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Yesterday, the alt-weekly newspaper the Miami New Times ran a much-discussed story about a man named George Alan Rekers.

You might not know Rekers, but he has long played a prominent role behind the scenes in the social conservative movement: A member of the founding board of the conservative Family Research Council, Rekers has authored books on how to ensure that children grow up straight.

A Baptist minister and former research fellow at Harvard University, Rekers has testified against gay adoptions and is on the board of National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, which is focused on helping gay people turn straight.

According to the New Times story, by Penn Bullock and Brandon K. Thorp, Rekers was spotted returning from a ten-day trip to Europe with a young man identified as Lucien, who he allegedly met on a gay website called Rentboy.com. On that site, Lucien appeared shirtless, and his physical attributes were described in detail; he was identified as “HIV and Disease FREE,” offered “a sensual meet or companionship” and said he will “do anything you say as long as you ask.”

The New Times posted a photograph of Rekers with a young man said to be Lucien at the Miami airport; it also spoke to Lucien, who indicated he had met Rekers on Rentboy.com. The story says Rekers himself did not deny that he met Lucien on the site, though he said he did not know he was a prostitute until midway through the vacation. Rekers insisted in the story that he hired Lucien because he “can’t lift luggage” and needed a companion.

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