'Pray Away' Exclusive Clip: Tribeca Doc Shows The Trauma Inflicted By Conversion Therapy

Unfortunately, it’s only been fairly recently that the so-called conversion therapy has been largely dismissed by the general public. Before then (and even still today), thousands of young teens are sent to religious organizations to help them get rid of their “same-sex attractions.” As many say, the idea is to “pray the gay away.” That’s the issue that is shown in the emotional, hard-hitting doc, “Pray Away.”

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And in honor of “Pray Away” being selected to take part in this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, we’re thrilled to offer an exclusive clip from the documentary for our readers. The film tells the story of homosexuality and Christianity, as seen through the lens of conversion therapy. Following the touching stories of various men and women that attended these groups, the true horror of conversion therapy, and the damage done to the men and women that take part, is shown. The film is the directorial debut of Kristine Stolakis.

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“Pray Away” was recently selected to premiere as part of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, which was sadly canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s the synopsis:

In the 1970s, five men struggling with being gay in their Evangelical church started a bible study to help each other leave the “homosexual lifestyle.” They quickly received over 25,000 letters from people asking for help and formalized as Exodus International, the largest and most controversial conversion therapy organization in the world. But leaders struggled with a secret: their own “same-sex attractions” never went away. After years as Christian superstars in the religious right, many of these men and women have come out as LGBTQ, disavowing the very movement they helped start. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former leaders, current members and a survivor of conversion therapy, PRAY AWAY chronicles the “ex gay” movement’s rise to power, persistent influence, and the profound psychological harm it causes.

Click here for more coverage of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival.