I don't know quite what to make of this. If we believe the campaign it sounds like Bryce Faulkner, a 23 year old man living at home with his parents in Arkansas, was presented with an ultimatum on coming out to his religious family. His car and mobile phone were apparently confiscated and he was told he could either leave the family home or go into "treatment". It seems that he freely entered an Exodus International treatment centre and looks like he will be spending about 14 months isolated from anyone his parents don't wish him to see. On the other hand the parents claim that he begged them to help him ...
Bryce's boyfriend, Travis Swanson, has enlisted support to mount a campaign to secure Bryce's release from the clutches of the ex-gay people. Some of the imagery and rhetoric used in the campaign seems horribly tacky, but who knows what is really going on? I was contacted through a campaign group on FaceBook about this.
If this is indeed true then......Get ma a flight to florida, a car across there and a map and all the intel they have so far and i will find him and get him out of there.......
I don't mean to sound unsympathetic but what is the big deal about this case? I've heard of similar stories before.
False imprisonment is a crime. If he wants to leave the 'treatment facility' wherever it is he can, and if they try to stop him he should call 911. He is not the first person to be threatened with being turfed out the family home, but on the other hand, he is 23 years old and ought to be able to stand on his own two feet. I'm not trying to claim that what he is being put through isn't horrible and unacceptable, just trying to give some perspective.
As for Marshlander's question about what is happening here, I think the answer here is that there is a rather photogenic young man who serves as an excellent example of the young men and women who are coerced into entering these closed ex-gay programmes, and someone has been able to get a bit of an 'online snowball effect' going.
Fred
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.
Are you having a joke?? So if your entire family said they would never speak to you again you would just say ok!! I DONT THINK SO. Its not about him being old enough to stand on his own 2 feet its him loosing the last 23 years of his life with his family, they may be crazy religous or whateva but god dam it id still love my mum if she was crazy!!!
Fred has understood my difficulty with this story. For me there are a number of issues. Firstly, it seems outrageous that such treatment centres should even exist seventeen years after the W.H.O. took homosexuality off the list of mental disorders ... specially poignant is that these places seem almost mainstream in the land of the free and the home of the brave, although I suspect that is simply a case of the fundies screaming louder than anyone else and getting more attention.
Secondly, at the age of twenty-three Mr Faulkner should indeed be a bit more prepared to stand up for himself. What kind of upbringing makes an adult think he has to capitulate to such inhumane demands?
Thirdly, leaving such a treatment environment is never going to be as simple as Fred implies. Knowing the pressure this young man is under from his family and religious community makes rational decision-making nearly impossible. The threat of hellfire can be a mighty deterrant to the isolated and the vulnerable. Of course his captors will be aware of the law and they may well inform Bryce Faulkner that he is free to go any time, but they will make damn sure that, whilst undergoing treatment, he will be disoriented and confused as to what his rights may be. The jailors have Jesus on their side and in the fight for souls their god outweighs any law of man.
Fourthly, I do agree with Fred that Travis Swanson has mounted a noisy campaign. That it is so strident and emotive is what causes me problems in working out how I feel about this particular story. But what else do you do when you are one man against a well-oiled machine? Noise has raised the issue to consciousness level. Mr Swanson has enlisted a preacher to design and host the campaign website, complete with uninspiring poetry, schmaltzy music and even prayers for Mr Faulkner. I can't make up my mind whether the tackiness of the campaign is its charm or its downfall.
Fifthly, if I were in this situation I could think of little more exciting than if albabonzai broke down the doors to rescue me. Bearing in mind a recent game some of us have been playing can't you just see him swinging in and distracting the enemy with his kilt of deception? ... Oh yes!
marshlander Wrote:Fifthly, if I were in this situation I could think of little more exciting than if albabonzai broke down the doors to rescue me. Bearing in mind a recent game some of us have been playing can't you just see him swinging in and distracting the enemy with his kilt of deception? ... Oh yes!
marshlander Wrote:Fifthly, if I were in this situation I could think of little more exciting than if albabonzai broke down the doors to rescue me. Bearing in mind a recent game some of us have been playing can't you just see him swinging in and distracting the enemy with his kilt of deception? ... Oh yes!
Brilliant marsh :p I thought about all black commando style, but when i kick the door in and my kilt everyone will be so distracted and well mission complete :p
albabonzai Wrote:Are you having a joke?? So if your entire family said they would never speak to you again you would just say ok!! I DONT THINK SO. Its not about him being old enough to stand on his own 2 feet its him loosing the last 23 years of his life with his family, they may be crazy religous or whateva but god dam it id still love my mum if she was crazy!!!
