Many of the speakers at the one day Love Won Out conference offer the false promise to parents that "freedom from homosexuality" is possible, but they deceptively omit descriptions of what that "freedom" is supposed to look like. They also raise false hopes that an individual's sexual feelings and attractions will change and that marriage is a viable hope for "those who struggle with homosexuality." Others, in smaller workshops and in more candid settings, may acknowledge that for some, their sexual attractions may never change. These smaller workshops tend not to be targeted towards family members, thereby affording them an incomplete picture of realistic expectations for their sons and daughters.

According to Peterson Toscano, an event organizer and a former Memphis resident who attended the Love in Action ex-gay residential program, “The majority of people who come to Love Won Out are not ex-gays or even ministers, but concerned parents desperately looking for answers. We offer a caring response to the confusion and fear that Love Won Out breeds. As ex-gay survivors, we have witnessed the reality that when we attempt to suppress and change our sexual orientation we harm ourselves and the relationship between parents and their children.”

The following is the schedule events that are being held to emphasize a positive message from the GLBT community, as well as biographies for the speakers, performers and ex-gay survivors who will be in Memphis during this Weekend of Action & Art! You can also visit www.beyondexgay.com/events for more details and updates.