@whatsupdanny, who played an out gay teen in the hit 2004 comedy "Mean Girls" (and slayed it as Eddie in "Looking"), opened up about enduring conversion therapy in a fruitless bid to turn himself straight, according to IndieWire. Franzese, now 44, related in an interview with Page Six that "he was 'brainwashed' into cutting ties with his mother and undergoing conversion therapy to 'convert' him to heterosexuality when he was 21 years old in 1999, five years before starring as out and proud Damian in 'Mean Girls,'" IndieWire relayed. Franzese "explained that he forced himself to undergo the pseudoscientific practice of conversion therapy because he 'didn't want to be gay' and 'didn't know what to do' as part of his Catholic and Pentecostal Christian faith," IndieWire said. UK newspaper The Independent explained that "Franzese said that while he was raised in a family that 'lovingly tolerated' homosexuality, it was the 'world around' him that made him 'feel like being gay was not OK.'" The actor turned to a conversion therapy practitioner who claimed to be an "ex-gay" himself, and had been recommended by Frazese's grandmother's pastor, the article added. The article noted that as part of the quack practice, Franzese was ordered to cut himself off from the supportive people in his life, including his own mother. It was a deeply meaningful moment for Franzese, who reflected on the difference such representation in the media would have made to himself as a gay youth. "Like, I was just missing one person that told me that I could... be who I want to be and do what I want to do," Franzese recalled.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍?❤️??⁠ ?: @whatsupdanny

@whatsupdanny, who played an out gay teen in the hit 2004 comedy "Mean Girls" (and slayed it as Eddie in "Looking"), opened up about enduring conversion therapy in a fruitless bid to turn himself straight, according to IndieWire. Franzese, now 44, related in an interview with Page Six that "he was 'brainwashed' into cutting ties with his mother and undergoing conversion therapy to 'convert' him to heterosexuality when he was 21 years old in 1999, five years before starring as out and proud Damian in 'Mean Girls,'" IndieWire relayed. Franzese "explained that he forced himself to undergo the pseudoscientific practice of conversion therapy because he 'didn't want to be gay' and 'didn't know what to do' as part of his Catholic and Pentecostal Christian faith," IndieWire said. UK newspaper The Independent explained that "Franzese said that while he was raised in a family that 'lovingly tolerated' homosexuality, it was the 'world around' him that made him 'feel like being gay was not OK.'" The actor turned to a conversion therapy practitioner who claimed to be an "ex-gay" himself, and had been recommended by Frazese's grandmother's pastor, the article added. The article noted that as part of the quack practice, Franzese was ordered to cut himself off from the supportive people in his life, including his own mother. It was a deeply meaningful moment for Franzese, who reflected on the difference such representation in the media would have made to himself as a gay youth. "Like, I was just missing one person that told me that I could... be who I want to be and do what I want to do," Franzese recalled.⁠
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Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠
?️‍?❤️??⁠
?: @whatsupdanny