Go From Gay to Straight at CPAC

By: Glenn Luther

For 14 years Gregory Quinian of the Pro-Family Network said he has lived a straight life. He has a message for gay Americans--quit! "I am ex-gay," said the married father." There is no future in homosexuality. The lifestyle as a whole is shallow, lust-filled and emotionally immature," he said.

Quinian is part of a growing number of people and organizations that say gays can change their orientation.

Pamphlets decorate a table at the conference. One reads "Ex-gays prove that homosexuals CAN and DO change to a heterosexual orientation." The display is part of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays, a non-profit organization that claims to support the rights of homosexuals who choose to change.

"This organization is like a support group for people who have struggling family members," said Jackie Rice, a volunteer with the group, who says she has a brother who is gay.

Rice said the key to helping them is to get gays to understand her point of view. "We let them know they are really not born that way...they can change. It's been very successful. I've been at a few weddings," Rice said smiling as she recalled her dealings with homosexuals. "They say to me, 'you mean to tell me I can do this, I can have kids?'" she said.


Photos: Glenn Luther

Photo 1 Caption: "We let them know they are really not born that way," said Jackie Rice, exhibitor for Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays. "We've seen people come back out," she said.

Photo 2 Caption: "There is no future in homosexuality," said Gregory Quinian, who claims to be "ex-gay." The lifestyle as a whole is shallow, lust-filled and emotionally immature," he said.

Photo 3 Caption: T-shirts hang nearby at the Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays booth. Store owner Stacie Stire said he is able to communicate hard messages effectively through humor. "We get lots of hate mail from tolerant liberals," she said.