Topic > Analysis of the ex-gay movement and the purity movement

Male and female roles were re-established by men like James Dobson who positioned males as strong breadwinners and women as less sexually interested and more interested in raising a family . The New Hope Ministry creates exaggerated masculinity to rehabilitate gay men. A painting of Jesus hangs in the structure of a “hunky Jesus clad in jeans, with biceps exploding from a work shirt”; this painting serves to remind its residents that “masculinity equals Christ, Christ equals masculinity.”8 The ministry works to remove the feminine qualities of residents by constantly questioning men about how they feel their masculinity is improving and offering lessons on how to relate to a woman. The Purity Movement is similar in that it recognizes the sexual aggression of “masculine men” and works to help them control it while maintaining power. However, both movements agree on the status of women. Women, particularly feminists, are seen as a threat to the balance of power of men particularly within Christianity. Women are to be seen as the weaker sex, with very little interest in sex itself; however, women must be afraid of sexually aggressive men. Both movements sought to keep males and females in their spheres with exaggerated representations