As a teenager, Robert Adams left his mainline church in Canada to join the Evangelical Church. His fundamentalist church had some rigid views and practices. Robert’s relationship with his family was impacted by his participation in the fundamentalist church.
He soon learned that the church position on sexuality didn’t align with his own nascent feelings. As a young gay man coming to terms with his sexual orientation, Robert decided he must change to fit it and receive love and acceptance.
He started an arduous, painful 15-year journey of denying his authentic-self. This included sessions at the “ex-gay” ministry New Directions. Robert enrolled in a Bible college that was unaccepting of his sexual orientation. To change his sexuality, Robert went to week-long “ex-gay” conversion retreats in Ontario.
Robert finally had enough and decided to come out. Realizing the damage and pain that trying to change had caused in his own life, Robert testified on key legislation to ban conversion practices. Robert has advice for young people and parents thinking of trying an “ex-gay” conversion program. Robert’s story ends with a holiday message of love and acceptance.