USA Today Publishes Vile Op-Ed Supporting ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy By NARTH-Linked Psychologist
USA Today, in a case of journalistic malpractice, chose to publish today an op-ed supporting so-called “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy, a practice that has been denounced and labeled as not only ineffective but actually dangerous by many if not all major medical organizations. The op-ed is authored by a psychologist linked to NARTH, the “National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality” whose main body of “work” is by Dr. Paul Cameron, a wholly discredited “scientist.”
USA Today is in the business of publishing news and opinion from reliable sources, and has failed miserably in this instance. The editorial board should remove this dangerous column, apologize for publishing it, and follow up with one explaining the facts about “ex-gay” therapy and the dangers associated with it.
Contrary to popular desire among anti-gay and anti-science conservatives, some issues — like climate change and evolution — are settled science. There’s no “debate” to have because they are proven facts. The danger of “ex-gay therapy” is one of those settled science facts not up for debate any longer.
Additionally — shamefully, lazily, callously, and offensively — USA Today used an image of LGBT activists and allies from a recent New Jersey United for Marriage rally to accompany the op-ed, clearly without their express consent of it being used in association with this dangerous opinion piece. It was a poor choice and should be changed if the editors refuse to remove the piece entirely. Figured prominently in the image (screenshot, top) is New Jersey native Penny Gnesin, wife of former Army Captain and LGBT activist Sue Fulton.
“That’s Penny, in the scooter,” the couple told The New Civil Rights Movement in an email today:
“In eighteen years together, we’ve dealt with job loss, MS, and breast cancer. We’re strong enough to stand up to the haters, but we won’t allow our images to be used by those who would use their crackpot theories to mistreat young, vulnerable gay and lesbian kids. We are outraged.”
Now, to the actual op-ed.
“Sexual reorientation therapy not unethical” is by Nicholas A. Cummings.
Cummings’ bio in the piece says he “was president of the American Psychological Association (1979-80).” It does not state that he is associated with NARTH, nor does it state that he delivered a keynote address for the group, nor does it state that the man NARTH used to use before they were forced to turn to Cummings has denounced his previous reparative therapy studies.
In fact, every major leader in the “ex-gay” movement has denounced their participation and apologized for the harm they’ve caused.
But USA Today is oblivious to this fact, and by publishing Cummings’ op-ed has given unnecessary and false “hope” to some who still believe homosexuality is a disease and something in need of a cure, like cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
In fact, homosexuality is as normal as being born blond, left handed, or tall.
“The sweeping allegation that such [reparative therapy] treatment must be a fraud because homosexual orientation can’t be changed is damaging,” Cummings writes. He is wrong, and there are countless medical professionals who have, do, and will oppose him.
“I personally saw more than 2,000 patients with same-sex attraction, and my staff saw thousands more. We worked hard to develop approaches to meeting the needs of these patients,” Cummings writes, as he links to an article at NARTH — another dangerous and poor choice by USA Today for allowing it, which they do again below.
“They generally sought therapy for one of three reasons: to come to grips with their gay identity, to resolve relationship issues or to change their sexual orientation,” Cummings continues:
We would always inform patients in the third group that change was not easily accomplished. With clinical experience, my staff and I learned to assess the probability of change in those who wished to become heterosexual.
Of the roughly 18,000 gay and lesbian patients whom we treated over 25 years through Kaiser, I believe that most had satisfactory outcomes. The majority were able to attain a happier and more stable homosexual lifestyle. Of the patients I oversaw who sought to change their orientation, hundreds were successful.
That last part, “hundreds were successful,” has been disproven time and time again by case after case after case of so-called ‘ex-gays” who amazingly get caught not being ex-gay. The perfect example is former officer and scientific advisor to NARTH, George Rekers, whom, you’ll remember, was caught with a young male prostitute coming back from a European vacation. NARTH quickly scrubbed their website of any vestige of his name and Rekers was forced into exile.
Alan Chambers is another example.
Chambers is the former president of the now defunct Exodus International, which used to be the top “ex-gay” organization. Here’s what he recently said about his “work”:
“I am sorry for the pain and hurt many of you have experienced. I am sorry that some of you spent years working through the shame and guilt you felt when your attractions didn’t change. I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents.”
Chambers also acknowledged that his work has ultimately resulted in suicides, and said:
“I have heard many firsthand stories from people called ex-gay survivors. Stories of people who went to Exodus affiliated ministries or ministers for help only to experience more trauma. I have heard stories of shame, sexual misconduct, and false hope. In every case that has been brought to my attention, there has been swift action resulting in the removal of these leaders and/or their organizations.”
At Think Progress, Zack Ford explains the harm caused by “ex-gay therapy”:
The APA has concluded that sexual orientation change efforts are at best ineffective, if not harmful. In a survey of ex-gay survivors — those who once attempted to change their orientation then later embraced it — over 90 percent reported that they experienced harm. A study designed to prove ex-gay therapy worked found that even those who claim success are just acting the part — their orientation hasn’t changed. Arguably, many of the “treatments†the plaintiffs in the JONAH case experienced were not only ineffective and potentially psychologically harmful, but outright abusive.
Again, USA Today must remove the op-ed and apologize for publishing it. And they must publish one in its place detailing the dangers of “ex-gay” therapy.
You can contact USA Today by phone:Â 703-854-3400, by Twitter, Facebook, or on their website contact page.
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Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Dr. Cummings as a psychiatrist. He is a psychologist.
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Maine Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner is under fire after releasing a video declaring that new allegations against him are false, yet he is “taking time to reflect” on a path forward.
