Supergirl’s Jeremy Jordan fights to free teenage cousin from gay ‘cure’ facility
Supergirl
star Jeremy Jordan has gone public with a campaign to help his a 17-year-old cousin Sarah, who he claims is being forced to stay in a ‘pray away the gay’ Christian camp.
The 31-year-old Hollywood actor took to Twitter last week to share a GoFundMe page which has been set up by Sarah’s aunt, in order to help fight a legal battle to get her released from the camp against her parents’ wishes.
Reports state that Sarah’s parents sent the high school student to the camp after she took her girlfriend to prom. During her stay, which could last up to a year, she has no communication with the outside world, is forced to work and attend Bible-based therapy sessions to ‘cure’ her of her homosexuality.
Under Texan law, Sarah she can kept in the facility until she turns 18 next year, by the will of her parents.
Sarah’s mother’s sister, filed suit against Sarah’s parents last month with the aim of reuniting the teenager with her friends and family.
Jordan’s tweet, which is currently pinned to his profile, has received over 3,000 responses so far.
My amazing friends & fans, PLEASE help us save my sweet gay cousin Sarah who’s trapped at a boarding facility in TX. https://t.co/mtVHMY1fdI
— Jeremy Jordan (@JeremyMJordan) June 4, 2016
Jordan has later tweeted how it “breaks his heart” to see a young girl who only loves another young girl to be punished this way.
The girl’s mother has responded to this campaign, confirming that Sarah is currently at staying at the Texas facility, but denying that her stay is related to her sexuality.
“My daughter would be heartbroken that she is being misrepresented this way,” she told the American-Statesman.
Currently housed at the ‘Heartlight Ministries Boarding School’ in Texas, it is believed Sarah being forced to treat being gay as a sin and during her time there she will undergo strict therapy to learn ‘Christian’ values that homosexuality is abnormal.
Campaign organisers claim Sarah has already tried to run away, but due to the rural location of the facility she was bought back by members of staff and punished for her behaviour.
On the website, the boarding school states it creates “a safe haven of hope for 56 struggling teens at our residential counselling centre.”
“Our atmosphere of relationships creates an arena of change for teens and parents lost in a broken world.”
The page was bought under scrutiny due to its legibility but since Jeremy Jordan has posted a Q&A section to provide further details.
Some new info on #SaveSarah gofundme page. Tried to clarify a few points to make your decision to help easier! ❤️ https://t.co/fO6IzHlLAn
— Jeremy Jordan (@JeremyMJordan) June 6, 2016
So far the page has collected over $55,000 with a target of $100,000 – this is to cover legal costs in which it states ‘a full hearing is set for July’.
Words: James Jefferson
More stories:
International Mister Spain comes out as gay
The Top 10 Dance Tunes of the ’90s