Stephen Fry debates ex-gay therapist in new documentary, Out There

In Stephen Fry’s Out There, a two-part documentary on BBC Two, the English entertainer and out comedian decided to travel around the world to look at how different cultures view homosexuality. Invariably, this meant having to humour a lot of people who could look him in the face and rave on about how gays are sinful. Awkward to say the least.

In the above clip, you can see just how deftly Fry was able to debate Dr Joseph Nicolosi, an ex-gay therapist and founder of NARTH (The National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality. Anyone else feel like the title is just slightly misleading?).

For his part, Fry is nothing short of congenial during the whole thing, while still pointing out some of the more glaring holes in Nicolosi’s argument. He even interviews a man who was reportedly a former client of Nicolosi’s who — SURPRISE! — is still very much gay.

The entire thing is worth a watch, especially for Nicolosi’s explanation of his method, which seems to involve profiting off a person’s shame, insecurity and fear, which is a remarkably terrible thing to do. I’m just saying, if your job involves taking advantage of a kid’s perceived lack of self-worth, maybe you entered the wrong field.

Keep Reading

Sun

Rosalía’s ‘Lux’ tour taught me things I didn’t even know I could know

After years of pining, I finally went to the Catalan superstar’s concert. I wasn’t ready for what it did to me
The protagonists of Blood Lines embracing

The big twist in ‘Blood Lines’ is more than shocking

Gail Maurice’s queer Métis romance takes a massive risk—letting it dig deep into the pain and loss perpetuated by colonial structures
A still from Girls Like Girls

‘Girls Like Girls’ once meant everything to me. I’ve outgrown it

Hayley Kiyoko’s new movie tries to recapture the magic of the mid-2010s music video it’s based on. But time has dulled its revolutionary edge
John Early in Maddie's Secret holding two jars above an open box

‘Maddie’s Secret’ is the movie about eating disorders we need

John Early’s pastiche of after-school specials mixes belly laughs with gut punches. It’s a rare masterwork
Advertisement