National
‘Ex-gay’ leader criticizes pastor’s anti-gay remarks
Calif. minister calls ‘gay lifestyle’ unhealthy

Screen capture of Pastor Phillip Lee on Jamaican television show 'Religious Hardtalk,' discussing ex-gay ministries in 2009. (Screen capture of video uploaded to 'His Way Out' ministries Vimeo page)
Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International — an “ex-gay” ministries umbrella group — distanced himself from an opinion piece written by “ex-gay” pastor Phillip Lee of His Way Out Ministries in Bakersfield, Calif., that attacked the “gay lifestyle.”
The Bakersfield Californian published an editorial Sunday called “‘Gay lifestyle’ poses threat to people’s physical well-being” written by Lee saying, in part, “[t]here is, therefore, little to no evidence that homosexual practice can be anything other than a severe threat to the sanctity of life.”
“That said,” Lee wrote, “all efforts should and must continue to better understand and find a cure for AIDS and AIDS-related diseases. However, if the sexual behavior that is fundamental to most homosexual practice constitutes the primary means of transmitting such disease, then it only makes sense for society to do all it can to decrease such behavior, which ultimately protects the sanctity of life.”
Chambers responded to Lee’s commentary in an interview with the Washington Blade on Tuesday.
“Exodus is a large and diverse world-wide network,” Chambers said. “Like any church, or any political party, there are different groups or different individuals within any organization that have certain beliefs. I wouldn’t say that this is the majority of belief within Exodus, nor is it my opinion or the opinion of those that work with me here in Orlando.”
Jim Burroway, publisher of the Box Turtle Bulletin blog, which published a link to the op-ed on Monday, said this is not the normal rhetoric that is used by the Exodus parent organization.
“I don’t know what the beliefs are among Exodus’ top people,” Burroway told the Blade. “I do know that what was printed in that op-ed is very uncharacteristic of the kind of statements you would get from Exodus International.”
“As far as AIDS stigmatization is concerned, they have stayed away from that at the Exodus International level,” Burroway added. “Exodus supposedly says that they maintain certain standards that they expect their affiliates to follow. So I would question whether this op-ed conforms to these standards that they expect their affiliates to follow.”
Chambers claimed that he regularly urges Exodus supporters not to use the kind of language contained in Lee’s commentary.
“These are the types of things, when I go into the numerous churches that I go into all over the world every single year, I tell them ‘please don’t say things like this, anymore. This isn’t helpful,’ Chambers said. “This takes us back to a time of debate when that’s something that we need to move far beyond.
“I have sent him my thoughts via email. Its a hard thing when someone that you’re friends with, and you’re close to shares something publicly that you have to disagree with. But I had to do it. Its one of those things that I felt like was necessary for us to respond to.”
Chambers said that he made his feelings clear to Lee about the editorial in his email on Tuesday.
“Basically, this is not something that I agree with. This is not something that I would say. Not something that I feel like is helpful for us as we try to have conversations about very complex issues.”
Chambers, however, did not entirely rebuke the premise of Lee’s piece that same-sex sexual relationships are fundamentally detrimental to the health of gay men, as the editorial hypothesizes.
“The fact of the matter is I travel quite a bit,” Chambers said. “I go through hundreds of X-ray machines in the airports every year. That’s detrimental to my health. There’s so many things out there that are detrimental to our health, and I think picking on one issue over another, or one set of people over another… we’ve moved past that, hopefully in our culture, and I’d like to see us move further than we have.”
“Chambers is trying to soft-pedal his bigotry in order to be able to falsely claim that he’s not anti-gay,” Director of Communications and Development for ex-gay watchdog group ‘Truth Wins Out,’ John M. Becker told the Blade. “He’s willing to do anything to save Exodus and repair its terribly damaged public image, because his organization is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.”
Arizona
Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead
Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime
Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.
Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N Bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.
The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.
Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.
Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.
“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”
According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.
Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.
“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”
“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”
Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.
The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.
“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”
A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.
Congress
HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH
Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.
Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.
We’re hitting the pavement across New Hampshire to fight for a freer, fairer future for everyone.
Glad to have Human Rights Campaign President @KelleyJRobinson join us for a canvass launch in Manchester today. pic.twitter.com/XWCEaQxy4o
— Chris Pappas (@ChrisPappasNH) August 30, 2026
Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.
Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.
A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.
The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.
Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.
National
Milo Yiannopoulos deported to UK
ICE arrested far-right provocateur in New Orleans on Thursday
Editor’s note: The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday said Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported to the U.K.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.
A DHS spokesperson in a statement sent to the Washington Blade said ICE arrested Yiannopoulos, who they described as “an illegal alien from the United Kingdom,” at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
The DHS spokesperson said Yiannopoulos “legally entered the country” in New York on May 14, 2019.
“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” said the spokesperson.
The DHS spokesperson said an immigration judge on July 22 “issued a final order of removal” for Yiannopoulos “after failing to show up for his immigration hearing.” The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans on Friday reported Yiannopoulos is being held at an ICE detention center in Alexandria, La., which is about 200 miles northwest of the Crescent City.
“He will remain in ICE custody pending removal,” said the DHS spokesperson.
Yiannopoulos has, among other things, repeatedly targeted transgender people and Muslims.
The American Conservative Union, which organizes the annual Conversative Political Action Conference, in 2017 disinvited Yiannopoulos from speaking at that year’s CPAC after a video in which he appeared to condone sex between adults and underage boys emerged. Yiannopoulos subsequently resigned from Breitbart News, a far-right news website, where he had been a senior editor.
Yiannopoulos later that year married his boyfriend in Hawaii. The far-right provocateur in 2021 claimed he was an “ex-gay.”
The Australian government in 2019 banned Yiannopoulos from entering the country “on character grounds.” Yiannopoulos was also banned from Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms.

The Times-Picayune reported Yiannopoulos “most recently worked for” Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday.
Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close to President Donald Trump, has called for Yiannopoulos’s deportation. Loomer on Friday wrote on X that she “reported him to ICE and the FBI” after he “called for me to be assassinated.”
-
California4 days agoSan Francisco, long a queer safe haven, remains competitive for homebuyers
-
Netherlands4 days agoTrans, nonbinary Americans find refuge in the Netherlands
-
Calendar4 days agoCalendar: August 28-September 3
-
Movies4 days ago‘Teenage Sex and Death’ has never been more entertaining
