Tag Archives: Trace McNutt

Honoring Our Legacy, Recognizing Our Achievements, and Looking Towards Our Future

First Annual Ex-Gay Awareness Dinner Reflects on Where We’ve Come, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going

DSC_4567On September 30, 2013 ex-gays and their allies from all over the country gathered in Washington, D.C. to honor our legacy, recognize our achievements, and look towards our future. Dr. Douglas McIntyre, Co-Founder of Homosexuals Anonymous, the oldest and longest-running organization supporting individuals who wish to leave homosexuality, spoke about how far we’ve come in 40 years. “Having lunch on Capitol Hill today with many individuals that have shared the same experiences as I, reminded me that we’ve come a long way. When I was boy, not only was I unable to tell anyone what I was going through (having unwanted homosexual feelings) but there was no place to go. No safe group or organization helping people like me. Today, I’m surrounded by friends . . . it’s a day to celebrate what God has done,” commented McIntyre.

DSC_4675 Greg Quinlan of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX) gave one of the most heartening talks of the night, passionately speaking about why ex-gay awareness is so important. “I speak out about my experiences because of what I’ve seen. When I was in the gay lifestyle, I buried 100 of my gay friends who died of AIDS before I stopped counting. My friends would ask me: ‘Greg, would you please read this scripture at my funeral? Would you tell my son I love him and why daddy couldn’t be with him? Would you pray for me and ask God to forgive me?’ After suffering through so much heartbreak, pain, and death around me, I made a choice to come out of homosexuality and I haven’t looked back, and I will continue to speak out so that others can know that I have seen the change. I have to speak of these things. It is my obligation to do that!” Citing Acts, Quinlan proclaimed his duty to preach the good news, “I will continue to declare that ex-gay is ok, you can change!”

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The night also featured two awards, the first given to Liberty Counsel’s, Mat Staver, who spoken about the current legal battles facing clients with unwanted same-sex attractions (and the counselors that help them) that he and Liberty Counsel have been waging in court. “It makes absolutely no sense that someone’s right of self-determination be infringed upon in the counseling office, especially when it threatens our fundamental liberties of speech and religion,” commented Staver. Watch the presentation of the First Ex-Gay Pride Freedom Award by clicking here.

Staver told the story of clients he represents in New Jersey and California – “fourteen, fifteen-year-old boys” – who have benefited from Christian counselors. Upon discovering their same-sex attraction, many “began to cut themselves, hate themselves, question who they are, and their relations with family and friends became fractured. After beginning counseling, however, their self-esteem improved, their same-sex attractions decreased, and their friendships improved.”

DSC_4701The second honor went to self-described former “satanic drag queen,” Trace McNutt, who was the recipient of the Voice of the Voiceless Courage Award for Former Homosexuals. “Unlike many of the people you have heard speak tonight, I still struggle with same-sex attraction. But one thing I know for sure – through the support of the church and Christian community, who have loved me unconditionally, my heart has been changed forever. I stand before you a sinner saved by grace, and I am humbled and honored to receive this award. This award is not for me, but for Jesus Christ who lives in me,” commented McNutt. “I stand before you as a former drug addict, cancer survivor, and to this day, doctors have told me that the HIV that I had been diagnosed with is undetectable. I know that through God, all things are possible.” You can watch Trace’s story and the presentation of the Courage Award by clicking here.

DSC_4599Voice of the Voiceless President, Christopher Doyle, expressed the need to create safe places for youth who are struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction. “We have to find a way to minister to people of faith – young people especially – and allow them to struggle just as we allow other non-SSA young people to struggle as they mature. How many of you have children in their 20s and 30s who continue to struggle with problems in their lives that keep them from reaching their full potential? You love those kids and continue to love them even as they struggle . . . we, people of faith, need to celebrate those young people and mentor them as the mature. We need to provide welcoming places for them – not to endorse their behavior – but to see their potential and look beyond their behavior and into their hearts.” Doyle challenged the audience to invest into young people if they want to see a change in the culture war on homosexuality.

DSC_4736Before Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. delivered a passionate keynote address, Dennis Jernigan performed the 2013 Ex-Gay Anthem, “Rise Up.” View the music video by clicking here. Produced by Brant Fricker, “Rise Up” is a song, in Dennis’s words, “from God’s perspective toward us.” Based on scripture from Psalm 32:7 and Zephaniah 3:17.“It is true. I once identified as homosexual. Through an encounter with Jesus Christ, I was given a brand new identity. I am tired of feeling like I have to be quiet about it in today’s culture. My story is my story…and the more I share it, the more I find a great number of men and women who once thought they were homosexual as well. It is time to rise up and declare who and Whose we are,” commented Jernigan. Dennis is married to beautiful wife Melinda, and together they have nine children.

