Straight Up
Looking at Ex, and Ex-Ex-Gay in the Philippines
By Frolic Tan Lopez

In Metro Manila, A.R. Rodrigo himself experienced “pray-overs, supposedly so the Holy Spirit will come to enlighten me, make me find my way to (heterosexuality),” he says.  “The more people want for something to happen, the more God listens – or so we believe; so they lay their hands over me, praying over me, so God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, will make me see the light, the path to righteousness.”
It is in the variation of approaches to deal with homosexuality that the ex-gay movement and the conversion therapy have distinct difference – for the former, homosexuals turning heterosexuals is the only way to salvation; while for the latter, “curing” homosexuality is not necessarily the answer, but a “possibility of change” for those unhappy with their sexual orientation is possible, and even deemed preferable.

In his first column in Outrage Magazine, Richard Mickley, OSAe,Ph.D., the abbot of the Order of St. Aelred, says: “Human rules may reject people. But, for us who are Christians, we can be sure that there is not one word, one verse, one story in our entire Bible that condemns our love.  And we take it from there.”

No matter the processes, however, the reasons for wanting to change do not drift too far from the desire to change for others.  “Just who tries to change? Not the average gay man or woman. Would-be converts, say psychologists, typically come from deeply authoritarian backgrounds where homosexuality is branded immoral or a sin, while others are married and cannot reconcile their family commitments with their erotic desires,” states the Psychology Today, as quoted by Wikipedia.org.

“Simply, some of us are not happy with our sexuality (read: homosexuality) for, usually, religious reasons, and we want to be ‘normal’ – to not be a source of shame for our families, and not be rejected for that, so we can have our own families who’ll (look after us) when we grow old,” A.R. Rodrigo says.

It is social pressure that, therefore, usually causing “high levels of emotional stress for (GLBTQIs that lead them) to feel forced into attempting to change their sexual orientation,” adds the American Psychological Association (APA), also as quoted by Wikipedia.org.

EX-GAY PINOY STYLE

In 1990, Frank Worthen, LIA founder and EI co-founder, came to the Philippines and established Bagong Pag-asa (New Hope) Ministries (BPM), an ex-gay ministry in Makati City aiming to help “people struggling with homosexuality leave their past lifestyle and to fully embrace their true identity in Jesus Christ," the group states in its Web site (bagongpagasa.org).  When Worthen left the Philippines with his wife Anita after four years, BPM became autonomous, yet still with the same principal goals: “To rescue (homosexuals by presenting) the truth to all who will listen – meaning to nurture those who will surrender to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, befriending them and pointing the way to change; and to educate the Church on how to meet the needs of those making such a life altering decision (through) special seminars for counselors, Christian workers, and leadership training classes for future leaders.”

“(BPM) upholds God's standard of righteousness and holiness, which declares homosexuality as sin, but also affirms that His love and redemptive power are able to bring wholeness and restoration,” BPM states, adding that “at BPPM, we do not view homosexuality as an inborn unchangeable fact of life or as a viable alternative lifestyle.  Instead, we believe that God's love and redemptive power are able to bring restoration to the entire individual, including their sexuality.”

BPM’s approach is to provide a “safe, supportive environment in contrast to the environment that fostered and nurtured their homosexual desires.  The roots of homosexuality usually extend to early childhood. Often, the man struggling with homosexual desires has no idea what early life events implanted his same-sex attractions. (So) during the program year, we will take a look at the insecurities that contributed to the condition he now finds himself in. We will also track the wrong choices that expanded his problem and advise new ways to make right choices.”

Specifically, BPM’s “residential program balances teaching, prayer, relationship-building, and accountability.”

Another ex-gay advocate is Pro-Life, which states that “what God’s Word says about homosexuality is more important to my life than the latest scientific findings (that homosexuality may have physiological basis, correcting it means changing nature’s – and God’s designs).  Even if these studies proved that homosexuality was generic, I would still know that homosexual activities are sin.  And I know that all of humanity is born with many sinful tendencies – to violence, hate, selfishness – which we must resists through the power of Christ,” the group states in its Web site (prolife.org.ph).

Quoting from Life is For Everyone (1998), Pro-Life even recommends ways when dealing with friends who come out.  Suggested responses include reading “good Christian books on the subject, and take advantage of any other materials that give understanding, but realize that ministering is much more than just having all the right answers (and) your help will be most effective when you concentrate on knowing more about the solution – Jesus Christ – than on the problem; separating the person from the behaviour (since) the principle ‘love the sinner, but hate the sin’ applies here; giving hope to change since often, they have never heard that change is possible (1 Corinthians 6:11); and confronting in love.”

The main concern of the ex-gay movements is that, since homosexuality does not only affect the homosexual, it has to be controlled so as not to “hurt” other people around any homosexual – a move that focuses more on what others will say (locally, working on the Filipino concept of hiya or shame), as opposed to finding personal happiness (thereby sacrificing oneself to make others happy).

REVERBERATING EFFECTS

Despite the “good” intentions (as its proponents may argue) of conversion therapy/ex-gay movement, however, even the World Health Organization (in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision or ICD 10, a coding of diseases and signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or diseases), states that “sexual orientation by itself is not to be regarded as a disorder.”  Meaning, as there is no “illness,” there is nothing to “cure.”
In fact, no mainstream medical/scientific organization endorses conversion therapy, with many actually expressing concerns over some of the ethics and motivations surrounding the practice. 

Among others, the APA, in 1997, noted how “the ethics, efficacy, benefits, and potential for harm of therapies that seek to reduce or eliminate same-gender sexual orientation are under extensive debate in the professional literature and the popular media,” quotes Wikipedia.org.  The "potential risks of reparative therapy are great, including depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by a patient."

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