A few days ago, NPR did a story on a gay "reparative therapy" group run by some LDS, but they characterized them as "conservative Christians" and didn't mention their Mormon faith.
Today in Your Health, a controversy that is both political and personal. Conversion therapy is a psychotherapy which aims to help gay men and women become straight. It's hardly new, but it's in the news again because the mental health clinic run by the husband of Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann reportedly provides such therapy.
This morning, NPR's Alix Spiegel has this look at the practice of conversion therapy, profiling the therapy experiences of two men.
What in the world was NPR doing presenting a story about gay conversion programs as a "health"-related feature?
And why in the world did NPR cut the fact that the protagonist of the story—ex-gay life coach Rich Wyler—is Mormon, calling him a "conservative Christian" instead?
Here at RD, Candace Chellew-Hodge has pointed out the failure of the NPR story to present an accurate picture of the religious and business motives of gay conversion programs, and Warren Throckmorton and Ted Cox have described the marginal, controversial practices of Wyler's Journey into Manhood program.
But to get the full story—the story NPR missed—it's important to understand Wyler, Journey into Manhood, and gay conversion programs not as a health story but as part of a decades-long religious experiment based in Mormon theology and culture.
Oh Evergreen...add another black eye to the church (sad emoticon). I don't know too much about Evergreen, aside from the electrode rumors and whatnot. I had a friend who had gone through it about 2000. His dad was bishop in Sandy and his son (my friend) was an openly gay senior. All he said was that they got frustrated with his lack of progress and told him to "put down your violin and pick up a football". He left shortly after an never went back. Last summer I was interviewing for a job in Provo and had some time to kill. I walked around BYU with the goal to find the basement of the Psychology Building. The location of the electrodes according to the rumors I heard. But ran out of time and never did find it.
And why in the world did NPR cut the fact that the protagonist of the story—ex-gay life coach Rich Wyler—is Mormon, calling him a "conservative Christian"
I wouldn't have minded the name of the Church mentioned, but "conservative Christian" is an accurate description for believing LDS members.
I heard that particular episode and had NO idea he was Mormon. He spoke very carefully and avoided ALL LDS terms and references.
I wonder if this was deliberate. I wonder if the church made it known it does not wish to be openly tied to this, due to the very past mentioned in the OP.
We hate to seem like we don’t trust every nut with a story, but there’s evidence we can point to, and dance while shouting taunting phrases.