The leader of an "ex gay" boot camp in South Africa is facing trial after revelations of torture, starvation and death of gay teens in his care have taken the continent by storm. 

The Echo Wild Game Rangers Course was advertised to parents as a place to turn boys into men, with the subtext and promotional materials promising to turn effeminate gay teens into straight masculine guys. But what some parents got back after sending their teens to 'course' general Alex De Koker were not strapping macho-fied men, but frail, near-death sons with stories of unimaginable torture. 

It's been a whirlwind of a month for John Paulk, the former founder and leader of Love Won Out, an "ex gay" and conversion therapy group created by hate group Focus on the Family. After coming out as still in fact gay gay gay, Paulk has decided to denounce the movement he once championed and to apologize to the LGBT community. 

So, what does Paulk have to say?

Updated Thursday at 2:35 p.m. PST 

New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate and State Senator Barbara Buono blasted Gov. Christie today for his ambivalence towards the state's proposed ex-gay therapy ban. See what she has to say after the jump!

New Jersey's Senate health committee approved a bill that will ban ex-gay "conversion therapy."  Similar legislation previously passed in California (the CA law is being reviewed by the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals).

Details after the jump.

We're not sure that the public faces of Exodus International meant their 2012 blooper reel to be hilarious in the ironic way that it actually is, but at least it gets us laughing. Follow the jump to see "ex gay" men getting comfortable before camera and we're sure you'll note just how successful the denounced methodology they base their lives on is during such candid moments!

California's ex-gay therapy ban has hit a road block. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked the law that bans ex-gay therapy for minors and was scheduled to go into effect in January 2013.

Details after the jump.

We're right up there in the North Pole alongside Santa Claus, as far as Paul Scalia, son of vehement homophobe Justice Antonin Scalia, is concerned. Looks like the rotten apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Hubbub over the source of homosexuality has taken over the Internet this week thanks to that comprehensive new study linking conditions during gestation to LGBT babies.

On Wednesday, we heard hate group leader Bryan Fischer abandon his pro-life convictions to allow for abortions in the case of a detectable gay fetus; today we get a promise from David Pruden, vice president of the National Association for the Research and Treatment of Homosexuality, to keep promoting the dangerous and discredited "ex gay" therapy even if the theory is proven true. 

The recent challenges to California's ban on "ex gay" therapy for minors provided sound-off points for Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night's the Colbert Report. Check out Stephen's fruit-filled take on conversion therapy after the jump!

Updated Tuesday 4:40 p.m. PST

Following Monday's ruling, on Tuesday a second federal judge ruled against a similar injuntion requested by the Liberty Counsel and the National Assocation for Research and Therapy (NARTH). Unlike Judge William Shubb, Judge Kimberly J. Mueller found that California's ban on "ex-gay" therapy does not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of ex-gay therapists or the parents sending their children into reparative therapy.

More after the jump.

The hills are alive with country pop today after NBC made the big announcement concerning the lead role of its live The Sound of Music remake. So, which American Idol alum won the coveted role?

Dr. Oz is inviting controversy today as his daytime talk show explores "ex gay" therapy. Activist and blogger Jeremy Hooper, a distinguished member of Instinct's 2012 crop of Leading Men, takes issue with Dr. Oz even discussing the discredited topic on national television to begin with. 

So, what does Jeremy have to say to Dr. Oz?