The Coalition For Equality countered the Exodus International Conference by offering a week of educational, eye-opening, powerful & fun activities around Western North Carolina during the time period of the event. Additionally, we peacefully made our presence known throughout the region as a loving, accepting, alternative to groups like Exodus, which condemn homosexuality and seek to “repair” those with same sex orientation.
We found our response to be overwhelmingly successful, and now offer details of that response here for any other communities facing the negative and harmful messages of groups like Exodus.
Our activities included the following:
Holding a seminar: Challenging the Ex-Gay Theory with Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out.
Showing films For the Bible Tells Me So and Fish Can’t Fly.
Displaying our “You’re Fine, Just The Way You Are” banner at various locations in downtown Asheville, and around Western North Carolina.
Offering a Community Statement of Support for GLBT Citizens for people to sign, allowing them to be involved in showing solidarity.
Hosting a fun-filled Real Families Picnic with participants from 17 communities attending.
Distributing hundreds of flyers and emails as well as PSAs and community calendars in order to get the word out. See the flyer.
Creating a web page to inform people about the events.