Update on The ManKind Project

By Joe Perez

I've received great news. As I've previously noted, the ManKind Project Executive Committee has been discussing and working through issues related to the use of "reparative therapy" (techniques to attempt to change a person's sexual orientation) on some MKP trainings. The leadership has responded with an extraordinary reaffirmation of its commitment to including men of all sexual orientations and beliefs under the umbrella of this "order of men called to reclaim to the sacred masculine in our time."

I expect to have more to add about this development in time, but for now I want to post the announcement from the MKP leadership as soon as possible. Here's the statement delivered to men within the organization by email:

Men,

It’s been almost a year since I wrote to the Project about the challenges presented to our organization by reparative therapy. For those who are new to this discussion, reparative or conversion therapy holds that men can be cured of unwanted same sex attraction (USSA), and that homosexuality is, at best, an immature or misguided form of human sexuality, and, at worst, an abomination.

Since my last letter it has become increasingly clear that some of the USSA men who staff our trainings, particularly in our Los Angeles Center, have challenged our leaders and disrupted our trainings in ways which have been divisive and in conflict with our organizational values.

At the week-long Executive Committee meeting in October we invited Robert Powell, a gay certified NWTA leader, to speak to us about his perception of the impact of USSA men. We also met with Rich Wyler, a Warrior brother and a founder of Journey into Manhood, a reparative therapy training. Based on those discussions the ExCom authorized me to write to those reparative therapists and organizations which refer men to MKP, making it clear that we do not do reparative therapy and that we will not tolerate use of our trainings for any other organization’s agenda. We are also asking them to remove from their websites any references and links to our organization and trainings.

Based on many conversations over the past year with many men throughout the Project, the Executive Committee has taken the following stance:

We affirm that all men are welcome on our trainings and in our communities.

We create trainings and circles in which all men are welcome to discover their deepest truths. We welcome and support men of all sexual orientations, gay, straight, and bisexual, including those who identify as having unwanted same sex attraction, to do their own work as they define it, to respect the identity and value of others, and to take responsibility for the impact their words and behaviors have on others.

We are aware of the critical view of reparative therapy held by most medical and mental health organizations in the United States, and have deep concerns about the efficacy and safety of these methods.

We support each man in pursuing his path to deeper authenticity, but we do not provide therapy, and certainly not reparative therapy. We do not, and will not, attempt to change a man’s sexual orientation.

We stand firm in support of gay and bisexual men – we believe that homosexuality is a normal part of the spectrum of human sexuality and of mature masculinity.

We will not tolerate proselytizing for any religion or belief, organizing training staff into groups which exclude others, guiding men’s processes in a predetermined direction, or grooming men for the training (for example, by reminding them to bring food or to be on time.)

We will not tolerate prejudice on our trainings or in our communities and we support our training and community leaders in identifying and challenging language and behavior which is discriminatory.

The statement is also available on an official MKP website here. In light of the thoroughness and comprehensiveness of this statement and its plain language, I have no reason to hesitate in recommending the ManKind Project's New Warrior Training Adventure and other sponsored programs. More later...

Comments

[Phillip]

August 2007

Until Mankind Project can take a firm stand and make entirely clear, in all media, that they are not conducting, providing or supporting repartative therapy in any of their groups in any part of the world I personally can not support the work of this group. I will raise my voice in whatever way I might in order to have people making choice from a place of information and safety.

I personally find the thought of Reparative Therapy repugnant and to erase same sex attraction from any ones experience is unfathomable to my mind, my heart and my soul.

My experience of the Mankind Project and The New Warrior Training is not very positive.

First,
Both Chicago and Detroit contacts by phone could not assure me that it would be safe for an out gay man to attend, that gays would not be ridiculed or treated as if they were damaged or somehow wrong for being gay, that an out gay would not be bashed in any way for being gay.

Second,
There is a great deal of information on the internet about the connection between the Mankind Project and reparative therapists as members and trainers in the New Warrior Weekends, the core work of the Mankind Project.

