Gay beyond

The survey is still open and we'd like to hear from as many people as possible. We previously launched a survey to gather information on people who have been involved in sexual orientation change efforts SOCE , and we have just released the preliminary results. We have begun to implement strategies to let others know the realities and damaging effects of ex-gay and religious abuse.

Karla Mosley, of 'Bold & the Beautiful' and 'Beyond the Gates' fame, recently talked about playing a transgender character in the past. We need your help to do this. Our kinship in this journey gives us the opportunity to hear each other deeply, particularly in a world that sometimes scoffs at the many things we have done to change or contain our same-sex attractions and gender differences.

Through sharing our stories with each other, we find wholeness and healing. Beyond Ex-Gay is an online community and resource for those of us who have survived ex-gay experiences. As fans of LGBTQ+ representation in the media, we’ve longed for portrayals of love that go beyond the stereotypical or the tragic.

We are still in a process of recovery from the damage. Certain people who currently identify as ex-gay say they are content as such. Not that it was all bad: Some of us received positive help through our ex-gay experiences. Many of us have found healing, wholeness and understanding through facing our pasts.

We believe that ex-gay experiences cause more harm than good. CBS’s new drama features Congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and his husband, Smitty (out actor Mike Manning), a former political reporter turned stay-at-home dad. Beyond the Gates” makes history as the first Black-led soap opera, and it further breaks ground with a prominent gay storyline.

So often healing comes through community and through sharing our stories and experiences with each other. For us such a lifestyle was not possible nor healthy. What Mike and Brandon create together on-screen isn’t just romantic tension—it’s a real, grounded relationship that feels as messy, funny, and beautiful as any partnership we’ve seen.

Brandono Claybon joins the cast of "Beyond the Gates," a groundbreaking new soap opera celebrating Black lives with a gay twist. Your voice counts! This is your space to connect with other survivors, read survivor narratives and to share your own. But for most of us, these experiences brought us inner turmoil, confusion, and shame.