Queer reprogramming

[danaeris]

I saw this the other day, and I was bad. I discussed it with lawbard, but did not post it. So, here I am posting. Note: I DO have the blog address of the person in question but I'm NOT posting it here in the interests of protecting a minor's privacy. If any of you want to see his blog, contact me privately.

The long and short of it, stolen from elsewhere:

Teenage boy comes out to parents, sent to straight camp. Refuge, located in Memphis, TN, is a division of Love in Action, Intl, a program created to treat "addictions" like homosexuality. Run by John Smid, parents can ship their kids there in hopes that particular brand of Jesus will cure The Gay. The program's rules are . . . interesting. Kids may be placed in virtual isolation at any time (not allowed to communicate with others except in writing, and only when "absolutely necessary"), must be accompanied by a parent at all times when off-campus (even to the restroom), and undergo a "False Image" search every morning to ensure they are not carrying any articles that may interfere with their "affirmed gender identity". Not that we're supposed to know any of this--the rules are sent to the parents with the note to keep them from the child.

The boy is inside the program now. A protest is being held outside the facility--Cherry Blossom Special covers it here. You can read a more first hand account here Earlier first hand coverage is in morgankissboys' journal.

And here, supposedly, is the list of rules he has to follow while in the program.


It makes me sick, that people do this. It really does.

Comments

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

yeah, I heard about this earlier in the week from yndy, along with the link to his blog. scary stuff. glad people are protesting. wish I could be there.

[iclysdale.livejournal.com]

On a slightly tangential note, have you seen "But I'm a Cheerleader?"

One of the most stunningly twisted movies of the late 90s, it's about a straight teenage girl who everyone is convinced is a lesbian and gets sent to one of those "Love in Action" camps. It also contains a truly brilliant performance by RuPaul as their re-education counsellor.

It doesn't make the places any less hideous, and the movie doesn't pull any punches when it comes to them, but the movie still manages to be simultaneous darkly hilarious and incredibly sweet.

[ubbaken.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah, thats what I thought of too.

But in real life...these things are horrible.

[sassy-fae.livejournal.com]

I have seen this kid's blog, and I wish that someone somewhere was able to take him away from that place and away from his parents. It's child abuse in that he's a minor, and it's a human rights violation to anyone of any age. Shame on them, shame on the police, and shame on Children's Aid (or whatever it's called there) for not doing anything to help him.

[benndragon.livejournal.com]

For some reason, it's the so-called "hygene" rules that piss me off more than anything else - probably because some of them surprising, whereas the rest is pretty standard "boot camp for kids" stuff that I've heard about before (which isn't any less bad, mind you, but it's not news to me). I can assure you, POGs will sleep with you regardless of the state of your leg/underarm hair. And they're more likely to want to sleep with you if you're not wearing a bra. Oh, wait, this isn't about being straight, it's about being repressed. Nevermind.

However, I am amused by the fact that Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch are Teh Gay.

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

Well they don't WANT POGs to want to sleep with them - remember the whole waiting until marriage thing? So somehow they're supposed to turn the kids straight AND abstinent at the same time. Which is pretty fucking contradictory if you ask me.

[benndragon.livejournal.com]

They want them to be normal, which meants perpendicular to reality far as I can tell. To be honest, part of me is pleased they're working at cross-purposes to themselves, it means they're likely to fail.

[yiab.livejournal.com]

ever heard any claims about cult brainwashing?
ever heard any of those claims come close to some of these rules?
total regimentation, control of actions, activities and interactions... it doesn't take long to break anybody down.
the part that worries me the most is that the isolation these people are put under is required to be self-imposed (i.e. without physical barriers). this is probably more damaging than solitary confinement in a prison and every new "client" has to be in this isolation for their first three days.
if anything has ever made me want to firebomb a building, this would be it.

rules

[admiralthrawn.livejournal.com]

There was exactly one section of the rules labeled as going to parents but not to the "client". That section clearly states the reason too -- if those rules are violated, he/she may be kicked out of the program, and thus if the client knew that getting his parents to screw up would get him/her out of the program, he/she would likely try to make that happen.

And that section doesn't include any of the rules that you mention in that paragraph...

The facts of this place are bad enough as it is, you should try not to misrepresent them to make it seem even worse.