This is an example of one site as viewed today, the site is People Can Change

Bruce R. Gold

Bruce Gold has trained in modalities including Gestalt Therapy, Shadow Work, Imago Therapy, Co-Dependency, Touch Therapy and Voice Dialogue. He offers reparative therapy on an individual basis for men dealing with unwanted SSA issues. Bruce is a Certified Co-Leader in the New Warrior Training Adventure, an intense, transformative men's initiation that invites men to forge a deep conscious connection between head and heart, and that supports men in developing lives of integrity, accountability, and connection to feeling. He has 20 years experience in 12-step recovery work. Bruce can be reached at

From: People Can Change

Paul McNulty, LCSW

Paul McNulty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been in private practice since 1989. He received his master's degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Social Work. Paul specializes in therapy with men in the areas of relationships, sexuality, same sex attraction, and various addictions. He is passionate about men's work and is a member of the New Warrior Training community. Paul is also a professional member of Exodus International, NARTH, and American Association of Christian Counselors. Paul's private practice is located in the Greater Chicago land area.

From: People Can Change

Rich Wyler
Rich is a life coach with extensive real-world experience in helping men overcome same-sex attraction and pornography addictions, starting with his own healing journey in the 1990s. In 2000, he founded People Can Change and then, in 2002, its powerful "Journey Into Manhood" experiential-healing weekend – a life-changing program that has helped hundreds of men decrease unwanted homosexual attractions and behaviors. Building on his skills and experience in facilitating dramatic personal breakthroughs – and after years of mentoring men in their individual journeys out of SSA and sexual addictions – Rich established Higher Path Life Coaching and began coaching professionally in 2005. Rich has years of experience in 12-Step recovery work and with the ManKind Project (www.mkp.org). He is a member of the International Coach Federation and adheres to its code of ethics. He holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Brigham Young University.
From: People Can Change

I apologize if this email offends anyone, however, I feel I have to take a stand and say what is true for me.
Please make your own choices.

Joy - Love - Peace
Phillip

[joe perez]

thanks for posting the info, phillip. i appreciate your perspective. i have nothing else to add at this time.

- joe

[joe perez]

let me add one note of clarification. i am the author of the original post, not another party (the typepad software displays a different "by line" as the author). in the past, i have recommended mkp as a training for gay and bi men. i no longer have a position on mkp, and refrain from any endorsements or lack thereof.

peace, joe

[Phillip]

Jo
Thank You and I appreciate you for making it clear that you: "no longer have a position on mkp, and refrain from any endorsements or lack thereof"

Phillip

[B. Crittenden Freeman]

Hi guys,

I've been in our same-sex community for 3 years now. Previously I was married (and NEVER on the "down-low").

I decided to check out where I wanted to "be" with my sexuality. I attended the weekend workshop by the "People Can Change" organization, which is called Journey Into Manhood and it's follow-up 14 week support group. This work and my own soul searching helped me to make my decision to step into and "Bear" sub-culture of our same-sex culture, in Sep '05.

As far as the ManKind Project is concerned, and whether it is "safe" for gays and whether one is going to be "ridiculed" for being gay, no. There are men who are at all levels in the organization who are Gay:
Chapter Presidents, Weekend Leaders, Weekend Staffers, etc. It is a Gay Friendly organization.

Now, as to the men who struggle with Same-sex addiction? That is their struggle. It is NOT ours. That is the struggle for men who may desire to live lives as heterosexual within the context of a heterosexual marriage with children born heterosexually. And if that is a man's dream and his struggle and if there is a methodology that helps him to achieve it (i.e. the weekend workshop offered by the People Can Change organization), than I consider that to be a good thing. The PCC are NOT Gay-Bashers, MKP are not Gay-Bashers.

Yes, their have been challenges along the way. For example, Gay men coming to a weekend retreat hoping to "get lucky" or preying on other men. Or others who have may have some sort of prejudice towards Gays.

However, that is NOT indicative of the weekend retreat and in fact Gay men have been honored and appreciated for being who we/they are and for the talents, goals they bring to the organization and the world.

Having been in the organization from 1993 to 2006, and from the changes that I have, I bring a unique perspective and experience that very few do.

I hope this helps.