Virginia public universities spend taxpayer dollars to fund center that indoctrinates youth against their religion

Contact: Regina Griggs, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays, 804-453-4737, pfox@pfox.org

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 23, 2013 /Standard Newswire/ -- In response to an undercover investigation, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays is urging the governor and legislature of Virginia to stop funding gay-transvestite centers at Virginia's public universities because they use the money to indoctrinate youth into changing their religion to gay-affirming faiths and actively seek to discredit the ex-gay community.

"Virginia taxpayers shouldn't be forced to fund hatred and discrimination against ex-gays and people of faith," said Regina Griggs, executive director of PFOX. "These biased and discriminatory lesbian/gay/bisexual/trandgender/questioning centers hide ex-gay resources and insist that students adopt a 'gay-only' mentality that rejects those who have changed their orientation from gay to straight while celebrating those who have changed their gender identity. PFOX provides ex-gay brochures to many Virginia state universities with LGBTQ centers, yet the investigation shows that the centers refuse to make ex-gay resources readily available to students. PFOX's brochures urge tolerance for the ex-gay community, help students to prevent bullying at their schools, and explain gender identity confusion and unwanted same-sex attractions."

Voice of the Voiceless went undercover into seven Virginia state universities with LGBTQ centers. Largely funded by taxpayer dollars, the centers provide homosexual and transgender resources, outside referrals, and campus-wide events to students. The investigation, which occurred over a 2 ½ week period in September, involved ex-gays posing as students seeking information for unwanted homosexual feelings.

In one case, George Mason University told the investigator, who identified himself as an evangelical, to attend a gay church and read a book called "The Lord is my Shepherd, and He Knows I'm Gay."

The centers involved in the investigation exist on the campuses of the University of Virginia, James Madison University, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, and the College of William and Mary.

"Virginia's LGBTQ Centers deny that change is possible, and therefore deny that ex-gays exist," said Griggs. "They believe in exclusion, censorship, and allowing only one side of the story to be told. Virginia taxpayers don't want their money funding non-educational activities that endanger youth, treat ex-gays as outcasts, and promote government-approved religions."

Read the undercover report here.

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) is the nation's leading advocacy organization for love, support, and positive life change for the ex-gay community.