'My Husband's Not Gay' Stars Defend TLC's Controversial New Show

By
ETONLINE

GLAAD is calling TLC's My Husband's Not Gay "dangerous" for the way it portrays homosexuality, but should it be canceled?

The special follows a group of Mormon men married to women. Although the husbands are attracted to men, they don't identify as gay because of the church.

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"I get a little defensive when somebody calls my husband gay," co-star Tanya told ET.

Tanya is married to Jeff, whom she dated for a year and a half before she found out he was attracted to men. They've been married for a decade.

"Since I'm not seeking same-sex romantic or sexual relationships, I don't think of myself as gay," Jeff said. "When I got married to Tanya, I was a virgin in all senses of the word so my sexual experience with men wasn't extensive, but it was enough to give me a taste of what that would be like."

According to Jeff, he is satisfied with his sex life with his wife.

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"I don't have to fantasize or imagine I'm with somebody else when I'm with her," Jeff said. "When I'm with her, I'm with her. I enjoy being with her ... It was a process for me to learn to trust her and be open with her. It didn't happen on the honeymoon, but over time that's what's made our sex life so fulfilling."

"I just want to clarify, the honeymoon was still great and successful," Tanya said.

More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to cancel the one-hour special before it's scheduled to air on Jan. 11.

"This is a dangerous show," GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis told ET. "This show says that being gay is bad and that you should hide it and that it's a choice. Think about all those young LGBT people across our country who are struggling with coming out and this is the message they're receiving. It's irresponsible of TLC."

TLC issued a statement to ET in response to GLAAD: "TLC has long shared compelling stories about real people and different ways of life, without judgment. The individuals featured in this one-hour special reveal the decisions they have made, and speak only for themselves."

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Some also believe the show could serve as an ad for the "ex gay" industry, which includes programs that try to change one's sexual orientation by using procedures such as psychoanalysis and in extreme cases electro shock.

"Basically, gay reparative therapy is the notion that you can take the gay out of somebody, which we know is not true," Sarah Kate Ellis said. "Medical experts have debunked that for ages now, and also it's illegal in a lot of states."

Do you think the show should be canceled?

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