House Speaker Mike Johnson's Ties to an Anti-Gay Conversion Therapy Group Prior to Political Career
Before entering politics, House Speaker Mike Johnson cooperated with an organization in the mid-to-late 2000s that advocated for 'conversion therapy,' a widely discredited approach claiming to alter the sexual orientation of LGBTQ+ individuals
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson actively worked with a group in the mid-to-late 2000s that advocated for "conversion therapy," a discredited method that claimed it could alter the sexual orientation of homosexual individuals. Before entering politics, Johnson, who is a lawyer, provided legal counsel to an organization called Exodus International. Moreover, he collaborated with this group to organize an annual event targeting teenagers with anti-gay sentiments, as revealed by a review of over a dozen media appearances by Johnson conducted by CNN KFile.
Established in 1976, Exodus International emerged as a prominent advocate of the "ex-gay" movement, striving to change the sexual orientation of gay individuals through conversion therapy programs incorporating religious and counseling techniques. This organization facilitated the global collaboration of ministries implementing these contentious methods.
In 2013, Exodus International ceased its operations, prompted by its founder's public expression of remorse for the emotional distress inflicted by the organization. Conversion therapy, heavily criticized by authoritative medical institutions, has been proven detrimental to the well-being of LGBTQ individuals.
Johnson was employed as a lawyer at the socially conservative legal advocacy organization, Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), during that period. From 2006 to 2010, he and his group partnered with Exodus.
Throughout this time, Johnson and Exodus dedicated their efforts to a collaborative project initiated by ADF in 2005 called the "Day of Truth." This event served as a counterprotest to the "Day of Silence," an annual school observance during which students chose to remain silent, shedding light on the bullying experienced by LGBTQ youth.
Rep. Mike Johnson casts his vote as the House of Representatives holds an election for a new Speaker of the House at the US Capitol on October 25, 2023 in Washington, DC.
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The Day of Truth aimed to challenge this silence by disseminating information regarding what Johnson referred to as the "perilous" gay way of life.
"In essence, our ethnicity, foot size, and eye color are inherent traits that are unalterable from birth," Johnson conveyed to a radio host in 2008 while promoting the event. "However, what these adult advocacy organizations, such as the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, are endorsing is a specific conduct. Homosexual behavior is an action, not an inherent characteristic."
Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, often denigrated homosexuality in various forms of media including print, radio, and television, as per the findings of a review conducted by KFiles. He actively promoted the idea of making gay sex a criminal offense and even went as far as partially attributing the decline of the Roman Empire to it.
In a conversation with a radio host back in 2008, Johnson expressed his belief, stating, "The decline of Rome can be attributed not just to the societal deprivation and moral decay, but also to the widespread acceptance of homosexual conduct within the society."
Johnsons office did not respond to a CNN request for comment asking about his work with Exodus.
A close collaboration
In 2006, Exodus International collaborated with ADF for the Day of Truth event. Together, they created promotional material, including a dedicated website, which directed users to Exodus conversion ministries. The website contained documents referencing controversial academic work that supported conversion therapy, which has since been discredited. Within its blogs, Exodus Youth, the youth wing of the group, actively promoted the event. The standalone Day of Truth website hosted videos featuring two Exodus staffers discussing the idea that teenagers did not need to "accept" or "embrace" their homosexuality. The videos also included testimonials from individuals who identified as "former-homosexual" and "former lesbian."
Online archiving of documents on the website was not carried out; however, anti-conversion therapy organizations like Truth Wins Out took the initiative to save them in 2007 and 2008. Among the website's content was a FAQ section on homosexuality provided by Exodus, along with the sale of t-shirts bearing the slogan, "the Truth cannot be silenced."
One of the videos showcased Johnson, who was later quoted in a press release on Exodus International's website before the event, expressing, "Engaging in an open and honest discussion enables the truth to emerge."
Johnson extensively promoted the event in various media outlets, including radio interviews, newspaper comments, and an editorial. During these interviews, he frequently referred to a specific case involving a teenager who wore a shirt with derogatory messages about homosexuality to school after the Day of Silence. The teenager was suspended, and the incident led to legal action represented by ADF. However, the case was eventually dismissed as the student had graduated, and the court ruled that he no longer had the right to challenge the dress code. In 2008, Johnson expressed to a radio host that the establishment of the "Day of Truth" aimed to counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda in public schools.
According to individuals involved in opposing ADF and Exodus during that period, the event was deemed perilous for young people who were already struggling to understand their identity.
Wayne Besen, the executive director of Truth Wins Out and a renowned authority on the ex-gay industry, stated to CNN that this event had a direct negative impact on LGBTQ youth. He described the prominent figure behind the event as someone who actively promoted anti-gay and ex-gay beliefs, rather than trying to appease anti-gay supporters - he embraced and vigorously advocated these perspectives.
Randy Scobey, a former executive vice president at Exodus, expressed deep remorse for his involvement in the Day of Truth, which was a collaborative effort between his organization and ADF. He now openly identifies as a gay man, and acknowledges that the event amounted to bullying those seeking to be free of such harassment. Scobey highlighted this as one of the ways in which the Alliance Defense Fund collaborated with Exodus.
Exodus International had enduring connections with ADF, now known as the Alliance Defending Freedom, even beyond the event. In 2004, ADF featured Exodus International prominently in its promotional brochures, acknowledging it as an influential organization that had aided numerous individuals in their journey away from homosexuality.
Scobey remembered Johnson as quiet yet unwavering in his conviction that homosexuality was morally incorrect. He emphasized that Johnson and ADF played a vital role in supporting Exodus and its "member ministries."
"We frequently collaborated with them discreetly," Scobey informed CNN, highlighting how the organization provided essential legal counsel for their ex-gay counseling efforts. "They played a significant role in ensuring our legal and political protection."
Exodus International stopped sponsoring the Day of Truth event in 2010, saying it became adversarial and counterproductive.
CNNs Em Steck contributed to this report.
