VIDEO: Less than ten people attend ‘Ex-Gay Pride’ event that was predicted to draw ‘thousands’

Late last month, Ex-Gay Pride Month organizer Christopher Doyle went on American Family Radio to talk about a massive event that was gearing up to take place during the coming week. During the discussion, radio host Sandy Rios assured her listeners that “thousands of ex-gays” were descending on the Supreme Court building in Washington to hear a press conference on July 31.

But despite the expectations, fewer than ten people showed up for the anticipated event. Besides Doyle, ex-gay activists Greg Quinlan, Richard Cohen and Douglas McIntyre were in attendance.

Research has shown that ex-gay therapy, along with simply not working, psychologically damages its participants. A survey conducted in 2013 of people who went through the therapy showed its harmful effects, including a man who described his eight-year marriage to a woman as a “scam,” and another who endured self-hatred, isolation, depression and flashbacks long after the therapy had ended. Another man even said that therapists performed an “exorcism” on him in an effort to “cure” him of being gay.

Interestingly, much of the rhetoric that is heard at ex-gay events seems to mimic the narrative of the gay rights movement. During the event, Voice of the Voiceless board member Chuck Peters lamented that “hetero-phobic” gay activists are “anti-diversity and anti-pro-choice.”

“Why can’t I chose whom I love?” Peters asked during his speech. “I’m an ex-gay, and out and proud.”

Watch an excerpt of Chuck Peter’s speech at the event in the video below.

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