Grand Rapids Pride Center

Nathan attends a conversion camp from the film “The Sunday Sessions.” (Courtesy photo)

CFI Michigan and the Grand Rapids Pride Center are hosting a screening and panel discussion of the documentary film “The Sunday Sessions” on Wednesday, Oct. 11, in recognition of National Coming Out Day. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Women’s City Club, 254 E. Fulton St.

“The Sunday Sessions” is an intimate portrait of one man’s struggle to reconcile his religious conviction and sexuality. The observational documentary chronicles the turbulent journey of a devout gay man as he attends conversion therapy in hopes of changing his sexual orientation.

“The Humanist Magazine” proclaims “The Sunday Sessions” “succeeds in offering the viewer an intensely harrowing inside look at one of the cruelest forms of homophobia…”

Following the screening there will be a panel discussion focusing on the issues surrounding conversion therapy. Panelists include Larry DeShane Jr., Center Administrator at the Grand Rapids Pride Center, Matthew Clark, Clinical Psychologist at the Clark Institute and the Gay Christian Therapy Center, and Jennifer Beahan, Program Director at Center for Inquiry Michigan.

This event is part of a larger national campaign where select organizations from over 20 cities across the United States have also scheduled screenings of the documentary, in recognition of National Coming Out Day, in order to generate awareness, foster dialogue, and encourage action within each community.

Chris Doyle, a psychotherapist from Virginia who practices conversion therapy, meets with his client Nathan Gniewek. (Courtesy photo)

Controversy Over Conversion Therapy

Conversion therapy is the controversial, non-scientifically based process which aims to convert an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. Although it has been discredited by all major American medical, psychiatric, psychological and professional counseling organizations, it is currently legal in all 50 states for consenting adults; and as of July of 2017, less than 10 US states have banned the therapy from being practiced on minors.

There has been a recent groundswell of support to reconsider the legality of this “therapy.” Many state and local legislatures, as well as the federal government, are considering legislation to ban the therapy from being applied to minors. Additionally, in the past few years, several LGBTQ advocacy groups have been filing consumer fraud claims against therapists that offer conversion therapy services.

About the Film

“The Sunday Sessions” is an unflinching look at the underbelly of the controversial practice of conversion therapy. This is the first time a film crew was allowed ongoing and unencumbered access to shoot these secretive and controversial therapy sessions. The resulting film is a psychological drama that offers the audience a detailed glimpse into the surreptitious world of private sessions, weekend camps, and family therapy sessions.

For more information about “The Sunday Sessions,” including the film trailer and downloadable press kit, please visit thesundaysessionsmovie.com.

The event is free and open to the public and media is welcome to attend. Suggested Donation of $5. Event Details: http://www.cfimichigan.org/events/event/w-lecture-101117/

An attendee showing their wings at a previous Grand Rapids Pride Festival (Photo credit: Matt Oberski)

Grand Rapids Pride Center and Arbor Circle recently introduced the Safe and Supported Program, which offers free therapy and counseling for LGBTQ youth

By Matt Oberski, The Rapidian

The Grand Rapids Pride Center, in their partnership with Arbor Circle, is now offering free therapy and counseling services for LGBTQ youth. While the Pride Center has offered support services for several years, the Safe and Supported program, which launched in February, provides one-on-one support for youth ages 13-24. LLMSW Sydney Sturm, whose work at Arbor Circle focuses on homeless youth, works with local youth in the LGBTQ community to help them regarding mental and physical health risks including depression, anxiety, and gender dysphoria, preventing homelessness, and offering a safe and welcome environment to discuss their concerns.

At that age, Sturm said, “you’re not only trying to figure out who you are, but society is telling you who you should be.”

As a young adult struggling with their identity as well as possible problems at home or at school related to it, it can be difficult to find accepting facilities and services that are willing to help. Many LGBTQ youth have been frustrated with the current mental health community; with “deadnaming,” or calling a person by their birth name rather than their chosen name, and staff using the wrong pronouns in relation to their gender identity, these young adults have found seeking mental health services discouraging. It is therefore important to have a professional on the LGBTQ spectrum that kids and young adults can come to for support in an inviting and welcoming environment, Sturm explained.

“I’ve seen them open up tremendously in regard to wanting mental health services, which is a great barrier to break,” she said.

One of the major issues Sturm is concerned with is youth homelessness. According to the LGBT Homeless Youth Provider Survey conducted by the Williams Institute, approximately 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. Sturm estimates that of the clients she has met with in her past work with Arbor Circle and the Pride Center, between 50 percent and 75 percent of youth are worried to come out truthfully for fear of being kicked out of their homes. This often brings a temptation to run away or remove themselves from their homes to find a more accepting community.

With the Safe and Supported program, young people have the opportunity to meet with a therapist on their own terms and receive professional help free of charge. Sturm emphasized that she and staff at the Pride Center are willing to “take any measure possible” to meet with youth and help if their family or living situation is unwelcome or unsafe. This includes meeting at a location of the individual’s choosing, and even helping them navigate the local housing system and shelters.

“What’s the point in working in a community if you’re not going to support that community?” she asked.

Safe and Supported is funded by grants through Our LGBT Fund at Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

For more information on the Safe and Supported program or to schedule an appointment with the Safe and Supported program, go to http://www.grpride.org/support-services/ or call 616-458-3511.

To learn more about the state of LGBTQ youth homelessness in our community, view the Safe Impact Report: http://www.arborcircle.org/safe-impact.