Educational Media Reviews Online

Although American society has become moderately more tolerant of gay issues, many gay Christians continue to struggle with the conflict between personal sexual identity and their religious beliefs. This film focuses of the lives of a small group of gay Christians who have tried ‘reparative therapy’ to change their sexual orientation and become accepted by their religious and social communities. One poignant story is told by a Christian mother whose rejection of her daughter caused her suicide. Ultimately they all fail the therapy but in a broader context succeed when they accept who they are and seek meaningful relations based on their true sexual identity.

Their stories serve as a starting point for discussion about the credibility of reparative therapy and the hypocrisy of the ex-gay movement. The positions of the American Psychiatric Association and a number of mental health professionals is presented debunking the efficacy of this type of treatment with the lack of any scientific evidence. The power of the film lies in its message that self-acceptance and meaningful unqualified love are the great spiritual healers.