For Ex-Gays Cash is What Wins Out

Posted on | February 24, 2006

Cash Won Out

Pam over at the House Blend posted this piece of work by Mike Tidmus satirizing famous "ex-gay" John Paulk called "Cash Won Out" which parodies John and Anne Paulk’s book, published by Focus on the Family, entitled "Love Won Out". The book details how John and Anne were "saved" from their homosexuality and "a life of destruction" through "god’s love". The Paulks have written several other ex-gay propaganda books.

For those of you not familiar with John Paulk, he is a former leader in Focus on the Family’s "Love Won Out" conference series and once sat as chairman of the board for Exodus International. In his autobiography entitled Not Afraid to Change, Paulk detailed his supposed conversion to heterosexuality. During his homosexuality "phase", Paulk performed as both a drag queen and as a male escort. Paulk become the poster boy for the "ex-gay" movement and was even on the cover of Newsweek when they magazine did a feature on supposed "ex-gays" in 1998.

In 2000 however Paulk, claiming he was just there to "use the bathroom", was spotted at the Washington, DC, area gay bar Mr. P’s and was supposedly flirting with patrons there. Paulk also claimed that he did not know Mr. P’s was a gay bar however Mr. P’s is known as one of the oldest gay bars in the Washington, DC, area and has been in existence since 1976 which would have made it about twenty-four years old when this happened. Not to mention, from the description in the Southern Voice article I link to, there are apparently other businesses like hotels nearby so it seems a little stupid of Paulk to claim ignorance of Mr. P’s. During his visit, he ended up spending almost an hour in the bar ordering Activist Wayne Besen, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign and who had been working on HRC’s response to the "ex-gay" movement, was alerted to Paulk’s presence by another man who worked for the HRC.

According to people in the bar at the time, Paulk entered the establishment and, contrary to Paulk’s claims he was just there to use the restroom, went straight to the bar. When asked for his identity, Paulk responded that his name was John and that he was gay. Besen, who also wrote the book Anything but Straight, arrived at Mr. P’s with camera in hand and managed to get photographic evidence. Later Paulk denied encountering Besen until he had exited the bar but Besen had managed to get a photo of Paulk in the bar. In spite of that, Paulk continued to deny the accusations. Besen was quoted as saying "I didn’t know that using the bathroom involved 40 minutes of socializing in a bar and offering drinks to strangers."

Even with Focus on the Family founder and head bigot James Dobson supporting his innocence, Paulk eventually capitulated and admitted that he really was in the gay bar. Paulk was placed on probation by Exodus and did not run for chairman after his term expired. At later "Love Won Out" events, Dobson had chaperones on hand for Paulk to support him in case Paulk’s true homosexuality once again reasserted itself over the brainwashing of the ex-gay movement.

Like some other bloggers, I take great offense to the implications of the "Love Won Out" title. It implies that homosexual relationships are incapable of bringing being based on love which contradicts people like my fellow blogger Joe Brummer who event posted a photo from his wedding in an entry yesterday. I would say his relationship is based on love as I would say that about several other couples I know too including two of my best friends. But then again what do you expect from people who literally are professional gay bashers? And that is pretty much what these people are since they obviously do not have real jobs that actually contribute something to society. Must be nice having a cushy job judging people all day and getting paid to do it.

In a side note, "Love Won Out" will be in St. Louis, Missouri this weekend at the First Evangelical Free Church of St. Louis County. While Paulk will not be one of the speakers another prominent ex-gay, Alan Chambers, will be there. Pre-registration for the event is $50 and will probably be more expensive at the door. I encourage people who can attend any protests of the event to do so but remember to remain peaceful and civil. The church has been already been egged and advertisements for the event defaced. I have a friend who will be in that area this weekend so I will attempt to get a first-hand account and photos of the event and any protests.

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