Gay cure ad banned on London buses

An advertisement campaign in the UK for courses which claim homosexuals can ‘develop their heterosexual potential’ has been banned.

The advertisement by Core Issues Trust, a charity that funds ‘reparative therapy’ for gay Christians, was due to run for two weeks and feature slogans such as ‘Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud. Get over it!’

Leader of Core Issues Trust Mike Davidson said he went through the appropriate channels to have the advertising approved and booked.

"I didn’t realise censorship was in place. We went through the correct channels and we were encouraged by the bus company to go through their procedures,” he said.

“They okayed it and now it has been pulled.  I would be interested to know on what basis they have done that.

“It is of deep concern that there can only be one point of view and that is the point of view of individuals who are determined to push through gay marriage and apparently believe that homosexuality cannot be altered in any possible way.”

The Lord Mayor of London and chair of Transport for London, Boris Johnson, ordered the advertisements be pulled following public outcry which called the ads homophobic.

“London is one of the most tolerant cities in the world and intolerant of intolerance,” Johnson said.

“It is clearly offensive to suggest being gay is an illness someone recovers from and I am not prepared to have that suggestion driven around London on our buses.”

The campaign was backed by two Anglican groups in an attempt to respond to adverts by gay rights group Stonewall.

The controversy comes soon after a leading US psychiatrist, Dr Robert Spitzer, this week publicly retracted an infamous 2001 study claiming to show evidence that some "highly motivated" individuals were capable of changing their sexual orientation.