Newsweek and Tina Brown: Correct the record on your 1998 story on John Paulk and "ex-gays"

The Issue

In 1998, Newsweek published a cover story on "ex-gay" superstar John Paulk and his wife Anne under the headline "Gay For Life?" This gave a major platform to advocates for harmful and fraudulent "ex-gay" therapy and the charalatans who promote it. The article helped advance the "ex-gay" movement into the mainstream, and many LGBT people and their families were hurt or destroyed as a result. Now that John Paulk has come clean, come out as a gay man, apologized to those he hurt, and finally, repudiated "ex-gay" therapy as an ineffective practice that causes more harm than good, Newsweek should do its journalistic duty and prominently correct the record on their 1998 story. We are asking Tina Brown and Newsweek to publish an article that tells the real stories of John Paulk and the harm caused by "ex-gay" therapy.

avatar of the starter
Truth Wins OutPetition StarterWayne Besen is the Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, a 501c3 that educates the world on the harm caused by destructive “ex-gay” conversion programs. His Substack political newsletter is War of the Words.
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The Issue

In 1998, Newsweek published a cover story on "ex-gay" superstar John Paulk and his wife Anne under the headline "Gay For Life?" This gave a major platform to advocates for harmful and fraudulent "ex-gay" therapy and the charalatans who promote it. The article helped advance the "ex-gay" movement into the mainstream, and many LGBT people and their families were hurt or destroyed as a result. Now that John Paulk has come clean, come out as a gay man, apologized to those he hurt, and finally, repudiated "ex-gay" therapy as an ineffective practice that causes more harm than good, Newsweek should do its journalistic duty and prominently correct the record on their 1998 story. We are asking Tina Brown and Newsweek to publish an article that tells the real stories of John Paulk and the harm caused by "ex-gay" therapy.

avatar of the starter
Truth Wins OutPetition StarterWayne Besen is the Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, a 501c3 that educates the world on the harm caused by destructive “ex-gay” conversion programs. His Substack political newsletter is War of the Words.

The Decision Makers

Newsweek
Newsweek
Tina Brown
Tina Brown
editor

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