AMERICAblog has an analysis of “Paula Zahn Now”‘s second story on “conversion therapy[sic]“:
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blockquote>But the heart of the segment was a live one-on-one interview between Zahn and another “graduate” Gerard Wellman, who now works for LIARs. (Another Dickensian and ironic name for a clean-cut nice young guy — dude, you are a well man AND a gay man; it’s a pity you think you have to be ashamed of yourself).
Zahn was polite but pretty darn on target. She emphasized how he is and always will be gay and that the best the program can hope is to get Wellman and others to SUPPRESS themselves. She emphasized how it’s one thing for an adult like Wellman to choose to go through this and a very different thing for a minor to be forced into it. LIAR’s line is that the parents have the right to raise their children any way they choose. But the response is that you have no right to assist a parent in shaming and emotionally damaging a child by telling them to be ashamed of their skin color or gender or sexual orientation. Zahn talked a lot about the vulnerability of the children being pushed through LIARs. When Wellman tried to compare this program to a parent’s right to have their children take music lessons, Zahn shot him down and said that music lessons never lead to suicide attempts.
My favorite moment:
Zahn: But in a way, aren’t you denying who you are?
Wellman: Aren’t we all?
Uh, no. We’re not. Only people abused by their parents and their misguided religious leaders try to deny who they are.
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