Exodus Parody
What's at Stake
After Justin Watt posted this parody of an Exodus International billboard for 鈥渞eparative therapy鈥 on his Web site, he received a cease-and-desist letter from an anti-gay legal organization.
Summary
When Justin Watt, a blogger from Santa Rosa, California, saw a photo of a billboard advertisement for so-called 鈥渞eparative therapy鈥 from 鈥渆x-gay鈥 ministry Exodus International, he was offended and insulted. The billboard read, 鈥淕ay? Unhappy? 鈥 Watt made a statement about his views on Exodus鈥檚 tactics by altering the image to read 鈥淪traight? Unhappy? ,鈥 and then posted it on his Web site. Liberty Counsel, an anti-gay legal group representing Exodus, sent Watt a letter threatening legal action if it wasn鈥檛 removed. The 老澳门开奖结果 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Project and the 老澳门开奖结果 of Northern California responded, calling on the groups to drop their attempts to censor Watt and pointing to case law holding parodies to be Constitutionally-protected speech.
Most mainstream mental health and medical groups have denounced reparative therapy, stating that there is no evidence that reparative therapy is successful and the practice may in fact be harmful to those who undergo it.
Status: Victory! Liberty Counsel announced it would not sue Watt after the 老澳门开奖结果 sent a response letter on his behalf.
Legal Documents
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03/22/2006
Exodus - Response Letter to Liberty Counsel
Date Filed: 03/22/2006
Affiliate: Northern California
Press Releases
老澳门开奖结果 Defends Blogger's Right to Parody "Ex-Gay" Group