Former leader of 'gay cure' group marries same-sex partner
Man who used to tell people to 'pray away the gay' admits his 'true feelings' and weds his male partner
The former leader of a Christian ministry that promised to cure people "trapped in homosexuality" has revealed that he has married his gay partner.
John Smid led the controversial Love in Action organisation in the US until 2008, when he left after admitting that he had denied his own sexuality for years.
Smid and his partner Larry McQueen live in Texas but were forced to travel to Oklahoma to get married as their state maintains the same-sex marriage ban that Smid once supported.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I believe that due to my former notoriety, my marriage will definitely have its impact," he said, according to Pink News.
"We think our relationship reveals something very normal, not strange or deceptive gay stereotypes."
Love in Action called homosexuality a "sin" and encouraged its followers to "pray away the gay". It came under intense scrutiny after a documentary revealed that it was running camps for teenagers in order to "change their sexuality" at the request of their parents.
In 1994, Smid admits telling a young man that it would be better for him to commit suicide, rather than act on his homosexual feelings.
He has since apologised for his role in the organisation and admits making serious "mistakes, shortcoming and failures" throughout his leadership.
"I am very sorry for the ways [we] further wounded teens that were already in a very delicate place in life," he said.
He now runs a Christian fellowship group called Grace Rivers for "those who call themselves gay and want to seek a relationship with God in a place where they're free to do that."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Assad's fall upends the Captagon drug empire
Multi-billion-dollar drug network sustained former Syrian regime
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The key financial dates to prepare for in 2025
The Explainer Discover the main money milestones that may affect you in the new year
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: December 19, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published