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Pray Away Goes Deep Into the 'Ex-Gay' Movement That Began in the '70s

Pray Away Goes Deep Into the 'Ex-Gay' Movement That Began in the '70s

Pray Away
Netflix

The trailer for the Netflix documentary about Exodus International is out now. 

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The new Netflix documentary Pray Away examines the Exodus "ex-gay" movement that was founded in the '70s by five men in the evangelical church who sought to pray the gay away.

Once word got out about the group that was seeking to exit the "homosexual lifestyle," the men received more than 25,000 letters from folks hoping to do the same, and it spurred the formation of Exodus International, the largest and most controversial conversion therapy organization in the world, according to the film's synopsis.

The synopsis for the film from executive producers Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum reads:

"But leaders struggled with a secret: their own 'same-sex attractions' never went away. After years as Christian superstars in the religious right, many of these men and women have come out as LGBTQ, disavowing the very movement they helped start. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former conversion therapy leaders, current members, and a survivor, Pray Away chronicles the 'ex gay' movement's rise to power, persistent influence, and the profound harm it causes."

Pray Away is directed by Kristine Stolakis and drops on Netflix August 3.

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Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.
Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.