A new narrative podcast revisits the life of one of conversion therapy’s most visible figures.
iHeartMedia’s Outspoken Podcast Network and Goldhawk Productions, in association with Marks Media Co., have launched Atonement: The John Paulk Story.
The six-part series explores the rise, reckoning and legacy of a man who spent decades promoting conversion therapy before publicly rejecting it.
John Paulk became a global symbol of the so-called ‘ex-gay’ movement during the 1990s and early 2000s. He toured internationally, appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes and the front cover of Newsweek after marrying a woman who was also described as ‘ex-gay’.
His carefully curated public image helped legitimise conversion practices for years, until his private life and internal conflict could no longer remain hidden.
While Paulk previously shared elements of his experience, including in the 2021 Netflix documentary Pray Away, the new podcast marks the first time his full story has been told in one place.
The series promises a candid and comprehensive account of both the damage he endured and the harm he inflicted on others.
Through deeply personal testimony, Paulk reflects on his life in Columbus, Ohio in the 1980s as an openly gay man, drag performer and escort, and the search for acceptance that drew him into conversion therapy.
The series follows his journey through decades inside the movement and into his present-day life as an openly gay man and grandfather.
Alongside Paulk’s voice, the podcast features contributions from close family members, his first boyfriend, people harmed by the ‘ex-gay’ industry, and an activist who persistently challenged the public narrative surrounding his transformation.
It also examines the political influence, internal control mechanisms and wider human cost associated with conversion practices.
Atonement arrives at a time when conversion therapy remains a live political issue. Despite the United Nations reporting that such practices can amount to torture for LGBTQ+ people, the UK still does not have a full ban in place, while protections in parts of the United States face renewed pressure.
Paulk says: “I want to pull back the curtain and show you how ministries like the one I was in operate. To use my story, and those of others, to show how people get pulled into this world, because these organisations still exist.”
Producer Kate Holland adds that Paulk’s experience exposes a system that continues to operate out of public view, while investigative journalist Patrick Strudwick, who consulted on the series, describes it as a powerful examination of harm and accountability.
Atonement: The John Paulk Story is out now, with episodes released weekly and available across all major podcast platforms.
