What's it about? Apparently there is some blogger who, last year, tried to out some Republican politicians, and one of them was Senator Larry Craig. That was the beginning. The Idaho Statesman publishes a long account of Craig sexual slipperies, along with some recorded statements (check the column on the right for audio) used in some sort of case against him viewed formerly (excuse me but I don't understand the American proceedings) in Idaho. That's the first step for non-Americans to start understanding the turmoil.

We have to move now to Slate where we find a documented background on Craig's works as legislator, along of course with a deep critic. Slate follows with some other articles, and even with a guide to cruise airport restrooms.

And then there's Counterpunch. Not only Gary Leupp develops an interesting article on Craig's affaire, but also David Rosen writes an extensive text on the Who's Who on GOP sex affairs (and maybe a who's gonna be too).

To close the Craig case, The Smoking Gun has published transcripts of the Twin Cities police record, and the Senator's mug shot.

Definitely, I wouldn't chase any politician to out him. But after that Craig's record as lawmaker I can understand some points. In any case, the former major of the place I live was elected on a conservative party. I've partied nearby him in the Madrid circuit and I wouldn't force him out. Each person's got to live with her/his own faults.

Technorati tags: Larry Craig, USA, Politics, Homosexuality