In The Media...
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Pray Away, a film by Kristine Stolakis (website)
"FORMER LEADERS OF THE "PRAY AWAY THE GAY" MOVEMENT CONTEND WITH THE AFTERMATH UNLEASHED BY THEIR ACTIONS, WHILE A SURVIVOR SEEKS HEALING AND ACCEPTANCE FROM MORE THAN A DECADE OF TRAUMA."
I am honored and proud to be a part of the Netflix Documentary and Emmy-nominated film, Pray Away…
Easily one of my favorite interviews. Such an intense topic, and they were both so gracious and great questions. Plus, we got in a few good laughs as well. Thank you, Anne and Heather!
"Openly" (Thomson Reuters Foundation) "Conversion therapy thrives globally as bans gather pace | Thomson Reuters Foundation Long Reads (trust.org)"
House of Mystery on NBC Radio "Randy Thomas - Netflix Documentary 'Pray Away'"
The New York Times "'Pray Away' Review: Atoning for an Anti-Gay Stance"
Datebook, San Francisco Chronicle Review ‘Pray Away’ goes deep into the painful history of the church’s anti-gay conversion therapy
NPR, Morning Edition "Former 'Ex-Gay' Leaders Denounce 'Conversion Therapy' In A New Documentary"
The Washington Post "The Washington Post supports 2021 AFI DOCS Film Festival as Primary Media Partner"
Chicago Sun Times "‘Pray Away’: A powerful look at people trying therapy to be ‘ex-gay’"
Religion & Politics "Netflix’s “Pray Away” Confronts the Lies of the Ex-Gay Movement"
The Cinemaholic "Randy Thomas Now: Where is Exodus' Ex-Vice President Now"
Washington Blade "'Pray Away' exposes horrors of 'conversion therapy'"
Film Threat "Pray Away"
News.Com.Au "Netflix’s disturbing new doco Pray Away is a must-watch"
Georgia Public Broadcasting "Former 'Ex-Gay' Leaders Denounce 'Conversion Therapy' In A New Documentary"
openDemocracy "New film reveals personal and political impact of anti-gay ‘conversion therapy’"
Capital Public Radio "Former 'Ex-Gay' Leaders Denounce 'Conversion Therapy' In A New Documentary
Refinery29 "Conversion Therapy Hurts People. So Why Is It Still Around?"
Pray Away, a film by Kristine Stolakis (website)
"FORMER LEADERS OF THE "PRAY AWAY THE GAY" MOVEMENT CONTEND WITH THE AFTERMATH UNLEASHED BY THEIR ACTIONS, WHILE A SURVIVOR SEEKS HEALING AND ACCEPTANCE FROM MORE THAN A DECADE OF TRAUMA."
Variety ‘Pray Away,’ Conversion Therapy Doc From Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum, to Debut on Netflix
The Hollywood Reporter Pray Away: Film Review | Tribeca 2020
“Gripping” "The compassionate insight into people's lives spent carrying shame and humiliation, hurting themselves and others, is powerful stuff.”
Awards Circuit Tribeca Film Review: Pray Away will break your heart
“Essential viewing… Pray Away may well break your heart.”
Awards Watch Pray Away cements itself as a definitive documentary on conversion therapy
“Pray Away cements itself as a definitive documentary on conversion therapy that will be an exemplary text for years to come.”
The Playlist Pray Away: Kristine Stolakis' Doc Is One Of The Most Important Films Of The Year
"a profoundly moving, heartbreaking examination of the fallout associated with conversion therapy—and it might be the must-watch movie of the year.”
Film Threat Pray Away Film Review: 9 out of 10
"Pray Away invites the viewer into a world that many would like to think doesn’t exist much anymore, but is in fact, quite prevalent. As Bussee states at the end of the film, “As long as homophobia exists in this world, some version of Exodus will emerge.”
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Pray Away (Tribeca Film Festival 2020) Review
“Pray Away takes its evisceration of the belief that sexual orientation and gender identity are sicknesses to be cured, sins to be remedied and crimes to be punished to the next potent and moving level.”
Geeks Out Tribeca Film Festival 2020 Review: Pray Away
“A significant and illuminating piece of history and activism.”
Daily Beast An Inside Look at America’s Insidious Christian ‘Ex-Gay’ Movement
“Pray Away deftly explains the continued and renewed existence of the “ex-gay” movement.”
Queerty Kristine Stolakis cracks the secrets of the ex-gay movement in Pray Away [Press Clip]
"We were not prepared for the gut-punch power of Pray Away, or for the questions it raises.”
