Embracing the mess -- how compassion saved my life | Garrard Conley | TEDxBG

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Garrard Conley, a survivor of the controversial “ex-gay” therapy movement, describes his traumatic experience as a gay man growing up in the South. In the years following his escape from extreme prejudice, he has learned one important lesson: compassion has the power to heal wounds, but it is also one of the messiest human emotions. Garrard Conley is a writer and teacher living in Sofia, Bulgaria. His memoir is forthcoming from Riverhead (Penguin). About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)