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The evening concluded with a passionate keynote address from Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland and chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, shared his miraculous story of surviving esophageal cancer and rededicating himself to God. “There is no way I would have beaten the odds without our Heavenly Father’s favor and immeasurable grace that He bestowed upon me. Jackson inspired the audience with his story of healing and description of four different types of grace the Lord gives His people to overcome great obstacles in their lives. Jackson, who jokingly wondered if he would be met with a crowd of protestors as he has been in the past when speaking about God’s ideal for sexuality, encouraged the ex-gays to declare passionately, “I’m going to live as a transformed ex-gay and I don’t care who doesn’t like it!”

Voice of the Voiceless is the only anti-defamation league for former homosexuals, individuals with unwanted same-sex attractions, and their families. For more information, visit: www.VoiceoftheVoiceless.info

Ex-Gay Pride Still Alive Despite Anti-Ex-Gay Extremism

Due to some anti-ex-gay extremism that has occurred since we first announced Ex-Gay Pride 2013, the July 31 Lobbying Day on Capitol Hill and Evening Dinner/Reception at the Family Research Council has had to be moved and postponed to an undisclosed location in September. The harassment has caused several security threats which has forced us to change plans, and that is unfortunate. However, we are committed to holding an alternate event in late July as well as supporting some other initiatives that our allies and fellow ex-gays are planning for July. These events are still in development and will not be announced until late next week. For all of our supporters that have made travel plans to attend the July 31 event, we sincerely apologize for having to change plans, but we thought it was in the best interest to ensure the safety and security of all participants and speakers.

On the bright side, this harassment and anti-ex-gay extremism has reminded us just how intolerant some individuals and organizations are about the existence of ex-gays and former homosexuals. So much so, that we believe it is necessary not only to hold events in July for Ex-Gay Pride, but also to declare September as the First Annual Ex-Gay Awareness Month. Ex-Gay Awareness Month in September will be a time to reflect on the discrimination and marginalization that former homosexuals and ex-gays experience in the public at large. It will also provide some much needed exposure to students in secondary schools and colleges across the country to learn about the plights, challenges, and tribulations facing ex-gays in our culture.

For years, LGBT activists have made in-roads into the mainstream educational, psychological, and medical communities by instituting awareness months, seminars, and curriculum that highlights the need to protect sexual minorities from discrimination. Unfortunately, they have refused to include ex-gays within those sexual minorities, and organizations such as Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) have had to sue private trade associations like the National Education Association (NEA) in order to achieve legal recognition for former homosexuals in the public at large.

Due to legal actions such as the 2009 Superior Court Ruling in Washington, D.C. (that has now given discrimination protection to ex-gays in Washington, D.C.) the road to legal protection and recognition of ex-gays has been paved. Now it’s just a matter of us claiming our rights and demanding to be heard. This is precisely how the LGBT lobby has achieved so much over the last forty years – tirelessly chipping away at the legal system and patiently working within powerful educational, psychological, and medical communities, thereby creating allies and support. So must ex-gays do the same. We have long realized that LGBT organizations will not be our allies. We are routinely marginalized by organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) who routinely shut us out of the debate and refuse to give us a seat at the table.

That being said, it’s time that former homosexuals, individuals with unwanted SSA, and their families and allies stand up and demand to be heard. July’s First Annual Ex-Gay Pride Month is only the beginning. September’s Ex-Gay Awareness Month in schools across the country is only a start. Our voices will be heard. We will no longer be shut out. We will no longer hide in the shadows.

We hope you enjoy this Ex-Gay Pride and Ex-Gay Awareness Video! To view Ex-Gay Pride 2013, click here.

Special thanks to Trace McNutt, who gave us permission to use segments of his video. We applaud Trace for his courage to speak out and share his amazing story of transformation from death and destruction to new life! We would also like to thank the band, ReNew, for allowing us to use their song “Redeemed” that is featured at the end of this video.

For more information on “Redeemed” go to:

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/artist/ReNew?id=A2n4jew7acmfgzcxu3tqvrzzcji

and/or iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/re-new/id509141234

For more information on the First Annual Ex-Gay Pride Month in July and the First Annual Ex-Gay Awareness Month in September, visit: www.VoiceoftheVoiceless.info and www.EqualityandJusticeforAll.org. To schedule an interview with Christopher Doyle, Co-Founder and President of Voice of the Voiceless, call 571-379-4546 or e-mail [email protected].