John Paulk

John Paulk (born 1963) is a former leader of Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference and was chairman of the board of Exodus International North America from 1995 to 2000. His claimed overcoming of homosexuality is the subject of his autobiography "Not Afraid to Change".

Biography

A former resident of Columbus, Ohio, area, Paulk attended Fort Hayes High School for the Performing Arts and The Ohio State University where he majored in music/voice. During the time he was in college, Paulk worked as a male escort and a drag queen. Paulk also worked as a scheduler for an escort service. During the late 1980s, Paulk managed Cocolat, a San Francisco patisserie owned by Alice Medrichcitation |url=http://www.mezzaluna.biz/chef.php |title=Mezzaluna - The Chef |accessdate=2007-11-29] .

Involvement with Focus on the Family

Following his conversion to Christianity, Paulk claimed to have overcome his homosexual desires through a combination of counseling, groups, prayer, and Bible reading and identified as a heterosexual. Paulk married a woman, Anne, who also identified as ex-gay. [Paulk, John, (Marko, Tony) "Not Afraid to Change: The Remarkable Story of How One Man Overcame Homosexuality" Winepress Publishing, ISBN 1-57921-097-X] [Paulk, John, (Paulk, Anne) "Love Won Out: How God's Love Helped 2 People Leave Homosexuality and Find Each Other" Focus on the Family Pub, ISBN 1561797839] Paulk co-wrote the book "Love Won Out" with Anne. They have three children.

Paulk became involved with Focus on the Family, where he was manager of the organization's Homosexuality and Gender DivisionArchives, The Washington Post, "Ads Renew Ex-gay Debate", by Alan Cooperman, 21 October 2002] . In August 1995, Paulk was elected Chairman of the board of Exodus International North America for a first three-year term. He was re-elected to a second three-year term in 1998. As an employee of Focus on the Family, Paulk toured the United States, speaking of his conversions in what was named Love Won Out conferences. Paulk and his wife became the faces promoting Exodus ministries in major daily newspaper full page ads. The couple appeared on the cover of "Newsweek" (August 1998) when the publication covered Exodus and the ex-gay movement.

Controversy

On September 19, 2000 while on a speaking tour, Paulk was spotted at Mr. P's, a Washington, D.C. gay bar. A patron recognized him and contacted Wayne Besen of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay political action organization. When Besen arrived at the bar forty minutes later and confronted Paulk, he denied that he was in fact John Paulk. Upon exiting the bar, Paulk's picture was taken as documentation that he had been in the bar. When confronted by Besen about the incident and the photographs, Paulk admitted being in the bar, but stated that he didn’t know it was a gay bar and had simply stopped in for a moment to use the restroom. However, eyewitnesses reported that Paulk stayed for more than an hour, flirted with other men, and when questioned about his sexuality, said he was gay.Besen, Wayne, "Anything But Straight" Harrington Park Press, ISBN 1-56023-445-8] [Southern Voice (newspaper), "Ex-gay Leader Confronted In Gay Bar", by Joel Lawson, 21 September 2000]

Paulk was called back to Focus on the Family headquarters and was questioned by James Dobson. At first Paulk reportedly evaded a direct answer about the incident; however he later confessed that he had been in the bar for the purpose of flirting. Paulk was placed on probation, and was chaperoned on future speaking engagements to ensure that he had "support" in the event that he needed it. Dobson also removed Paulk from the Board Chair position of Exodus International. He remained on the board under probationary status only and was not allowed to attend meetings or vote.Fact|date=December 2007

An Exodus press release soon followed: [As above, "Chairman Disciplined For Gay Bar Visit"]

In a September 2001 interview with the Charlotte World newspaper, Paulk stated: ["30 Minutes With John Paulk", interview with Warren Smith, September 2001, retrieved from http://www.worldnewspaperpublishing.com/news/FullStory.asp?loc=TTW&ID=919 on 17 December 2007]

The incident received national headlines in newspapers and news magazines. Paulk remained in his position as manager of the Homosexuality and Gender Department until choosing to leave that position in 2003. ["Rejecting Gay Feelings, Some Strive To Change" (Letter to the editor of the Columbus Dispatch), by Alan Chambers (President, Exodus International), June 23, 2006, retrieved from http://exodus.to/content/view/733/262/ on December 17, 2007]

John Paulk today

Paulk left Exodus International in 2003 and now lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and family. The couple started a catering business in 2005. [ [http://www.mezzaluna.biz/aboutus.php Mezzaluna - About Us ] ] He appears regularly in cooking segments on Portland television and also is a regular guest on Christian radio station KPDQ in a segment called "Food Talk with Chef John". [ [http://www.mezzaluna.biz/chef.php Mezzaluna - The Chef ] ]

ee also

*Ex-gay movement
*Focus on the Family

References

External links

* [http://www.anotherway.com/pages/john.html Another Way Out] John Paulk's autobiography
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2000_Nov_21/ai_67185639 After the Fall, "The Advocate" Online]
* [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/140/53.0.html "Christianity Today" Web Site]
* [http://www.family.org/welcome/press/a0025556.cfm "John Paulk Eyes New Ministry Opportunity"]
* [http://www.waynebesen.com/2006/02/john-paulk-cooking-up-more-than-lies.html Wayne Beson's site]