Beyond Ex-Gay
 

Who We Are



Picture of Christine

  

Christine Bakke-O'Neill

 Co-Founder and Co-Facilitator 

More about Christine below

Photo of Jallen

 

Dr. Jallen Rix

 Co-Facilitator 

More Jallen! 

Picture of Gail

 

Gail Dickert

 Co-Facilitator 

Learn more about Gail 

 


Christine Bakke-O'Neill

 Co-Founder, Co-Facilitator

Some random facts and trivia about Christine

  • I spent over four years in an attempt to change my orientation, but re-came out to myself in 2003 (and have been re-coming out to others ever since).
  • I collect vintage wooden type (the wooden letters used in printing presses back in the day) and children's books (pop-up books and ones that have cool illustrations or unusual topics). Although not a children's book, my favorite pop-up book is The Pop-up Book of Phobias.
  • I've danced only three times in my life, not including that one time in my living room when I sprained my toe while attempting to dance the can-can to the movie Moulin Rouge.
  • I can't stand it when stores use the wrong letters in their names in an attempt to be cute. Kountry Kitchen. King Soopers. Qwik Mart.
  • I feel like I'm a good mix of stereotypical male and female traits, and I enjoy that. No boxes for me. I like being able to fix stuff and make stuff (love my power tools—unlike Peterson's, they are not pink). I enjoy reading, camping, and long walks on the beach (seriously!)
  • I was an art major in college. Will that be for here or to go? No, seriously, I am an artist. I lost my art during my time as an ex-gay, because I was disconnecting from myself to such an extreme extent. Slowly it is coming back and the art I've done around my time in the ex-gay movement has been really healing.
  • I have a wonderful wife who is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
  • We have two cats that I can't go very long without mentioning.
  • I have a blog, Rising Up Whole, and I struggle to maintain it, averaging about a post a year at this point.
  • My day job is as a freelance graphic designer, production artist and photoshop retoucher. Need your friend's head photoshopped onto that naked guy's body? I'm your gal.
  • I have too much stuff in my house and am continually fighting a battle to simplify. My wife has helped tremendously with this, and we are on our way to a more minimalist lifestyle.
  • I can be sarcastic at times (ok, a lot of times). I smile a lot and like to joke around with everyone.
  • I am living an authentic life and am comfortable in my own skin.
Read More of Christine's Story
 
 

Dr. Jallen Rix

 Co-Facilitator

Some random facts and trivia about Jallen

Read More of Jallen's Story 
 

Gail Dickert

 Co-Facilitator

Some random facts and trivia about Gail

For more about Gail, go to her youtube channel, her blog, Homospirituality, or her Facebook groups Homospirituality and Enlightenedish. Both of her books ("Enightened-ish" and "Coming Out of the Closet without Coming Apart at the Seams") can be ordered at www.authorhouse.com.
 
 
 

Our history also includes Peterson Toscano, the co-founder of Beyond Ex-Gay.

Photo of Peterson

While Peterson no longer participates at Beyond Ex-Gay (sometimes the best thing we can do for our healing is to move on), this organization and website, as well as much of the content, would not exist without him. He still loves us, and he still occasionally writes and speaks about the ex-gay movement, but he now gives very few interviews and can be contacted through his personal blog, A Musing, not through this website. Much of his story is detailed in articles on this site, through his blog, and his personal website, and is the best way to find out more about him.

Read Peterson's Story here 
 


Steve's picture

Steve Boese

Steve Boese has provided our hosting, website architecture and behind-the-scenes stuff. We're not sure exactly what he does but we're sure glad he does it. The original Beyond Ex-Gay website would not exist without Steve.

 

 Joel Bass

Logo designed by Joel Bass of Invincible Fuzzy Thing. (See his web design portfolio here.) Thanks Joel!