Sunday, February 16, 2014

Not Everyone Is Happy About This Louisville Billboard

abbas delightTransGriot Note: In the interest of journalistic integrity, I served on the boards of the Fairness Campaign and its C-FAIR PAC for several years  

Got an interesting link to a LEO Weekly story from peeps in my old stomping grounds in Louisville about a billboard that causing some controversy there. 

During first three years I lived in Louisville, I lived in the militantly liberal Highlands neighborhood that is one of the most densely populated gayborhoods in the city.   I lived in a house in the s-curve by Cave Hill Cemetery which when it snowed was highly entertaining to watch cars try to navigate it. 

The next most heavily populated gayborhood is the one I spent the rest of my Louisville years in down Grinstead Dr. on the other side of I-64 near the Southern Baptist Seminary in nearby Crescent Hill.

But moving on to the story du jour. 

Seems like the wingers are still desperately trying to get some return out of their investment in the debunked 'ex-gay' ministries that seek to convert gay people to a heterosexual orientation. 

One recently popped up in Da Ville called (no joke) Abba's Delight founded by Daniel Mingo who claims he walked away from homosexuality 20 years ago.  The LEO Weekly did an expose about ex gay conversion therapy last June that featured Mingo's ministry.  

Yeah, think somebody needs to e-mail the Swedish group and their management about the problematic intellectual property issues on that one.   But I digress again.     

A billboard ad advertising Abba's Delight's controversial services popped up recently at the heavily traveled Bardstown Rd and Grinstead Dr. intersection in the heart of the Highlands.  Mingo is trying to claim he had no say in having the ad placed there, but the location is near three gay bars, so peeps in the Louisville TBLG community ain't buying that story.. 

There are also multiple TARC bus lines that also converge at that  intersection as well, so peddle that bull feces somewhere else. 

The Fairness Campaign's director Chris Hartman had this to say to the LEO Weekly about the specious billboard and the failed conversion services Mingo's org is offering.

It is sad and shameful that Abba’s Delight, an ex-gay ministry, is still trying to peddle their harmful, failed wares in Louisville. And to do so across from a successful, open, accepting, and diverse establishment, like Nowhere Bar, hints of a particularly degenerate desperation.

With more than 90% of people who have been through ministries like Abba’s claiming they have been harmed by the program, and nearly 85% of participants saying that harm still affects them today, it’s time to shut the program down.

No business I know that sells increased depression and suicide rates among its participants and leaves many with PTSD experiences is successful. Abba’s Delight and programs like it are a straight up sham–don’t buy the snake oil.
Since I have plenty of sources in Da Ville to keep me updated about this developing story, will let you TransGriot readers know what's transpired.and if the billboard came down.

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