Arkansas Author Leads Discussion on Radical Compassion

Garrard Conley is the author of Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith and Family. The book, which was adapted into a movie in 2018, tells the story of Conley’s experience as the son of a Baptist pastor in a small Arkansas town. As a young man, Conley was conflicted about his sexuality and when he was outed to his parents, he went to a conversion therapy program. He is now an advocate for ending such practices. On March 4, Conley spoke at Northwest Arkansas Community College’s Spring Arts and Culture Festival.