Can Gay Officials Respect the Rights of Heterosexuals?

by David Elliott

While I was staffing the PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays) exhibit booth at the Arlington County (Virginia) fair last month, Jay Fisette, a self-identified gay man on the Arlington County Board and my elected official, walked by our booth.

Two years ago at this fair, I was hit and shoved by a gay man because he was angry at our message of tolerance for the ex-gay community.  He was also upset with my story of hope and change from a homosexual identity.  The man lost his self-control and hit me as he was leaving the booth.  The police stopped and questioned this man, but I chose not to press assault charges against him in order to show mercy.

When PFOX reported this incident on our website, some gay activists went so far as to claim the assault had never occurred.  Jay Fisette had the audacity to falsely claim that the incident never happened. 

So when I saw Mr. Fisette at the fair this year, I felt like I finally had the opportunity to speak up and say that the assault had actually occurred, no matter how much he may dislike ex-gays like me.

Mr. Fisette walked by our PFOX exhibit booth and paused to look at us.  So I asked him, “Are you Jay Fisette?” and he nodded yes.  I said, “I wanted to let you know that I was hit when I was working at this booth in a previous year.”  I pointed to the location where it happened.  Fisette replied, “What happened to you wasn’t good, but neither is your message.”  So I responded, “Everyone has their own opinion.”  Briskly, he replied, “No.” 

He then looked at us and inquired, “Are you guys ex-gays?”  Both myself and the other PFOX volunteer affirmed that yes, we are ex-gays.  Mr. Fisette shook his head and hurriedly walked away. 

The question I have now is:  when Jay Fisette, the elected county official, said “No,” did he mean that I do not have a right to my own opinion of not accepting the ‘gay’ label for myself or did he mean that he did not want to dialogue any further on the ex-gay issue?     

Gay groups exhibit at this fair too.  Does that mean that Mr. Fisette also believes that gay groups don’t have a right to their own opinion?  Or is the right of self-determination permitted only to gays like him? 

While I cannot see the thoughts and heart of this man, I truly wonder.  Jay Fisette is an elected official in Arlington, Virginia and I would hope that elected officials are tolerant toward others’ valid opinions, regardless of their sexual orientation.

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PFOX note:  The Superior Court for the District of Columbia recently ruled that ex-gays are a protected class eligible for sexual orientation non-discrimination protection.  As a neighboring jurisdiction, Arlington County also has a sexual orientation law.  Does Jay Fisette agree that his county’s sexual orientation law also protects ex-gays?