The Queer Review Film Review: Pray Away 4.5/5 Stars
Women and Hollywood Tribeca 2020 Women Directors: Meet Kristine Stolakis – “Pray Away”
The Playlist Pray Away Exclusive Clip: Tribeca Doc Shows The Trauma Inflicted By Conversion Therapy
Documentary Happy Hour Alix Blair interviews Pray Away director Kristine Stolakis
Moveable Fest Tribeca 2020 Review: Kristine Stolakis’ “Pray Away” Gives New Meaning to Preaching to the Converted
The Hollywood Reporter Critics' Picks: 10 Highlights From SXSW and Tribeca Online
Women and Hollywood Editor to Watch: Carla Gutierrez of ‘RBG’ and ‘Chavela’
Women and Hollywood Tribeca 2020 Preview
Documentary Magazine Premiering Documentaries in a Pandemic
Filmmaker Magazine Sheltering in Place: The Independent Film Community Faces the Coronavirus Shutdown
Deadline Pray Away invited to premiere at Tribeca Fest 2020
Chicken & Egg Pictures Director Kristine Stolakis named a 2019 Chicken & Egg (Egg)celerator Lab grantee
Screendaily Kristine Stolakis and Anya Rous will pitch Pray Away at Sheffield Doc/Fest’s MeetMarket
Catapult Film Fund Pray Away named 2018 Catapult grantee
Also proud to be a part of the award winning documentary, “For They Know Not What They Do, a film by Daniel Karslake (website)”
"A POWERFUL EXPLORATION OF THE INTERSECTION OF RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY IN AMERICA."
RogerEbert.com, Review: For They Know Not What They Do
New York Times, ‘For They Know Not What They Do’ Review: Where Faith Meets L.G.B.T.Q. Life
Entertainment Weekly, Three June documentaries to watch: Welcome to Chechnya, Athlete A, For They Know Not What They Do
IndieWire, ‘For They Know Not What They Do’ Review: Moving Portrait of Christian Families with LGBTQ Kids
The film's Director, Daniel Karslake is on our Thrive LGBTQ+ board of directors, and Executive Director of Thrive, Randy Thomas, also appears in the film.
Pride on ABC News Live: The Content Creators -- For They Know Not What They Do (FTKNWTD) featured around the 33:30 mark.
Deadline, LGBTQ Rights Doc ‘For They Know Not What They Do’ Secures U.S. Virtual Theatrical Release
Motion Picture Association, Director Daniel Karslake on the Shifting Battle for LGBTQ Equality in For They Know Not What They Do
Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to do a short interview with my friend Ben Patrick Johnson and his co-host Laura Anne Rowell at KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs. Ben had a big part of my coming out back in 2015. Be encouraged. Love ya' Ben and nice to meet you Laura. Published with permission.
WPTV (NBC) Channel 5 West Palm Beach, "Some Florida Lawmakers Try to Ban Conversion Therapy" by Forrest Saunders also on Yahoo! News
WFTS (ABC) Action News Tampa Bay, "Florida lawmakers call conversion therapy 'state-sanctioned child abuse'"
WFSU (Public Media, PBS, and NPR for Northern Florida and Southern Georgia)" (banning) Conversion Therapy Gains Support From Former Opponents" By Robbie Gaffney
Fox 4 News (Southwest Florida, Fort Myers) "Florida lawmakers: Conversion therapy is 'state-sanctioned child abuse'"
95.3 WDAE (iHeartRadio) "Conversion Therapy Ban Pushed by Florida Democrats"
The Daily Beast, "‘You Will Find God’: Inside the Battle to Ban Conversion Therapy in Florida" by Sarah Rogers -- features core group seeking to Ban Conversion Therapy in Orange County Florida including Thrive Executive Director Randy Thomas & Dan Scobey.
LGBTQ Nation, "The shameless ‘Pray Away the Gay’ industry has launched a cynical rebranding effort," by Wayne Besen
The Orlando Sentinel, "Google must delete 'pray away the gay' app," by Randy Thomas
The Mercury News, "How Google is Turning Its Back On The LGBTQ Community," by Yvette Schneider
USA Today article, “‘Being LGBTQ is not an illness’: Record number of states banning conversion therapy.” written by Susan Miller
"Former 'Ex-Gay' Leader Warns About The Dangers of So-Called 'Conversion Therapy'"- Equality Florida
Guest Blog post "The Antidote" on the Five Simple Stones Blog by Lynette Bradford
"Focus Group Radio Highlights 'Caution When Driving Gay'" Post - The Focus Group with Tim Bennett & John Nash
"Can Sexuality Be Changed?" A trial in New Jersey this week will determine whether telling gay people that they can become straight constitutes consumer fraud. The ruling might mean the end of so-called “conversion therapies” for good." - The Atlantic
"These Former Ex-gay Leaders Are Not Going Away" - The Good Men Project
"Former Exodus Staffer Randy Thomas on Identity, Faith, & 'Ex-Gay' Therapy" - The Advocate
"Former ex-gay leader comes out as gay" - Metro UK
"Why Former ‘Ex-Gay’ Randy Thomas’ Coming Out is a Huge Deal" - Truth Wins Out
"Former 'Ex-Gay' Leader Comes Out" - The Advocate
"Randy Thomas, Formerly Of Exodus International, Comes Out As Gay In Emotional Blog Post" - The Huffington Post
"Former 'ex-gay' leader Randy Thomas: 'I am gay. I am ok with who I am.'" - Good As You
"Former Exodus Leader Randy Thomas Comes Out" - The Bilerico Project
"Truth Wins Out Commends Former ‘Ex-Gay’ Leader Randy Thomas For Coming Out As Gay" - Truth Wins Out
"Former ‘ex-gay poster boy,’ Exodus VP Randy Thomas comes out as gay" - LGBTQ Nation
Before coming out...
"Exodus Leader Explains Why Gay Ministry Is Ending Its ‘War With the Culture’ and Details ‘God’s Creative Intent for Sexuality’" - The Blaze (Interview was given 18 months before I came back out as a gay man and was deeply conflicting about what I believed).