"The power of Conley’s story resides not only in the vividly depicted grotesqueries of the therapy system, but in his lyrical writing about sexuality and love.” —Los Angeles Times

The LGBT Library at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, in partnership with Lehigh University's Digital Humanities Program, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program, and The Pride Center, presents a community book discussion on Garrard Conley's memoir, Boy Erased. 

Join on August 24th at 6pm for a facilitated discussion with Mary Foltz, Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University, about the book. Thanks to generous support from Lehigh University's Digital Humanities Program, there are 20 free copies of Mock's book available to the community for people who sign up early. Email [email protected] to sign up. 

The son of a Baptist pastor and deeply embedded in church life in small town Arkansas, as a young man Garrard Conley was terrified and conflicted about his sexuality.
 
When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed to his parents, and was forced to make a life-changing decision: either agree to attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to “cure” him of homosexuality; or risk losing family, friends, and the God he had prayed to every day of his life. Through an institutionalized Twelve-Step Program heavy on Bible study, he was supposed to emerge heterosexual, ex-gay, cleansed of impure urges and stronger in his faith in God for his brush with sin. Instead, even when faced with a harrowing and brutal journey, Garrard found the strength and understanding to break out in search of his true self and forgiveness. 
 
By confronting his buried past and the burden of a life lived in shadow, Garrard traces the complex relationships among family, faith, and community. At times heart-breaking, at times triumphant, this memoir is a testament to love that survives despite all odds.

This is a sober social event. No alcohol will be served.

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