• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Disturbing Allegations Surface as ‘Ex-Gay’ Conversion Therapy Trial Begins in New Jersey: VIDEO

June 4, 2015 by Michael Fitzgerald

A trial in which four men are suing gay conversion therapists Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing has opened in Jersey City, New Jersey

Proxy
(Image via Twitter)

A trial in which four men are suing gay conversion therapists Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH) has opened in Jersey City, New Jersey, reports ABC.

JONAH “is a non-profit international organization dedicated to educating the world-wide Jewish community about the social, cultural and emotional factors which lead to same-sex attractions.”

JONAH

The plaintiffs alleged treatment included being told to spend more time naked with their fathers and participating in homophobic role-play scenarios.

Benjamin Unger, one of the four plaintiffs suing the nonprofit under consumer fraud laws, yesterday described an exercise in which he was encouraged to beat a pillow, meant to symbolize his mother.

Representing JONAH, Attorney Charles LiMandri said none of the four men asked for their money back at the time:

“All four of these men left JONAH on good terms…the plaintiffs became aggressors after they left JONAH to destroy JONAH.”

LiMandri also displayed positive emails Unger had sent at the time of the therapy, aiming to show jurors that Unger had discontinued treatment after 10 months. JONAH recommends that “conversion” can take anywhere from two to four years.

Plaintiffs’ attorney David Dinielli said his clients were grappling with their sexuality in a culture in which “there were no gay people:

“My clients needed help but JONAH lied and JONAH made it worse. All they got was junk science and so-called cures.”

The trial is scheduled to resume next Monday.

Watch a VICE exclusive report on “ex-gay” organization Journey into Manhood, AFTER THE JUMP…

Filed Under: Religion Tagged With: "Ex-Gays", Conversion Therapy, Ex-Gay, Health, Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, JONAH, lawsuit, LGBT Stories, New Jersey, Religion

Recent Posts

  • ‘A Conway Marriage Story’ Features Kate McKinnon’s Kellyanne and Beck Bennett’s George in an SNL Parody of the Netflix Film: WATCH

    ‘A Conway Marriage Story’ Features Kate McKinnon’s Kellyanne and Beck Bennett’s George in an SNL Parody of the Netflix Film: WATCH

    17 hours ago
  • Kate McKinnon’s Greta Thunberg Warns America That Political Debates are the Least of its Worries in SNL’s Cold Open: WATCH

    Kate McKinnon’s Greta Thunberg Warns America That Political Debates are the Least of its Worries in SNL’s Cold Open: WATCH

    18 hours ago
  • Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr

    Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr

    2 days ago
  • Hallmark Pulls Gay Wedding Ad After Pressure from ‘One Million Moms’

    Hallmark Pulls Gay Wedding Ad After Pressure from ‘One Million Moms’

    2 days ago
Previous Post: « Snoop Dogg Thinks the Media Should Stop Focusing on ‘Science Project’ Caitlyn Jenner
Next Post: The OXD Mirror: Returning to Cafe Del Mar with Dreamy Summer Songs »

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Ptown Hacks 2019

download ptown Hacks

Recent Posts

  • ‘A Conway Marriage Story’ Features Kate McKinnon’s Kellyanne and Beck Bennett’s George in an SNL Parody of the Netflix Film: WATCH

    ‘A Conway Marriage Story’ Features Kate McKinnon’s Kellyanne and Beck Bennett’s George in an SNL Parody of the Netflix Film: WATCH

    17 hours ago
  • Kate McKinnon’s Greta Thunberg Warns America That Political Debates are the Least of its Worries in SNL’s Cold Open: WATCH

    Kate McKinnon’s Greta Thunberg Warns America That Political Debates are the Least of its Worries in SNL’s Cold Open: WATCH

    18 hours ago
  • Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr

    Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr

    2 days ago
  • Hallmark Pulls Gay Wedding Ad After Pressure from ‘One Million Moms’

    Hallmark Pulls Gay Wedding Ad After Pressure from ‘One Million Moms’

    2 days ago
  • Pete Buttigieg Bothered to Be in Trump’s Dreams: ‘I Want Absolutely Nothing to Do With Them’ — WATCH

    Pete Buttigieg Bothered to Be in Trump’s Dreams: ‘I Want Absolutely Nothing to Do With Them’ — WATCH

    2 days ago
  • Impeachment Vote, Dua Lipa, Human Rainbow, Annette Bening, Danny Aiello, Baseball, Elizabeth Warren: HOT LINKS

    Impeachment Vote, Dua Lipa, Human Rainbow, Annette Bening, Danny Aiello, Baseball, Elizabeth Warren: HOT LINKS

    3 days ago
  • Fishermen Save Bald Eagle Caught in the Grip of a Giant Octopus: WATCH

    Fishermen Save Bald Eagle Caught in the Grip of a Giant Octopus: WATCH

    3 days ago
  • Gabon Bans Gay Sex, Penalizes it with 6 Month Prison Term

    Gabon Bans Gay Sex, Penalizes it with 6 Month Prison Term

    3 days ago
  • Ridiculous Michael Bloomberg Campaign Dance Goes Viral: WATCH

    Ridiculous Michael Bloomberg Campaign Dance Goes Viral: WATCH

    3 days ago
  • New Argentine President’s Drag Queen Son Rocked a Rainbow Flag Pocket Square at the Inauguration This Week: WATCH

    New Argentine President’s Drag Queen Son Rocked a Rainbow Flag Pocket Square at the Inauguration This Week: WATCH

    3 days ago
  • Mitch McConnell to Hannity: ‘We All Know How it’s Going to End … No Chance the President’s Gonna Be Removed from Office’ — WATCH

    Mitch McConnell to Hannity: ‘We All Know How it’s Going to End … No Chance the President’s Gonna Be Removed from Office’ — WATCH

    3 days ago
  • House to Approve Articles of Impeachment Against Donald J. Trump: WATCH LIVE

    House to Approve Articles of Impeachment Against Donald J. Trump: WATCH LIVE

    3 days ago
  • Larry Kramer, Trans Model Search, Eric Holder, Lachlan Murdoch, ‘In The Heights’ Movie, Pete Buttigieg, Vassar: HOT LINKS

    Larry Kramer, Trans Model Search, Eric Holder, Lachlan Murdoch, ‘In The Heights’ Movie, Pete Buttigieg, Vassar: HOT LINKS

    3 days ago
  • GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz Called Out for DUI After Ripping Hunter Biden for Substance Abuse in Impeachment Hearing: WATCH

    GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz Called Out for DUI After Ripping Hunter Biden for Substance Abuse in Impeachment Hearing: WATCH

    4 days ago
  • Trump Supporters Warn of Civil War, Violence if He is Removed from Office: WATCH

    Trump Supporters Warn of Civil War, Violence if He is Removed from Office: WATCH

    4 days ago

Ptown Hacks 2019. Download Now!

Follow @PtownHacks on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and sign up for the Ptown Hacks email list.

Most Commented

Footer

Read

  • Politics
  • Travel
  • Film
  • Theatre
  • Television
  • Science
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2019 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in