Survivors and Supporters: Why Does the Conference Matter to You?

June 22, 2007

Dear Friends,

So, we're only a week away from the conference in Irvine. It's an exciting and chaotic time for all of us from Soulforce and BeyondExGay.com as we look forward to joining survivors, family members, friends, and allies to impact ex-gay history and reshape what it means to be ex-gay survivors.

It is no surprise that the conference has been mischaracterized as a political protest mounted by local groups. It is awe-inspiring, frankly, to note interest in the conference from around the globe — we've heard from folks in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. We can't help but feel humbled by the love and appreciation expressed by so many from near and far.

And yet, broad misconceptions remain. Some who have long been affirming of queer folk are surprised to hear that ex-gay experiences continue. The question seems to linger, generally unspoken, whether folks with ex-gay experiences were simply duped. There are questions about why people with ex-gay experiences didn't just choose different faith traditions; perhaps those folks have not known faith which brought meaning, community, culture, and depth to life, yet also caused wrenching inner turmoil.

One of the best ways we diffuse misconceptions and answer questions is by telling our stories.

An Invitation

As the time together in Irvine approaches, I'm mindful of those who would like to attend but can't, those who don't yet understand ex-gay experiences but would like to, as well as those will will gather for the conference. I want to put a public face on the answer to this question:

Why does the conference matter to you?

I'd love to see you blogging about this — we'll link to you and post an excerpt here at bXg — or sending your thoughts to us directly to be published here. (If you've already blogged about this, send us the link.) We'd love to hear from you whether you're coming to the conference or tracking it online from wherever you are.

Responses don't need to be long; ideally, they will be personal and reflect how your journey has been impacted by your own ex-gay or related experiences.

And, a general note about the bXg site: Watch for daily updates on the news page leading up to and throughout the conference.

Sincerely,

Steve Boese

Web Developer,
BeyondExGay.com