What We Do

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) is a national non-profit organization committed to helping ex-gays and parents and friends of gays who want help, hope and community.

PFOX exists to educate, support, and advocate for individuals and parents on the issue of same-sex attraction, and increase others’ understanding and acceptance of the ex-gay community.

We believe that every person seeking positive life change needs and deserves the love and support of family, friends, the community, and the church. That’s why we offer a place for help, a place for truth, and a place for the ex-gay to participate in the conversation about same-sex attraction.

Founded in May 1998, PFOX was created specifically to be an alternative to the misinformed gay family groups which insist that parents can only prove their love for their gay child if they support gay rights and affirm their child’s self-proclaimed gay identity.  PFOX teaches parents that it’s ok to love their children without placing any conditions on that love.

We understand that journalists are often on deadline and are limited by article lengths. For this reason, we would like to provide a comprehensive description of PFOX. Please refer to the following description to concisely describe who we are:

“Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) is a national non-profit organization committed to helping ex-gays and parents and friends of gays who want help, hope and community.”

How should PFOX be described? 
Founded in 1998, PFOX provides a voice for ex-gays and help for families of children with same-sex attraction. PFOX has a proud history of educating society about sexual orientation and eliminating negative perceptions of ex-gays and those trying to overcome same-sex attraction.

What does PFOX do? 
PFOX exists to educate, support, and advocate for individuals and parents on the issue of same-sex attraction, and increase public understanding and acceptance of the ex-gay community.
PFOX strives to end discrimination against ex-gays – the thousands of real people who have made a decision to change their lives – while simultaneously offering help and support to the parents and friends of loved ones dealing with same-sex attraction.

 

Through public awareness campaigns, PFOX has a long and proud history of educating society on the facts about sexual orientation in order to eliminate negative perceptions and discrimination against ex-gays and those trying to overcome same-sex attraction. The thousands of real people who have made a decision to change their lives benefit from their parents, friends and loved ones being equipped with the truth about their struggle.

 
 

  • PFOX educates families, students, and the public about same-sex attraction, debunking many common misconceptions. PFOX provides the necessary resources to educate society on the facts about sexual preference and the health risks involved. Our educational outreach consists in distributing flyers and brochures in schools, and donating ex-gay books to libraries and educational institutions. We also send ex-gay speakers to churches and schools to share their experiences and answer questions.

    From 2005-2011, a representative of PFOX served on the Citizens Advisory Committee on Family Life and Human Development of the Montgomery County, Maryland Board of Education. As a member of the Committee, PFOX reviewed and made the recommendations regarding the student health and sex education curriculum for the 17th largest school system in the United States.

    Watch Watch Montgomery County superintendent publicly discriminate against PFOX and ex-gays:

  • PFOX provides invaluable support to families of children with same-sex attraction. Our resources encompass the needs of both parents and children. We show families how to love their homosexual child unconditionally and how to be a positive presence in their child’s life. We also help children who are struggling to overcome same-sex attraction.Our key resources include:

    Providing referrals to those struggling with same-sex attractions

    Distributing informative brochures about same-sex attractions

    Publishing a regular family newsletter

    Conducting exhibits at national conferences

    Participating in seminars

    Coordinating parent support groups across the country

    PFOX also provides a support system for ex-gays. This network offers a loving environment where ex-gays can share their struggles and freely express themselves

  • PFOX believes that ex-gays and their families and friends should be free to be open, safe and respected in a diverse society. Therefore we support an inclusive environment for the ex-gay community and strive to eliminate negative perceptions and discrimination against former homosexuals.

    To secure the fair and equitable treatment of ex-gays in society, PFOX engages in the following crucial legal efforts:

    Filing sexual orientation discrimination complaints on behalf of the ex-gay community

    Opposing anti-ex-gay legislation

    Submitting friend-of-the-court briefs with the Supreme Court on ex-gay discrimination

    Advocating shareholder resolutions with Fortune 500 public corporations to prohibit corporate discrimination based on ex-gay status

    Drafting comments to the State Department to be considered for the Universal Periodic Review of human rights concerning the status of former homosexuals in the United States.

    PFOX has several litigation wins on behalf of the ex-gay community. In 2008, PFOX filed a lawsuit under the Human Rights Act of the District of Columbia in a precedent setting case, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia ruled that ex-gays are a protected class of citizens that must be recognized under sexual orientation non-discrimination laws.

    PFOX has also won lawsuits to secure the right to distribute ex-gay information to public high schools just as gay groups have freely distributed information to students for over a decade. Securing this equal access enables concerned citizens to counter the propaganda being pushed on our youth that change is not possible.