Group of “Ex-Gays” Protests the Equality Act in D.C.

A religious group of “ex-gay” people has traveled to Washington to “raise concerns” about the Equality Act. In addition, they aim to lobby against a ban on conversion therapy. They argue that LGBT people aren’t discriminated against and that conversion therapy shouldn’t be discredited.

The legislation they are protesting include the Equality Act and the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act. The Equality Act is being considered in the Senate currently and would prevent discrimination against LGBT people across the U.S. The TFPA would put an end to the practice of conversion therapy, which is harmful and has been debunked.

The group was organized by Church United. The group called “Changed Movement” calls itself a “movement of men and women who are outspoken and open about their experiences of life after LGBTQ.”

The group consists of people who once identified as a member of the LGBT community but now identify as straight after apparently successful conversion therapy. About the Equality Act, they said it “is an unnecessary concession to the false idea that members of the gay community are marginalized.”

“In fact, LGBTQ-identifying people have always had options in how they participate in broader culture. Nothing constrains them from participating in culture on a normal level,” they continued.

This is all despite statistics that say otherwise, about both marginalization of the LGBT community and the success of conversion therapy, which often consists of Christian ministry, psychoanalysis, electroshock therapy, and in the past has included lobotomy.

In addition to all this, the group explained why the LGBT community doesn’t deserve protection under the Equality Act: “Unlike with the African American community, who have centuries of culturally driven abuse and forced destabilisation, those who identify as LGBTQ have been empowered in our modern society as scientists, literary giants, and even politicians.”

What this statement seems to imply is that the LGBT community isn’t discriminated against because there are successful modern LGBT scientists, authors, and politicians. This rhetoric is interesting enough on its own, but the statement also implies there aren’t African American scientists, authors, and politicians.

“America does not need anti-discrimination laws or bans against treatment for those seeking to live out their faith biblically,” the group said. “It is the beginning of the end of religious liberty and free speech in America.”