Gay teen to be released soon from Tennessee ex-gay camp

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According to an article in the Washington Blade Online (article), Zach Stark (pictured left), a gay 16 year old from Bartlett, Tennessee, will be released soon from Refuge, an ex-gay camp for adolescents run by Love in Action, a group affiliated with Exodus International. He has been in the camp since early June. A firestorm of media coverage, LGBT rights activism, Tennessee state investigations of the camp and ex-gay activism began after Zach posted entries about coming out to his parents and being sent to the ex-gay camp on his blog. Joe Stark, Zach's father, confirmed the identity of his son and his placement into the ex-gay camp on the Christian Boradcasting Network, where he also defended his actions.

“We felt good about Zach coming here … to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn’t give him today,” Stark said, "Until he turns 18 and he’s an adult in the state of Tennessee, I’m responsible for him, and I’m going to see to it that he has all options available to him.”

It is not known what type of effect the ex-gay camp has had on Zach. Before going into the camp Zach wrote about having suicidal feelings in his blog. The gay media, blogs on the web, the Memphs area media and mainstream national media sources including the New York Times, have covered Zach's story. With all of the media attention, the debate over the legality and ethics of treating homosexuality has sprung back up. ========= It is so good to know that out of the horror and tragedy which Zach has expereinced and is still experiencing, something good is coming out. Zach's struggles have sparked a debate which was well overdue in American society. In 1973, the American Psychological Association took homosexuality off its list of mental and psychological diseases. So this is the question I propose... Why isn't illegal to force people into treatment to "cure" homosexuality, especially teenagers who are at the mercy of their parents and their decisions? Hopefully, when Zach is released, he can get away from his parents. They are supposed to love him and protect him, instead they have done nothing but hurt him. He will need to get away rom them and find a family that is supportive and loving. I just pray that Zach has not given into the bigoted and hatefilled ideology of the Ex-Gay Movement.