Naked Therapy For My Gay?

Wayne Besen has a short and interesting piece up at 365gay. He writes about the lengths to which the ex-gay movement is willing to go as they quest to stop 'teh gay.' Some ex-gay organizations have promoted a truly bizarre wilderness course put on by The Mankind Project (BTW MKP, the photo strip format on your site that features faceshots of your men is oddly similar to ads I've seen for many gay personals websites.). Wayne writes that the course, conducted by men likely lacking licenses to practice therapy, includes some pretty gay stuff:

This cult-like national program is a $650 weekend boot camp where participants – mostly straight - are greeted by large, intimidating men dressed in dark clothing and faces painted black. During their stay, the men are forced to take cold showers, survive on about four hours sleep, and subsist on very little food. In follow-up meetings, the activities include shaving another man’s face, kidnapping a member of another camp group and changing clothes with other men. The idea is to help them get in-touch with their feelings and uncover and heal deep wounds that are barriers to successful lives.

The alternative publication, The Houston Press, uncovered a letter Michael Scinto wrote to the Madison County Texas sheriff’s office, just prior to committing suicide allegedly as a result of the boot camp. The Scinto family has filed a lawsuit against The ManKind Project, while the deceased man’s letter to the sheriff claims the New Warrior program practiced bizarre rituals that include:

1. Blindfolded walking tours in the nude

2. People blowing sage smoke in his face while 50 or so naked men danced around candles

3. Men sitting in a circle discussing their sexual histories while passing a wooden dildo called “The Cock”

4. Naked men beating cooked chickens with a hammer

I can truly tell you that this gay man has never danced with 50 naked men around candles. Now, that's gay! Alas, this would be funnier if LGBT people didn't feel the need to commit suicide based on confused self-loathing promoted by these ex-gay nuts.