The
news today about Ted Haggard got us thinking: Is it really possible to change from gay to straight? Many people scoff at the idea, but before you dismiss it, here is what one person who says she went through just such a transformation told us earlier today:
"When I lived homosexually, I was homosexually identified, my attractions, my feelings, thoughts, my behaviors, all centered around a homosexual identity, and I can say that all of those things are radically changed now, where I'm a heterosexually identified women," said Melissa Fryrear. "I'm attracted to men. I even look different. I think different, feel different."
Melissa is a Christian who works for the conservative group Focus on the Family.
"I realized as early as age 11, 12, 13 that I was struggling with my sexual and gender identity," she told us. She lived as a lesbian until she was 26 years old and found God. She grew disillusioned with her homosexual life and wanted to change.
"That was a decision that I wanted to make in my own life," Melissa said. "This was a process of many years, several years for me of going to counseling, professional counseling, connecting with Christian ministries that could help, talking with other men and women who had been on a similar journey, and was able to work through the issues in my own life that contributed to homosexuality."
This is the first person I have spoken with who considers him or herself "Ex-Gay." We'll have more about the this on the show tonight, but I am curious to hear your take. Is it possible for someone to change their sexual orientation? Has anyone you know tried to change from gay to straight?