Gay Conversion Therapy – Michelle Bachmann and the Radical Right

I am a barbarian… According to the “macho-man” who poses as Michelle Bachmann’s husband, I am a barbarian. I find that to be something of a compliment, since I have never been in a fight in my life–except during my military days when, frankly, I found myself expected to kill other people at the insistence of my homo-phobic government, although the people that I was expected to kill were probably equally homophobic. No one ever thought to call me barbaric before. Lots of people called me a gentleman, a friend, a bit of a geek and many other things…but never a barbarian.

It sure seems to me that my friends were more accurate than Bachmann’s prissy husband, but maybe I am wrong. Still, Michelle and her husband believe they can set me on the “right” – or “righteous” path.  Apparently Representative Bachmann’s and her husband’s small business – supposedly dedicated to righting our economy by investing in the neighborhoods in which they exist – actually is a string of phychologists’ offices, where, among other useful activities, they perform gay conversions–something that is actually condemned by the leading professional organization–the APA or American Psychological Association, along with other prestigeous institutions.

As a matter of openness, I should let you know that I have never had a desire to be converted, but perhaps my desires are merely demonstrating how barbaric I truly am.  If the Bachmanns had entered my life earlier, perhaps I would have recognized my barbarism and nipped it in the bud before I learned to love who I am rather than to love who I love.

Gay conversion therapy is residue of the dark ages, when gay people were treated as diseased and in need of a cure. Unfortunately, even in contemporary times, some gays believe that they can not have a productive, happy and spiritual life unless they suddenly become something that they are not: heterosexual. Therapy does not make a gay guy straight anymore than it can make a dog a cat – no matter how much praying is dedicated to the chore. More important, though, it is unnecessary. Being gay can be as much of a gift as being a good runner, a visionary painter or straight. We are what we are. We can be good; we can be evil. Isn’t it better to dedicate ourselves to trying to be better people, contributing to our society, rather than trying to change who we love?

I am not a “gay pride” advocate. I am proud of what I have done. Don’t get me wrong, I am very proud of the men I have loved, and I am very happy that I had a chance to love them. However being gay is not the source of my pride any more than being straight would be if I had been heterosexual. I can’t imagine being a better person if I were straight.

In order to eliminate “gay conversion therapy,” each of us needs to come out of the metaphorical closet. We need to show others who are in the sexual orientation minority that we are happy, fulfilled and productive members of society. We need to show them that our affectional identity is neither a help nor a hindrance; it is simply a fact. We need to tell them to accept their own orientation and get on with the job of simply being a person as intended by a god, or nature, or chance, or luck, or fate, or evolution, or whatever.

With appologies to my Log Cabin friends (Republican Gays), it certainly seems that all G.O.P. candidates (especially for President, but also for other offices) are scampering to the social right, so as not to alienate those whose political agendas are driven by hate rather than genuine conservatism.  Of course Michelle Bachmann is leading the way for them, but we must realize that her views are genuine.  She and her self-hating husband actually do detest the rest of us.  Other Republican leaders (all of them except perhaps the thoroughly weird and charming Ron Paul) just pretend to hate us until it becomes time to campaign during the general election.  Then they will pretend to want to represent all of us.  Don’t fall for the ruse!

Yes, the Democrats suck; but do you really want to risk a government run by the Tea Party and the visceral Republicans?