Ken from Ex-Gay Survivor's Conference

[KennethJ]

Hello... my name is Ken and I live in Toronto, Canada. I'm gay, 29, and a social work student. I was at the Ex-Gay survivor's conference last weekend in Orange County and met some really great people... was definitely worth the trip! The whole experience was very powerful for me. In fact, I felt like, for the first time, I found my community - people who really understand my experiences. Even though I love Canada, and am grateful for living in such a progressive city, I often find that people here just can't relate to me as someone who grew up in a conservative evangelical family. People here are just kind of horrified of what I've gone through... and I do have a great network of friends that support me... but one thing they cannot do is truly understand. And it's that understanding that I found last weekend at the conference from so many of you. And I also understood you - which is maybe even more powerful in my healing.

I'm so grateful for Soulforce and BeyondExGay.com for organizing this... and I hope its just the beginning.

Ken

[scott snedeker]

The release must be tremendous! maybe even a little overwhelming. Treasure it!

[tdogg]

Welcome Ken! Glad you found your way to the Soulforce forums!

Wish I could have gone to the conference. Maybe next year if there is one. I too was raised in a conservative Christian home - Assemblies of God. As it took many many years for me to finally accept and love myself, and come out, I did not endure some of the horrors of those subject to reparative therapy. Thank God!

It took a long time, but I'm really happy now. And I love this place! I'm sure you will too, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.

Tdogg

[Jennifer5]

Welcome! I'm so glad that you joined the forums!

We have an incredible group of people here. Let us know if you have any questions. Otherwise, jump on in... we're glad to have you here.

Welcome to the family. :love:

[pnggrad79]

Welcome Ken! I am glad you enjoyed the conference. You will find people here who love and accept you. We here in the US wish that we could have the freedoms glbt Canadians enjoy. My wife and I were married in Niagara Falls, Canada on Sept. 11, 2004. We were one of 100 gay couples to get married that year in Niagara Falls, only 3 were NOT from the US. Canada has a lot on the US.

Good luck and may God bless you.

[progressive4christ]

Hallelujah! the choir sings loudly.

[Zerbie]

Hey, Welcome Ken!!

I would have loved to attend the conference, but we had already planned a vacation - we were in Canada. :):rainbow: I kept thinking, man, Canada is in so many ways so far ahead of the US - the air is cleaner, gay couples can get married, there's way more trees (well okay, that's a direct comparison between the Mojave Desert and Alberta, but even so!) :p:lol::lol:

Glad it was such a profound experience for you, and that you made such deep connections. This "ex gay" reparative stuff just cuts through the depth of my heart like a blunt axe - - why anyone would teach people their innermost self is "morally wrong" and "abominable" is just far, far beyond my comprehension.

Glad you checked out the forum, and hope you'll stick around.
:cool:

[Jamie McDaniel]

Hi Ken. It was great to meet you at the conference!

[keltic63]

Hi Ken. It was great to meet you at the conference!

New members are encouraged to post in the "Hello, my name is..." forum when making an entrance to the soulforce community. ;)


just who are you?

[u-dog]

New members are encouraged to post in the "Hello, my name is..." forum when making an entrance to the soulforce community. ;)


just who are you?


Yeah but some of them NEVER do! Like me for example! Vive la Revolution!!

[Jennifer5]

Yeah but some of them NEVER do! Like me for example! Vive la Revolution!!

Dave... I'm one of them too! :rolleyes:

[Jamie McDaniel]

just who are you?
Hey, that looks like a prod at my puny 20 posts during the month of June. :poke:

Now let's not play the part of the overly voluble MC distracting from the drag queen on stage. This is Ken's thread. :x :lol:

[Jennifer5]

Now don't you be an overly zealous MC distracting from the drag queen on stage. This is Ken's thread. :x

You're right... I'm sorry...

:shifty:I didn't do it.

[Gennee]

:)Welcome to the forum, Ken. I'm happy that you went to the conference and met people who went through things that you experienced.

Gennee

[Emproph]

Toronto eh? Wow, and you don't even type with an accent. :lol:

Hello... my name is Ken and I live in Toronto, Canada. I'm gay, 29, and a social work student. I was at the Ex-Gay survivor's conference last weekend in Orange County and met some really great people... was definitely worth the trip! The whole experience was very powerful for me. In fact, I felt like, for the first time, I found my community - people who really understand my experiences. Even though I love Canada, and am grateful for living in such a progressive city, I often find that people here just can't relate to me as someone who grew up in a conservative evangelical family. People here are just kind of horrified of what I've gone through... and I do have a great network of friends that support me... but one thing they cannot do is truly understand. And it's that understanding that I found last weekend at the conference from so many of you. And I also understood you - which is maybe even more powerful in my healing.

I'm so grateful for Soulforce and BeyondExGay.com for organizing this... and I hope its just the beginning.

Ken

I concur with much of what you said. It wasn't just about being open as far as gay goes, it was freeing to be able to be open about my spirituality, especially in regard to Christianity. It was almost like an oasis in that sense.

Something that is sorely needed, ex-gay experience or not.

Anyway, glad you found your way here. -Patrick


http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x269/Emproph/1037881.gif

[BrianB]

Welcome Ken! I'm glad you found a network of support and healing at the conference. Hopefully, this forum is part of that network too. I was also raised in a conservative home and church...AoG. If you want to talk, vent, or a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you.

BrianB