This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It turns out that TLC has been downright dishonest about "My Husband's Not Gay," the special that airs Sunday at 11 p.m. And it turns out that at least three of the Mormons on the show are not what they portray themselves to be.
"My Husband's Not Gay" follows three Salt Lake-area, male-female married couples and one single man, and all the men say they have "same-sex attraction." At the same time, however, they claim they're not gay.
Organizations like GLAAD have assailed the show, claiming that it promotes the discredited practice of conversion therapy – attempts to change a person's sexual orientation, often through coercive methods. And TLC has rejected that criticism.
"TLC has long shared compelling stories about real people and different ways of life, without judgment," the network said in a statement. "The individuals featured in this one-hour special reveal the decisions they have made, and speak only for themselves."
But that's not true. As reported by mediamatters.org, three of the Utahns profiled on the show are closely tied to those discredited therapies.
Preston "Pret" Dahlgren is the former chairman of Evergreen International, a Mormon-linked organization that promoted so-called "reparative therapy." After Evergreen shut down last year, Dahlgren joined North Star International – yet another such group – as a board member.
His wife, Megan, has worked with three "reparative therapy" groups — Evergreen, North Star, and People Can Change.
And Jeff Bennion, another of men profiled in "Not Gay," is a spokesman for North Star.
None of this is mentioned even in passing in the special. Which is a clear attempt to deceive the viewers.