How would you describe the work of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI) in a sentence? If you had things like education, information, dispelling myths about sexual orientation and gender identity, overcoming ignorance or counteracting false religious beliefs about LGBTI people and our community you’d be right. (If you are not sure of our mission [...]
There was a time when the terms 'ex-gay' or 'former homosexual' were non-existent. In the 1950s and 1960s mental health professionals tried unsuccessfully to find a cause and cure for homosexuality. In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed the diagnosis of “homosexuality” from the second edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). At [...]
I’ve seen Boy Erased three times now. Actually, once is enough. It is not the kind of movie you want to see over and over again like Beaches, Cabaret, Star Wars, or whatever your all-time favourite movie might be. Boy Erased is a dramatization of Garrard Conley's 2016 memoir of the same title, written for [...]
Gay conversion therapy - does it work? Can you be a Christian and gay? Can a person change from gay to straight? ABC's Hungry Beast looks at gay conversion therapies. Anthony Venn-Brown, former high profile preacher in Australia's mega-churches such as Hillsong and Anthony Menchetti talk about their ex-gay experience. Haydn Sennitt pastoral worker for [...]
Hi Anthony I’ve just finished reading A Life of Unlearning. I actually really enjoyed it in spite of the fact that it disturbed me greatly! You write so well. I would have liked to hear you preach. What a legacy you created in Youth Alive and in your ministry. That fruit remains in spite of [...]
As the three months Journey to the Truth is coming to an end it is a good time to thank all who’ve contributed and share some exciting news. I want to especially those who kick-started the appeal so generously. We are now over 50%. Check that out HERE. The Journey to the Truth has been [...]
Many people believe that ex-gay/reparative/conversion therapy is a relatively new religiously-based phenomena and that Exodus International (founded in 1976), created what has become known as gay conversion therapy. 'THE QUEST TO CURE QUEERS - Exodus to Nowhere’ (TQTCQ) explores this myth, follows the thread and joins the dots of the "change is possible" philosophy and [...]
This Is What It's Like To Have Exorcisms Performed On You Because You Are Gay Anthony Venn-Brown was 20 when he endured his first exorcism. It was the beginning of decades of conversion therapy. Now he tells BuzzFeed News how he's taking on the gay "cure" lobby. Patrick Strudwick BuzzFeed UK LGBT Editor Posted on July [...]
The destruction caused by what has become known as ‘gay conversion therapy’ has been horrendous and there’s a growing momentum to see it banned. Not everyone realises that this will have many challenges, as did our unnecessarily lengthy, marriage equality debate. The challenges were highlighted in our recently released report on Gay Conversion Therapy [...]