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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE November, 1989

Homosexuals Anonymous 365 Warrensville Center Rd

--232-6350

Recently, an article

appeared in the Plain Dealer about

a group that was meeting in Cleveland to help people “recover" from homosexuality. The Chronicle asked

Steven Hurt to attend several meetings, and give us his impressions.

by Steven Hurt

What is this secret society of gay men and women called Homosexuals Anonymous? Who are they, where do they gather, what is their mission and what do they have to offer the gay community? These are questions a gay person might ask when happening upon the name "Homosexuals Anonymous" in the Ameritech Pages Plus. H.A. makes no secret of their existence by listing in the telephone directory, but that is where your anonymity ends and theirs begins.

The Gatekeeper

creed through which members are promised freedom from their homosexuality.

One of the steps was chosen and read. An elaborate discussion ensued on that topic. The group was often diverted from the step talk onto tangential questions, but the group leader periodically returned to the topic. There were women present but they were not given a chance to speak on the topic. Their opinions were not sought or respected by other group members. The discussions revolved solely around the male experience.

The meetings ended about two hours later with another song and a prayer. Painfully absent from the meetings was the Reverend Frank. Members complained that he once led meetings but has since lost interest.

If you call 232-6350, the number listed for H.A., an answering machine plays this recording: "H.A. is a non-denominational Christian fellowship of men and women who have chosen to help each other live in freedom from homosexuality. There are no dues or fees for membership. The only requirement Group Dynamics is the desire to be free from homosexuality. If you desire more information, please leave your name, phone number and the best time to reach you at that number and a group member will return your call."

In order to protect my anonymity, I felt it improper to leave my name and phone number, so a visit to the address listed at 365 Warrensville Center Rd. in Bedford was warranted.

This address is the location of the New Source Counseling Center, in space rented from the Bedford Church of the Nazerene. New Source houses the of fices of the Cleveland H.A. chaplain, the Rev. Frank, who is also minister of the Broadway Christian Church on Engel Rd. in Cleveland. As chaplain for H.A., Rev. Frank screens calls that come to his office to ferret out insincere callers and answers questions from strangers about

his group.

Since I refused to sacrifice my anonymity by leaving my name and phone number on the Reverend's tape, and after I refused the repeated requests of New Source staff for my name or phone number, New Source reluctantly made an appointment for me to call the chaplain at his home office at 883-4812.

In my screening interview with Rev. Frank, he determined that my desire to know more about the group was sincere and informed me that he hosts H.A. meetings each Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the home that he and his wife share at 4420 Beta Drive in Newburgh Heights. Rev. Frank mentioned that "You don't have to be a Disciple of Christ to be a member. The group is all kinds of flavors. There are Catholics, Baptists, Charismatics – whatever you can think of."

The H.A. Meeting

The typical H.A. meeting began with a fellowship time during which first names were exchanged and hands were shaken. Then followed a song or a prayer. Copies of the small pamphlet listing the 14 Steps of H.A. were passed out for new members. Similar to the 12 Steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program, they differ in that they are a religious

Group discussions centered around the pain and guilt that homosexuality brings to members' lives and how Jesus and the Scriptures are the only release from homosexual torments.

Some men recognized patterns in their life in which they have repeatedly abused, manipulated, or sought to profit monetarily from their long-term relationships with gay men. Others explained that their abusive or manipulative behaviors toward other gays were caused by satanic forces which, they explained, were unleashed naturally in gay

1.

ing their homosexual desires to religious backgrounds vary significantly. heterosexual ones.

The belief that God personally intervened in their lives in even the smallest ways also served to draw the group closer together. Attendees related stories of how they believed God had intervened in even the most trivial coincidences that befall most people. This was proof that God cared for their plight.

It was evident to this reporter that some established H.A. members demonstrated their sexual desire for new members by cruising newcomers during meetings. This behavior was ignored repeatedly by group leaders and made some newcomers uncomfortable.

Members shared how they contact each other by phone, seeking support when sexual urges strike. They point out that homosexual fantasies struck them at all times, during stress, when rested, when joyful or depressed.

A source of constant demoralization for the group was defection. During prayers for "associate members," I heard a list of names of those who had left H.A. out of disappointment with lack of success or who had lapsed back "into homosexuality" to join with a lover in a relationship.

Chauvinism was prevalent at each meeting. It revealed itself in the lack of attention paid to the lesbians in attendance. Not once were lesbian issues discussed or lesbians asked to share their sexual experiences.

Attendance at meetings varied from a high of eight to low of three. Some members attended after having “fallen” into

THE FOURTEEN STEPS

For example, John is a self proclaimed born-again Christian. He reports that Satan was personally attacking him due to his recent testimonial denial of his former gay lifestyle at a church gathering.

John also mentioned that he recently moved into a predominantly gay district of Lakewood and was approached by his former lovers' friends and lovers when they heard of his move. John ascribed their contacts to the wiles of Satan who desperately wished him to fail to temptation.

John openly admitted to using his last lover for monetary gain, and hoped his lover would die and will him all of his expensive possessions. John describes his long term relations with men as "pigsties from which God rescued him."

Tom sought counseling from many sources and eventually married a women with whom he has had children. He felt that by marrying, doing good works among the poor, seeing counselors and fighting his sexual nature with Bible study his fantasies would disappear. However, he admits that he still has anonymous sexual encounters at bookstores, that his wife wishes he would get over his homosexuality and that he has sexual fantasies which are beyond his control.

Jack is a lean, muscular young man who has enlisted the help of his female friends to rid him of his desire for sex with men. He convinces them that having sexual relations with him will help to cure him. He expressed that he has no romantic feelings for the women he uses for sexual release and maintains against the

We admitted that we were powerless over our homosexuality and that our emotional lives were unmanageable.

relationships. H.A. members were at the mercy of these supernatural forces while they were "in homosexuality."

Helpful discussions included how members could avoid co-dependent behavior in their new-found heterosexuality by examining the co-dependent behavior that they demonstrated while living with men.

A common thread among members was that each person in the group confessed that he had seen a veritable "parade of therapists." However, no therapist had cured them of their orientation and some counselors had even encouraged them to accept their homosexual orientation. There was general agreement that disappointment with the results of even so-called "Christian" therapy had driven them to seek help from H.A.

A favorite activity of members was to repeatedly describe their first homosexual experience. The purpose was ostensibly to describe how they had fallen into sin, but the effect on the group was titillation, rapt attention and voyeurism. Men also shared how they used women's bodies to attempt convert-

an anonymous sexual encounter and wished to alleviate their accompanying guilt and place themselves once again on the "straight and narrow road that leads to salvation."

Meet the Group

What kind of people attend Homosexuals Anonymous? Their

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urgent protests of other H.A. members that he is currently a gay person, not someone who was "in homosexuality." He currently seeks to become "a man among men."

All of these people quote Scripture readily from memory and consider them-

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References

RAY KEMSKI