Of course I wouldn't say OK! The point is however it would be between me and my family. He is not the first grown-up child to be kicked out of the family home and he won't be the last. My point is that it is not unreasonable to expect him to be able to find some alternative accommodation (other than this 'treatment facility')
marshlander Wrote:Fred has understood my difficulty with this story. For me there are a number of issues. Firstly, it seems outrageous that such treatment centres should even exist seventeen years after the W.H.O. took homosexuality off the list of mental disorders ... specially poignant is that these places seem almost mainstream in the land of the free and the home of the brave, although I suspect that is simply a case of the fundies screaming louder than anyone else and getting more attention.
The WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is essentially about international co-operation so scientists and doctors in different countries speak the same language. Far more relevant is the Amerian Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) this essentially defines what is and is not considered to be a mental disorder in America. Homosexuality was removed from the DSM in 1973, many years before it was removed from the ICD.
The fact that the US is the land of the free is the reason why the conclusions of a commitee of psychiatrists does not determine whether such treatment centres exist or not.
marshlander Wrote:Thirdly, leaving such a treatment environment is never going to be as simple as Fred implies. Knowing the pressure this young man is under from his family and religious community makes rational decision-making nearly impossible. The threat of hellfire can be a mighty deterrant to the isolated and the vulnerable. Of course his captors will be aware of the law and they may well inform Bryce Faulkner that he is free to go any time, but they will make damn sure that, whilst undergoing treatment, he will be disoriented and confused as to what his rights may be. The jailors have Jesus on their side and in the fight for souls their god outweighs any law of man.
The decision to leave such a 'facility' would doubtless be very difficult. However my point is that if that is what he wants to do he can just leave. If they try and force him to stay, then the long arm of the law can be relied on more than thunderbolts from heaven. Ultimately, I don't think that anyone who as never met him should come the conclusion that, troubled as he may be, he is mentally so disturbed that his fundamental freedom to stay or go should be taken away from him.
marshlander Wrote:Fourthly, I do agree with Fred that Travis Swanson has mounted a noisy campaign. That it is so strident and emotive is what causes me problems in working out how I feel about this particular story. But what else do you do when you are one man against a well-oiled machine? Noise has raised the issue to consciousness level. Mr Swanson has enlisted a preacher to design and host the campaign website, complete with uninspiring poetry, schmaltzy music and even prayers for Mr Faulkner. I can't make up my mind whether the tackiness of the campaign is its charm or its downfall.
I don't think that you can really raise the issue without a good example, I think that Byce Faulkner appears to be an excellent example. However I think that a tacky campaign can cause people to simply ignore it.
Fred
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.
fredv3b Wrote:...The WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is essentially about international co-operation so scientists and doctors in different countries speak the same language. Far more relevant is the Amerian Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) this essentially defines what is and is not considered to be a mental disorder in America. Homosexuality was removed from the DSM in 1973, many years before it was removed from the ICD.
Yes, I agree. Thanks for pointing this out.
Quote:The fact that the US is the land of the free is the reason why the conclusions of a commitee of psychiatrists does not determine whether such treatment centres exist or not.
Perhaps, but should "the home of the brave" really be so scared of its gay population?
Quote:The decision to leave such a 'facility' would doubtless be very difficult. However my point is that if that is what he wants to do he can just leave. If they try and force him to stay, then the long arm of the law can be relied on more than thunderbolts from heaven. Ultimately, I don't think that anyone who as never met him should come the conclusion that, troubled as he may be, he is mentally so disturbed that his fundamental freedom to stay or go should be taken away from him.
... and I was not suggesting that. Apologies if I gave that impression. Yes, of course there are laws in place to prevent unlawful imprisonment (although we all know how they can be over-ridden!), but first he has to be able to make contact with the outside world. If what is being alleged is really happening then the longer he is in "treatment" the more likelihood of other damage being done.
I don't know whether Travis Swanson is a crazed stalker who can't get over a broken relationship or whether the Reverend Brett Harris' motives are with any honour or merit. It is unfortunate that he has chosen to publish the family's home address and personal telephone number, laying them open to any vigilante who thinks they have a right to intervene. This alone, in my opinion, undermines any claim to the moral high ground (although I do find it hard to forgive the distracting music, prayer and poetry ).
Debra Faulkner (Bryce's mother) says that her son and Travis had an internet relationship only and it lasted two months. She also says that it was Bryce's decision to break up with Travis. On the other hand Reverend Harris claims the relationship lasted five months and that one of the videos on his site shows Bryce and Travis together. Again, I'm not convinced either way.
Whatever is going on, people are being hurt. The only good I can see at the moment is that it has raised awareness of the continuing awful activities of Exodus International. They do have a reach into this country and it was against the spread of such so-called treatment in this country that there was a demonstration in London back in April.
Bryce Faulkner being held against his will by ex-gay fundamentalists?
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... Oh yes! 
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