Wayne Besen is an American gay rights advocate. He is a former spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.

Besen says he has interviewed hundreds of former and current ex-gays.

[edit] Photos of John Palk

In September 2000, he photographed ex-gay activist John Paulk in a Washington D.C. gay bar called Mr. P's.^[1] Paulk said he was simply there to use the washroom, but Besen and other witnesses allege he was drinking and flirting for over twenty minutes. Besen went public with the story, and wrote about it in his book Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. The book was nominated for two Lambda Literary Awards in 2003.^[2]

Besen's photograph of Paulk (and subsequent release of the story) was instrumental in the ultimate removal of Paulk as Chair of Exodus International, a major organization in the "Ex-gay movement." As noted by The Washington Post in October 2002: "John Paulk had been the most famous success story of the Christian ex-gay movement, which seeks to persuade gay men and lesbians to accept Jesus and renounce homosexuality. He had appeared on '60 Minutes,' 'Oprah' and the cover of Newsweek."^[3]

[edit] Opposition to Catholic activism

In November 2009, Besen wrote an opinion piece in the San Francisco Bay Times arguing that it is time to admit that the gay community has a gigantic Pope problem, since, according to him, under the leadership of Benedict XVI, the Vatican has become an implacable foe of liberalism, modernity and basic rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. He was responding to a recent ecumenical manifesto known as the Manhattan Declaration, which calls upon Christians to oppose laws and policies that attempt to undermine their private religious consciences. ^[4]

[edit] Other organizations

• In June 2006, Besen founded Truth Wins Out, a non-profit organization to counter the ex-gay movement.
• He also launched www.RespectMyResearch.org, to document what he views as distortions of science, particularly by Focus on the Family.

[edit] Education

• Besen graduated from the University of Florida in 1993 with a Bachelors of Science degree in journalism.^[5]

[edit] References

1. ^ Glassman, Anthony (2000-09-29). "Head of 'ex-gay' group Exodus is caught in a gay bar". http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com/stories/00sep29.htm#story2. Retrieved 2009-01-06. 
2. ^ "Previous Lammy Award Winners (Recipients and Finalists)". Lambda Literary Foundation. http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/previous_winners/paw_2000_2003.html. 
3. ^ Cooperman, Alan (2002-10-21), "Ads Renew Ex-gay Debate", The Washington Post 
4. ^ The New GLBT Pope Problem
5. ^ Wayne Besen's official website

[edit] External links

• www.waynebesen.com
• Anything but Straight (official website)
• Truth Wins Out, of which Besen is the Founding Executive Director
• Respect My Research website

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