Politico on Monday afternoon reported that a woman who dated Platner, Jenny Racicot, “says he forced her to have sex with him nearly five years ago despite her repeated objections, an allegation Platner denies.”
“Racicot said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner,” Politico reported, “for more than two years before he entered her rural Maine home uninvited one night in late 2021, deeply intoxicated, and forced himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop. She said she cut off contact with him after telling him the encounter was not consensual.”
In a video posted to social media eleven minutes after the Politico story dropped, Platner says, “I wanted to directly address the troubling, serious, and false allegations against me. Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false.”
He said he and his supporters “were united in a love of Maine, a belief that our politics must change, in a focus on defeating Susan Collins.”
“So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins.”
“Those were the goals when we launched this campaign. And they remain my goals today.”
“Throughout it all, you never turned your back on me. And I will not turn my back on you now. Every one of you deserves to see that vision come to fruition and see Susan Collins defeated. And we will use every tool at our disposal to do so.”
The Bulwark’s Tim Miller, a political commentator who served as the communications director for the Jeb Bush 2016 presidential campaign, blasted Platner.
“I’m sorry but ‘we are taking time to reflect on the best path forward’ is not an option on the table,” Miller wrote. “Either it’s false and you campaign with vigor or it’s true and you get out / apologize to everyone you let down.”
Journalist Ryan Grim, commenting on Platner’s video, noted that Platner “strongly suggests he is considering dropping out. Already Troy Jackson and Chellie Pingree, both gubernatorial candidates, are being kicked around in Maine circles as potential replacements.”
Several others, including Puck News’ Peter Hamby, predicted Platner will be dropping out.
Platner had postponed several campaign events before the Politico story was published.
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 6, 2026
President Donald Trump is facing backlash after posting a video of children — including showing their unblurred faces — graduating from kindergarten, with some of the girls purportedly wearing hijabs.
“President Trump posted a captionless video of graduating kindergarteners on Truth Social on Monday, goading his supporters into verbally attacking little children simply for being Muslim,” The New Republic reported. “The clip is from Gateway STEM Academy, a majority-Black K-8 public charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota. It shows about 21 children in caps and gowns on stage singing a song together. Most of the girls are wearing hijabs.”
The original post of the video which Trump reposted reads: “Public school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Every girl is in a hijab … in kindergarten.”
Trump did not add any comments. TNR called the post “Islamophobic, weird, and creepy,” while noting that the comments section of Trump’s post was filled with calls “by racist, xenophobic MAGA supporters” to “deport the children and ban hijabs.”
TNR also noted that it “should come as no surprise that Trump isn’t above attacking children who just learned how to read, but this post is still particularly discomforting—and will certainly contribute to the already potent level of anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. and in Minnesota.”
Critics blasted Trump.
“There is something deeply unsettling about the president of the United States—the most powerful person in the world—going after kindergarten schoolchildren in Minnesota because they wore hijabs, as Trump has done this morning on his website,” The Bulwark’s Sam Stein wrote.
One social media commentator wrote, “Trump posted an unblurred video of more than a dozen Muslim kindergartners to Truth Social, exposing the children’s faces while targeting them for their religion.”
Another added, “Trump is a bigot. The president took to Truth Social to attack kindergarteners in hijabs. These are little kids. The president isn’t just a bigot, he’s also a coward.”
The original video was posted to the X social media platform in June.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) at the time commented, “If you are in a public school in America, you should be speaking english.”
Image via Reuters
President Donald Trump’s apparent efforts to delay releasing the $5.8 million civil judgment to E. Jean Carroll are being met with a warning by the journalist’s legal team, who suggest there could be a legal maneuver for Trump to employ to forgo paying the judgment in either of the two cases he lost.
According to The Guardian, on July 4, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered Trump to release the $5.8 million judgment, which is in escrow, to Carroll by this coming Tuesday — or explain why he would not do so.
Carroll’s attorneys think Trump may be trying to buy time to mount another legal strategy, telling the judge that Trump’s request for an extension “appears to be little more than yet another play for time.”
“The case is separate from Trump’s appeal of a Manhattan civil jury’s 2024 award of $83.3m to Carroll for defamation,” The Guardian explains. “But her lawyers have suggested a legal scenario in which the president might seek to conjoin the cases and further delay payment of both.”
Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan (no relation to the judge) wrote, “We can only assume that defendant is seeking … to buy time so he can try to concoct some new basis to put off paying plaintiff presumably in connection with his forthcoming petition and motion for a rehearing.”
Trump’s former attorney, Justin Smith, in one of his final acts, wrote to the Supreme Court suggesting that his client would be appealing the $83.3 million civil judgment.
Smith argued that the Supreme Court “may wish to consider the petitions together,” given they involve the same parties.
The larger judgment case involves possible questions of presidential immunity, and that has Carroll’s attorneys concerned.
“A conjoined case, Carroll’s lawyers fear, could result in both judgments being wiped out,” The Guardian reports.
The president has also made clear he is no fan of Judge Kaplan, after the jurist made several rulings that “angered” Trump.
“What else can you expect from a Trump Hating, Clinton appointed judge, who went out of his way to make sure that the result was as negative as it could possible be,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in 2023, “speaking to, and in control of, a jury from an anti-Trump area which is probably the worst place in the US for me to get a fair ‘trial’.”
Image via Reuters
Platner Scorched Over ‘Taking Time’ Video After New Accusation
Trump Sparks Fury Online After Posting Unblurred Video of Muslim Kindergartners in Hijabs
One Legal Maneuver Threatens to Undo Everything E. Jean Carroll Won
Inside the Group Helping MAGA Voters Walk Away — And What Finally Pushed Them
