Family of Texas teen launch campaign to release her from 'pray away the gay' camp

The GoFundMe page to pay for legal fees has raised more than $40,000 since launch

GoFundME

The family of a Texas teenager sent by her parents to a remote Christian boarding facility to “pray away the gay” have launched efforts to raise money for her release.

According to the GoFundMe page started by her cousin, the 17-year-old, identified only as "Sarah", was sent away to the East Texas school after attending prom with her girlfriend.

“[W]hen they did that, Sarah’s parents, who believe that homosexuality is a sin and abnormal, sent Sarah away against her will to an East Texas Christian boarding facility for troubled teens to ‘pray away the gay’,” the page reads.

The family hired an Austin-based attorney, Christine Andresen of CHA Law Group, known for representing clients in LGBT cases. Sarah’s aunt filed the suit, according to the GoFundMe.

Ms Andresen’s office could not address specifics of the case, citing ongoing litigation, but confirmed the authenticity of the information listed on the GoFundMe page to The Independent.

Since the 4 June launch of the "Save Sarah" fundraiser, more than 1,000 people have contributed $41,000 (£28,265) of the $100,000 goal at the time of writing.

Much of the campaign’s success is due in part to the high profile of one of Sarah’s cousins, Jeremy Jordan, who co-stars in the CBS series Supergirl.

“I can't believe beautiful, smart, incredible kids like my cousin Sarah are still being told that being gay is wrong,” the actor said in a Facebook post urging his fans to support the effort. He explained that Sarah is “trapped against her will” at the “terrible facility”.

According to her family, Sarah had attempted to escape the rural facility, but was quickly caught by facility staff and “punished”. Texas law allows parents to force children to stay in residential boarding facilities until they turn 18.

“She may not be able to see it now,” Jordan added, “but please show her how much she matters and take a stand to help us free this wonderful young woman and welcome her back to a world of love and acceptance.”

Sarah’s family describes her future as “bright”, as they say she is in the top 10 per cent of her class, belongs to the National Honour Society, and is part of the debate team.

Some states have passed laws to prohibit mental health providers from offering “conversion” or “reparative” therapy to minor, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

The American Psychological Association released a report in 2007 that found “enduring change to an individual's sexual orientation is uncommon,” and “results of scientifically valid research indicate that it is unlikely that individuals will be able to reduce same-sex attractions or increase other-sex sexual attractions through [sexual orientation change efforts].”