Gay Again? John Paulk
Open Letter from Exodus
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MORE • Original Paulk Ads • Wired Strategies on Gay Baiting Contradictions • More News, Notes, Tidbits & To Do List "If he wants to try and change, good luck. In my opinion, suppress what he is. Because we are born gay, we cannot change. We can pretend. As some private person, I probably wouldn't care. But he isn't. He uses his life to HARM other's." KINGPACO2 |
We are saddened to confirm media reports that our board chairman, John Paulk, visited a gay bar in Washington, DC, last Tuesday evening, where he was seen and photographed by several gay-rights activists.
Mr. Paulk was in Washington for a job-related business meeting. While walking in the DuPont Circle neighborhood, he entered a business establishment to use the restroom and immediately realized that it was a gay bar. Instead of leaving, Paulk used the bathroom and then sat down to engage another married man in conversation. He was confronted about 30 minutes later by gay activists who recognized him. As he attempted to leave the establishment, several photographs were taken.
"John's actions represent a serious lapse in sound judgment," said Bob Davies, North American executive director of Exodus International. "His decision to enter a gay establishment for any reason opens him up to all kinds of speculation and questions by both other Exodus leaders and also the gay community."
The Exodus board met by phone to verify details of Paulk's behavior. Paulk told the board that "curiosity" was the main motivation for him remaining in the bar. No inappropriate moral behavior was connected with the incident. "I have absolutely no desire to return to homosexuality," Paulk told the board, emphasizing that he has been free of homosexual involvement for over a decade and has remained sexually faithful to his wife since their wedding day.
The board determined that Paulk had violated no moral standards that would disquality him from his leadership role in Exodus, and took no action today on removing him from the board of directors.
"We are saddened over this situation," Bob Davies said. "We are grieved over the heartache and trauma that this is bringing to John and his family. We are thankful for his years of hard work and commitment to our organization, but we recognize that this incident, while unintentional, has dealt a severe blow to John's credibility as an Exodus spokesperson."
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