'Pray away the gay' claim hits Bachmann's campaign

Published on Friday 15 July 2011 17:12

A DARLING of the US political right has seen her presidential campaign hit a bump over claims that a counselling clinic she co-owns has tried to "cure" homosexuals.

Michele Bachmann has fast become a favourite among the Republican conservative base, propelling the Minnesota politician into seeming a serious challenger in the race for the party's nomination for next year's presidential election.

But her upwards trajectory has hit a snag, with the US media distracted by the goings-on at Bachmann & Associates, a Christian counselling centre run by her husband.

In a piece on the company's website, Dr Marcus Bachmann - a clinical therapist with 20 years' experience - explains that it is his "call" to "minister to the needs of people in a practical, caring and sensitive way".

But gay activists claim the centre practices a controversial and professionally discredited "pray away the gay" policy, in which counsellors invoke God as a way of turning people against the "choice" of homosexuality.

One former patient told ABC News that he was told by a therapist at the clinic that if he read the Bible and prayed, he "would no longer be gay". Andrew Ramirez, who had been taken to Bachmann & Associates by his parents after coming out to them aged 17, was told that the clinic could "cure" him of his sexuality.

Undercover footage taken by gay rights organisation Truth Wins Out appears to support his claim. In it, a gay man is told by a counsellor that God created men to be heterosexual.

"The truth is God has designed our eyes to be attracted to the woman's body, to be attracted to, you know, everything. To be attracted to her breasts," the counsellor says.

Dr Bachmann has denied the clinic has a policy of trying to turn gay men and women straight. In an interview he said: "We don't have an agenda or a philosophy of trying to change someone."

When contacted directly about the allegations, a receptionist at the clinic would only say: "Totally wrong, you have totally wrong information," before abruptly hanging up.

Despite the denials, the claims have drawn attention to past statements by the Bachmanns in regards to homosexuality.

In an interview last year, Dr Bachmann appeared to equate gay people with barbarians.

"We have to understand, Barbarians need to be educated. They need to be disciplined," he told a Christian radio talk show during a discussion on sexuality.

Likewise his wife is on record stating her belief that homosexuality is a "disorder".

She also vehemently opposes gay marriage, recently signing a controversial pledge denouncing same-sex unions.

Her socially conservative views have seen the mother of five and foster parent of 23 become a favourite among the religious right of her party.

Having at first been seen as a sideshow in the race to become the Republican candidate for 2012's presidential election, Ms Bachmann is currently riding high. Recent polls see her just behind current front-runner Mitt Romney in popularity among Republican voters.

But political strategists believe her socially conservative agenda will make it difficult for the Minnesota House representative to win over independent voters - which would hamper her chances of being seen as a credible opponent to Barack Obama come the 2012 election.