Wayne Besen
Encyclopedia
Wayne Besen is an American gay rights advocate. He is a former spokesman
for the Human Rights Campaign
and the founder of Truth Wins Out
.
Besen says he has interviewed hundreds of former and current "ex-gay
s," and is an outspoken critic of organisations such as Homosexuals Anonymous
.
in a Washington D.C. gay bar
called Mr. P's. Paulk said he was simply there to use the washroom, but Besen and other witnesses allege he was drinking and flirting for over 20 minutes. Besen went public with the story, and wrote about it in his book Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth
. The book was nominated for two Lambda Literary Award
s in 2003.
Besen's photograph of Paulk (and subsequent release of the story) was instrumental in the ultimate removal of Paulk as Chair of Exodus International
, a major organization in the "Ex-gay movement." As noted by The Washington Post
in October 2002: "John Paulk had been the most famous success story of the Christian
ex-gay movement, which seeks to persuade gay men and lesbian
s to accept Jesus
and renounce homosexuality. He had appeared on 60 Minutes
, Oprah
and the cover of Newsweek
."
arguing that the gay community
has a "gigantic Pope
problem", and that under the leadership of Benedict XVI, the Vatican
has become an enemy of liberalism
, modernity
and LGBT rights. He was responding to a recent ecumenical manifesto known as the Manhattan Declaration
, which calls upon Christians to oppose laws and policies that attempt to undermine their private religious consciences.
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
for the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
and the founder of Truth Wins Out
Truth Wins Out
Truth Wins Out is an organization formed by Wayne Besen to fight what it considers "anti-gay religious extremism," especially the ex-gay movement...
.
Besen says he has interviewed hundreds of former and current "ex-gay
Ex-gay
The ex-gay movement consists of people and organizations that seek to get people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires, to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship...
s," and is an outspoken critic of organisations such as Homosexuals Anonymous
Homosexuals Anonymous
Homosexuals Anonymous is an ex-gay group which practices conversion therapy to change the sexual orientation of homosexual clients. Its mission statement describes it as "a fellowship of men and women, who through their common emotional experience, have chosen to help each other live in freedom...
.
Photos of John Paulk
In September 2000, he photographed ex-gay activist John PaulkJohn Paulk
John Paulk is an American ex-gay and conversion therapy advocate and author. He is the former leader of Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference and was chairman of the board of Exodus International North America from 1995 to 2000. His 2000 autobiography Not Afraid to Change addresses his...
in a Washington D.C. gay bar
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
called Mr. P's. Paulk said he was simply there to use the washroom, but Besen and other witnesses allege he was drinking and flirting for over 20 minutes. Besen went public with the story, and wrote about it in his book Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth
Anything But Straight
Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth is a book written by Wayne Besen, a gay rights advocate.-External links:**...
. The book was nominated for two Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
s in 2003.
Besen's photograph of Paulk (and subsequent release of the story) was instrumental in the ultimate removal of Paulk as Chair of Exodus International
Exodus International
Exodus International is a non-profit, interdenominational ex-gay Christian organization founded by Michael Bussee, Gary Cooper, Frank Worthen, Ron Dennis, and Greg Reid...
, a major organization in the "Ex-gay movement." As noted by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
in October 2002: "John Paulk had been the most famous success story of the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ex-gay movement, which seeks to persuade gay men and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
s to accept Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and renounce homosexuality. He had appeared on 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
, Oprah
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
and the cover of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
."
Opposition to Catholic activism
In November 2009, Besen wrote an opinion piece in the San Francisco Bay TimesSan Francisco Bay Times
The San Francisco Bay Times is a free weekly LGBT newspaper in San Francisco, California that started as COMING Up! in October 1979 as "the gay lesbian newspaper and calendar of events for the Bay Area."...
arguing that the gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
has a "gigantic Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
problem", and that under the leadership of Benedict XVI, the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
has become an enemy of liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, modernity
Modernity
Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance...
and LGBT rights. He was responding to a recent ecumenical manifesto known as the Manhattan Declaration
Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience
The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience is a manifesto issued by Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christian leaders to affirm support of "the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty". It was drafted on October 20, 2009 and released November 20, 2009,...
, which calls upon Christians to oppose laws and policies that attempt to undermine their private religious consciences.
Other organizations
- In June 2006, Besen founded Truth Wins OutTruth Wins OutTruth Wins Out is an organization formed by Wayne Besen to fight what it considers "anti-gay religious extremism," especially the ex-gay movement...
, a non-profit organization to counter the ex-gay movement. - He also launched www.RespectMyResearch.org, to document what he views as distortions of science, particularly by Focus on the FamilyFocus on the FamilyFocus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
.
Education
- Besen graduated from the University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1993 with a Bachelors of Science degree in journalism.
Writing
- Besen has written the book Bashing Back: Wayne Besen on GLBT People, Politics and Culture, a collection of his articles that appeared in different newspapers.
External links
- www.waynebesen.com
- Anything but Straight (official website)
- Truth Wins Out, of which Besen is the Founding Executive Director
- Respect My Research website