This episode we discuss the book Boy Erased: A Memoir by Gerard Conley, with our outstanding guest, the musician Adaline. This episode comes with a trigger warning as it discusses religious trauma and conversion therapy.
The son of a Baptist pastor and deeply embedded in church life in small town Arkansas, as a young man Garrard Conley was terrified and conflicted about his sexuality. When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed to his parents, and was forced to make a life-changing decision: either agree to attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to “cure” him of homosexuality; or risk losing family, friends, and the God he had prayed to every day of his life. Through an institutionalized Twelve-Step Program heavy on Bible study, he was supposed to emerge heterosexual, ex-gay, cleansed of impure urges and stronger in his faith in God for his brush with sin. Instead, even when faced with a harrowing and brutal journey, Garrard found the strength and understanding to break out in search of his true self and forgiveness.
Adaline also hosts a podcast called Bad Believers in which people on the queer spectrum explore and challenge traditional religious views. Her experience as a queer person and the daughter of pastor gave her a unique perspective when discussing the book.
Intro and outro music is an original song by Kansas City based queer musician Nicole Springer.
Adaline - webpage: adalinemusic.com, Instagram and Twitter: @Adalinemusic and @BadBelieverPodcast on Instagram and @BadBeliever_ on Twitter
Music by Nicole Springer - webpage nicolespringersings.com, Facebook: Nicole Springer, and Instagram: @nicolespringersings
As always Big Queer Book Club Podcast can be found on Instagram: @bigqueerbookclubpod, Twitter: @bookqueer, Facebook: Big Queer Book Club Podcast