Christian organisation – ‘Anglican Mainstream ‘- to promote fear and dangerous gay “cure”.

his weekend in London (UK) The Anglican Mainstream Organisation are holding a fear mongering anti gay conference called Sex & the City. The Anglican Mainstream are the first organisation of the week to be awarded the title “Homo Zeros” for their homophobic conference where speakers will advocate the use of Reparative Therapy which aims to “cure” people of homosexuality.

For anyone who has seen the film But I’m A Cheerleader (about a girl whose parents send her away to the True Directions Camp in order to cure her of her lesbianity) the conference reads like a sick joke.

The Judaeo - Christian conference claims to be: “Ideal for clergy, rabbis, psychologists, therapists, educators and others concerned about the plethora of sexual issues confronting us in today’s society, including mentoring the sexually broken, the sexualization of culture, pornography, the Bible and sex, and marriage, the family and sex.  There will be a special focus on how religious professionals and friends/relatives can respond biblically and pastorally to those struggling with unwanted SSA (same-sex attraction).”

The organisers of the event are determined to whip up hysteria about gay relationships and portray gay life as a disaster which is sweeping the nation. The Anglican Mainstream feel that the UK is “capitulating” to the LGBT agenda.

They also seem disgruntled with the progressive legislation brought into protect LGBTs and are a living, breathing example of why such protective legislation needs to be in place. They say: “Given the present cultural endorsement and legal protection of these ‘orientations’, we will soon be in a situation where there is no turning back: the damage will be complete.”

The Anglican Mainstream promote Affect Focused Therapy (AFT) and Reparative Therapy as the way forward in “curing” gay people; who they prefer to call the “sexually broken” or “sufferers”.

They say: “AFT is transferable across the board to all sorts of deeply-ingrained patterns of dysfunctionality, sin, brokenness and pain.”

Reparative Therapy is a dangerous practise which seeks to change sexual orientation, and views homosexuality as a mental disorder.

Joseph Nicolisi a leading proponent of Repartive Therapy and author of “Shame, Homosexuality and the Practical Work of Reparative Therapy” will be speaking at the confererence. The Anglican Mainstream say: “Joe has a proven track record over almost 30 years in helping people exit the gay world.”

The American Psychological Association have stated that “scientific evidence does not show that conversion (Reparative) therapy works and it could do more harm than good. Changing one’s sexual orientation is not simply a matter of changing ones behaviour. It would require altering ones emotional, romantic and sexual feelings and restructuring ones self concept and social identity.”

News of this conference is particulary worrying especially after the recent report from The University College London and St. Georges University London, which suggested that many UK health professionals had attempted to change their client’s sexual orientation.

The Anglican Mainstream feel that Reparative Therapy “needs to be far better known”.

However, the Lesbian and Gay Foundation urge gay, lesbian and bisexual people to access Gay Affirmative counselling services and therapy.

At the core of Gay Affirmative Therapy (GAT) is the belief there is nothing inherently wrong or bad with being LGBT. Instead your counsellor will affirm your sexuality rather than trying to convince you to alter or change it. The Pink Therapy website is an excellent resource for questions to ask potential counsellors.

A Spokesperson for the Lesbian and Gay Foundation said: “It is worrying to hear of this conference aimed at promoting such a deplorable and dangerous approach to therapy, and giving a platform to homophobic ideas. We encourage people to access Gay Affirmative Therapy, rather than internalise the homophobic beliefs of others.”

Stand Up to Hatred: Should a conference which promotes homophobia and a harmful approach to therapy be allowed to take place in the UK? The Anglican Mainstream have not disclosed the location of the conference on their website, but it has been reported that the anti gay conference will take place at a Christian run conference centre called the Emmanuel Centre  (9-23 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3DW) in the City of Westminster on April 24/25th.

To lobby Westminster Councillors to stop the conference, or at the very least question the methods it is promoting, click here.

If you would like to talk to someone about your sexuality call The LGF Helpline on 0845 3 30 30 30. If you think you would like to access the Face 2 Face counselling service at the LGF call the Helpline and ask for an Application for Counselling form. All LGF counsellors use Gay Affirmative Therapy.

 

See Homophobic conference to promote gay “cure”.

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation

 

After a quarter of a century in business, the legendary gay retailer Clone Zone, is reportedly the latest retailer to be hit by the current economic slump.

Clone Zone founder and director David Edwards today confirmed that Clone Zone had gone into administration.

He said that over the last six months the businesses situation had deteriorated, as a result of the value of the pound and the general depressed state of the world market.

Edwards also confirmed that Clone Zone are to be bought out by a substantial company who want to invest in and build up the company.

 See After 26 years, legendary gay retailer Clone Zone goes into …
The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, Manchester -

Three years after the UK’s first Civil Partnership ceremony took place, research suggests that there’s been more than one gay marriage a day in Greater Manchester.

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 allowed gay and lesbian couples to enter into Civil Partnerships and share the same legal rights as married couples.

The Manchester Evening News suggests that there have been 1,365 same-sex civil ceremonies in Greater Manchester - averaging more than one a day. Most couples tied the pink knot in Manchester - with 659 ceremonies held so far.

Other gay wedding hot spots in the region include Salford with 115 ceremonies since 2005, and Stockport with 108. Trafford and Bolton were both close to the hundred mark, with 97 an 91 ceremonies respectively. While Oldham had 71 ceremonies, Rochdale (65), Wigan (63), Tameside (52), and Bury (44).

On the national front, earlier this year PinkNews.co.uk, reported that less than 1% of Civil Partnerships end in ‘divorce’.

Between December 2005 and December 2007 there were 24,629 Civil Partnerships in England and Wales and less than 250 have ended in dissolution.

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay rights group Stonewall, found the same sex marriage ‘divorce’ statistics most encouraging: “This is a small number and it confirms that many people entering into civil partnerships take it very seriously indeed.”

In line with the burgeoning numbers of couples getting Civil Partnerships, much of the the gay marriage business is booming.

See Over one gay marriage a day…it’s the Greater Manchester way.
The Lesbian and Gay Foundation - Manchester,USA