PFOX Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays

Ask your library to order ex-gay books

Please ask your county, school, or city library to order ex-gay books. Many public libraries have book order forms on their website which allow you to request specific books for the libraries to buy. Most local libraries stock gay books, but not ex-gay books. According to the American Library Association, libraries cannot support censorship and a librarian’s professional code requires them to seek out books that represent a wide range of viewpoints. Below is a letter from a PFOX Dad on how to ensure that your local library is not censoring ex-gay books:

Dear Parents and Friends,

Good day to you all and thank you for taking the time to read this letter. It is of critical importance, not only to us as parents and friends, but to all the families that are affected by SAME SEX ATTRACTION (SSA) to get involved with helping others.

Since you are in receipt of this letter, it is most likely that homosexuality has touched your family in some way. Regardless of when touched by SSA, the flood of emotions remains real. Can you remember searching for answers? Do you remember coming up empty handed? Was every book and website encountered leaving you with an empty feeling that something is missing?

Recently, while looking at our public library website for something totally not related to SSA, my wife pointed out all the pro-gay information on the local library web site. After some diligent searching, it became apparent there was little to no information on unwanted SSA. Material on how homosexuality originates was absent. Any resources to help people overcome their SAME SEX ATTRACTION were also absent.

This led me to do website searches for all the counties in Arizona with almost identical results. Further website searches on the public libraries for Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles again yielded the same results. What became apparent is that ex-gay books and resources have either been eliminated or never included in the libraries.

Fellow parents and friends, this is our time to stand together in order to assist other families. You can help by searching your local and school libraries for ex-gay books and resource material. Most public libraries have online catalogs on their website where you can search for books. Once you have determined helpful information is missing, write the schools, libraries, school boards, and politicians to alert them to this systematic censorship. Gently point out that censorship should not be the job of the library, and then insist that they include ex-gay books such as those listed below. You must also point out that this material belongs under the classification of homosexuality. Also, many public libraries have book order forms on their website which allow you to request specific books for the libraries to buy.

Below is a sample of a letter I sent to our local library which resulted in some positive steps with books ordered within two weeks and a note that web sites will be added shortly. Feel free to use it, and then do not forget to follow up.

Best wishes to all, let’s all get to work. Write back to PFOX with your results at pfox@pfox.org

Sincerely,

Jose Schwartz
PFOX Dad

Sample letter for you to send if your library does not have a book request form on their website:

Dear Librarian,

Good day. The reason for this e-mail is an obvious omission in material associated with the _______Library System which needs to be addressed immediately. The health, safety and well being of many people hinges on getting this situation rectified.

While searching your library’s online catalog, I could not find many books about leaving homosexuality or the origins of same sex attractions. Every day parents of gay children search for answers to their children’s condition only to be given the same information: “deal with it” or “they are born that way”. Neither of these are satisfactory options for the concerned parent. In addition to the numerous homosexual books which appears on your library system, your library needs to provide ex-gay books to everyone seeking it.

Please provide equal access to all information, including ex-gay books. According to the American Library Association, libraries cannot support censorship and a librarian’s professional code requires them to seek out books that represent a wide range of viewpoints. Therefore, please order some of the following books for the library:
  •  Restoring Sexual Identity by Anne Paulk (Harvest House, 2003) ISBN: 0736911790
  • When Homosexuality Hits Home: What to Do When a Loved One Says They're Gay by Joe Dallas (Harvest House, 2004) ISBN: 0736912010
  • 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality by Mike Haley (Harvest House, 2004) ISBN: 0736914706 ISBN-13: 9780736914703
  • My Genes Made Me Do It: A Scientific Look at Sexual Orientation by Dr. Neil and Briar Whitehead ISBN-10:1563841657 ISBN-13:978-1563841651
  • The Battle for Normality by Gerard J.M. van den Aardweg, Ph.D. ISBN-10:0898706149; ISBN-13:978-0898706147
  • The Heart of Female Same-Sex Attraction by Janelle Hallman ISBN-10:083083429X; ISBN-13:978-0830834297
  •  Light in the Closet: Torah, Homosexuality, and the Power to Change by Arthur Goldberg ISBN: 0-9631478-8-9
  • A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality by Joseph and Linda Nicolosi ISBN:0830823794
  •  Homosexual No More by William Consiglio ISBN-10: 0896939359; ISBN-13:978-0896939356
  •  Desires in Conflict by Joe Dallas ISBN-10: 0736912118; ISBN-13:978-0736912112
  • Alfie's Home (Children's picture book) by Richard Cohen ISBN: 0963705806
  •  Homosexuality: The Politics of Truth by Jeffrey Satinover ISBN-10:080105625X; ISBN-13:978-0801056253
  • Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories by Joseph Nicolosi ISBN-10: 0876683405; ISBN-13: 978-0876683408
  • The Puzzle - Exploring the Puzzle of Male Homosexuality by Louis A Berman ISBN-10: 0972301313; ISBN-13: 978-0972301312

Also while searching your library’s website, there was a link to “Gay and Lesbian” issues. If you follow this link, there is absolutely nothing about Unwanted Same Sex Attraction (SSA) or how homosexuality originates. There is nothing about GID (Gender Identity Disorder) either. Links to informative and supportive web sites should be on your web site. These links need at a minimum to include:

www.pathinfo.org

People leave homosexuality every day. The information is for those wanting it, seeking it, needing it. As the gay community says, it is all about choice and self-determination. The problem with choice is, in order to choose, there must be more than one thing to select from…correct? Please, give everyone with UNWANTED SAME SEX ATTRACTION the resources needed in order to make an educated decision.

Very truly yours,

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