Be Warned of the Tik Tok Anti-Gay Extremists

Martin Valdez writing at the Australian gay magazine DNA reports that a discredited idea has resurfaced through Tik Tok and aims to influence LGBTQIA+ people through social media.  This is the cult of supposed "ex gays", an unverifiable and largely laughed at cabal of extremists and liars who claim to have been reprogrammed to be loyal heterosexuals through religious deliverance ministries.  Valdez notes "They use catchy tunes and trendy formats to spread their message.... TikTok says it bans content that supports conversion therapy. But Andrew Hartzler, who went through conversion therapy as a teen, often sees such videos. He reports them, but TikTok usually says they don’t break the rules.”It’s frustrating,” Hartzler says. He worries these videos give parents new ways to pressure their kids. Curtis Lopez-Galloway runs the Conversion Therapy Dropout Network in West Hollywood. He helps people cope with trauma from these practices. Lopez-Galloway sees these videos as harmful, especially for those who’ve been through conversion therapy.”It’s retriggering and traumatizing,” he explains.Oliver Gray, another survivor, tries to help. When he sees comments from struggling viewers, he reaches out privately with support. Raven Baker, a Gen Z expert, points out that high view counts don’t always mean agreement. Many people share these videos to criticize them.Sara Larsen, an art director, adds that Gen Z can spot fake trends. She thinks the real danger is older viewers who might use these videos to pressure young people."  Activists continue to monitor extremist anti-gay material online and encourage people to report conversion therapy items to the moderators of these large platforms, no matter how frustratingly slow the response may seem.  In the meantime, if you have been the victim of these conversion therapy groups, then there is a helpline.  It is on  0800 130 3335 and is available Monday through Friday.   Visit https://www.conversiontherapysupport.org.uk/ for more information. Or there is the National LGBTQIA Switchboard on 0800 0119 100 seven days a week.