CarnalNation

We all know how well gay rehabilitation programs work--they don't--but that doesn't stop ex-gay ministries from aggressively pursuing young people dealing with their identities.  Website teachthefacts.org reports that an ex-gay group calling itself PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays) recently took advantage of a Maryland public school district, disseminating information about ex-gay outreach programs along with high school students' report cards.

Montgomery County, just to the north of Washington, is one of the most affluent counties in the country, with just over a million residents.  But the County lost a 2006 lawsuit filed by PFOX for violation of First Amendment rights.  A judge ruled that the school must distribute any literature distributed by non-profit groups, as long as the literature wasn't considered hate speech.

Despite being legally required to distribute the material, some teachers and administrators have made their feelings about ex-gay therapy known; after the group distributed literature to students in 2007, Principal Joan Benz of Winston Churchill High School had a staffer write "PFOX" on trash barrels in the school's lobby.

The issue isn't freedom of speech; it's that the very idea of ex-gay therapy directly contradicts the school's teachings on sex ed.  Nevertheless, county school board President Patricia O'Neill says that the flyers "are probably counter to what is available in our health curriculum, but that curriculum focuses on respect, and we respect freedom of speech."

From the flyer:

Every year thousands of people with unwanted same-sex attractions make the personal decision to leave a gay identity through gender affirming programs, including therapy, faith based ministries, and other non-judgmental environments. Their decision is one only they can make. However, there are those in society who refuse to respect an individual's right to self-determination. Consequently, formerly gay men and women are subjected to verbal and physical attacks simply because they dare to exist. Ex-gays and their supporters are denied equal access and support, forcing them to remain silent for fear of negative reactions and disapproval, while gays are affirmed for their decision to come out as gay. Former homosexuals do not think something is wrong with them because they decided to fulfill their heterosexual potential by overcoming unwanted same-sex attractions.

Also:

There is more to your identity than your sexual attractions. Thousands of ex-gay men and women had those very same feelings when they were in school. You may have heard, "You must be gay!" But no one should be labeled based on the perception of others. Get smart! Explore the origins of your same-sex attractions. Why do I have these feelings? Where did they come from? The decision of a prom date, a car, or whether to super-size those fries can be based on a feeling, but important decisions should not be made on feelings alone.

Yes.  Because being gay is the same as clogging your arteries with french fry grease.  With that kind of flippancy, it's hard to imagine anyone being dumb enough to fall for PFOX's lies.