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’Model’ Ex-Gay Couple Divorcesby Kilian MelloyTuesday Oct 21, 2008 "Ex-gay" activist Greg Quinlan, founder of the Pro-Family Network, has seen his mixed-gender marriage end and his credibility be called into question after he made a claim that Nobel Prize-wining geneticist Francis Collins had declared that no "gay gene" exists, reported Ex-Gay Watch.
Several related stories appeared at the Ex-Gay Watch site. In a Sept. 19, 2008, story, Quinlan’s comments about the purported claim by Collins denouncing the existence of genetic factors in homosexuality were recounted.
The article quoted Quinlan, who was talking about the coming out of gay Christian music star Ray Boltz, as erroneously stating, "When [Boltz] says he’s born that way, we know now for a fact that that’s false.
"In fact, just last year in March, the director of the Human Genome Project, Dr. Francis Collins, said this: homosexuality is not hardwired," Quinlan continued.
"There is no gay gene. We mapped the human genome. We now know there is no genetic cause for homosexuality."
Ex-Gay Watch determined that Quinlan’s source for this was the ex-gay organization NARTH, which promulgates the idda that through so-calle d"reparative therapay," gays can be "converted" into heterosexuals.
The article reported that NARTH had taken text from one of Dr. Collins’ books out of context and declared that the geneticist had disproved the "gay gene" theory.
Ex-Gay Watch then contacted Dr. Collins for confirmation, and received this reply from Collins:
"It troubles me greatly to learn that anything I have written would cause anguish for you or others who are seeking answers to the basis of homosexuality.
"The words quoted by NARTH all come from the Appendix to my book ’The Language of God’ (pp. 260-263), but have been juxtaposed in a way that suggests a somewhat different conclusion that I intended," Dr. Collins continued.
"I would urge anyone who is concerned about the meaning to refer back to the original text."
Dr. Collins addressed the "gay gene" theory directly in his correspondence with Ex-Gay Watch, writing, "The evidence we have at present strongly supports the proposition that there are hereditary factors in male homosexuality--the observation that an identical twin of a male homosexual has approximately a 20% likelihood of also being gay points to this conclusion, since that is 10 times the population incidence.
"But the fact that the answer is not 100% also suggests that other factors besides DNA must be involved," Dr. Collins continued, adding, "That certainly doesn’t imply, however, that those other undefined factors are inherently alterable."
Dr. Collins went on to write, "Your note indicated that your real interest is in the truth. And this is about all that we really know. No one has yet identified an actual gene that contributes to the hereditary component (the reports about a gene on the X chromosome from the 1990s have not held up), but it is likely that such genes will be found in the next few years."
Both Quinlan and his ex-wife, Cheryl, had identified themselves as "ex gays," and had married three years before their divorce was granted, noted Ex-Gay Watch in an Oct. 20 www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2008/10/wife-divorces-ex-gay-activist-greg-quinlan/#more-3071.
The divorce was finalized in May of last year, after nearly a year and a half of legal proceedings.
Ex-Gay Watch sympathized with Quinlan and his ex-wife, writing, "Divorce is a painful, private time and we would not wish it on anyone, nor do we want to make things worse for Greg or Cheryl.
"The inevitable pain of such events led in part to our request that Pam Ferguson (Willful Grace) write for XGW," the article’s text continued. "We hoped that she could help others recognize and steer clear of the ex-gay philosophy that holds heterosexual marriage as the ultimate proof of a successful ’conversion.’"
The Ex-Gay Watch article went on, "Too many have gone down that road in a mockery of what marriage means--a bitter irony when one considers that these same unions are held up by ["ex-gay" organization E]xodus leaders ’doing their part’ in support of California’s (anti-marriage equality) Proposition 8."
Ex-Gay Watch noted that the story of the Quinlans’ divorce was important to the LGBT community, and to society at large, given that the two "ex-gay" former spouses had held their marriage up as a model to the idea that gays and lesbians can simply "convert" to heterosexuals and go on to live "happy" lives.
Said the Ex-Gay Watch article, "Greg and Cheryl first put their marriage into play by making it such a large part of their ex-gay activism... And they used it as the basis of their platform to convince law makers to deny the rights of others."
The article then quoted from testimony Gregory Quinlan had offered Ohio legislators as they considered an anti-gay law.
Testified Quinlan, "Tens of thousands of homosexuals have changed and more desire to change.
"Homosexuality is a behavior--not a genetic trait."
Added Quinlan in his testimony to lawmakers, "Based on verifiable evidence, there is no justification for same sex marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnership legislation. None."
Quinlan offered his own marriage as evidence of that claim, saying, "My wife and I are living proof--along with thousands of others--that persons with same-sex attraction can, and have, changed--and thereby can marry and be happy again."
The Ex-Gay Watch article went on, "Greg and Cheryl made these kinds of statements publicly and often, starting with a wedding article titled ’The Grander Vision of Greg and Cheryl’ which juxtaposed former, evil lives of homosexual excess with God ordained nuptials."
Added the article, "And yet when their marriage failed it was hidden--Greg won’t acknowledge it to us even now.
"Instead, he appears to have moved to a different state and a different organization," namely, the anti-gay New Jersey Family Policy Council.
Ex-Gay Watch called this, "business as usual minus any public mention of his ex-wife or his failed marriage."
The article continued, "People deserve to know that this did not work. They deserve to have a full record of events.
"Had [the Quinlans’] marriage remained just that, and not become an instrument through which to convince others of a flawed philosophy or a failed premise, then their divorce would not be on our radar today.
"But they did, and it is."
Some gays and lesbians have reported that with counseling and prayer, they have been able to squelch same-sex attraction. Often, however, sexual attraction to others of the same gender is not replaced by sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex, but rather all sexual urges are diminished, leading to a state of "asexuality."
Those "ex-gays" who do not find their sexual impulses quelled often report that their feelings of sexual attraction to others of the same gender continue, and that it is a lifelong struggle to contain them.
Reputable mental health authorities warn that attempts to "convert" gays into straights may do more harm than good; however, so-called "ex-gays" continue to attempt to influence lawmakers to pass anti-gay laws that harm individuals and families, basing their arguments on the claim that homosexuality can be "cured."
Kilian Melloy reviews media, conducts interviews, and writes commentary for EDGEBoston, where he also serves as Assistant Arts Editor.
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