A previously canceled meeting concerning pornography and same-sex attraction was held Monday night in American Fork, but without the sponsorship of the PTSA.

The meeting was to be held at American Fork High School last Wednesday, but it was abruptly canceled after school officials learned gays and lesbians would be discussed. Stephen Graham, of Standard of Liberty, presented his message about the dangers he felt same-sex attraction present to youth. Graham said he did not feel he would have been able to discuss the topic at a PTSA meeting in the future, though he was previously invited.

Graham said he felt the principal, Carolyn Merrill, canceled the meeting, but it was not her place to tell the PTSA what it could discuss.

About two dozen parents and community members attended Monday night's meeting at the American Fork Library, and Graham spoke of the social problems affecting youth, including the "homosexual activist agenda." Representatives of the Utah Pride Center, a group that advocates protection of gay rights, were also at the meeting.

Yana Walton, director of communications for the Utah Pride Center, said she was glad the Alpine School District and American Fork High School took action and did not hold the meeting. Walton attended the meeting Monday in order to determine what kind of misinformation was presented so she can help her clients better, she said.

"We're not trying to crash their meeting at all," Walton said. "When there's medically inaccurate information about HIV and how it's transmitted, we need to be there to clear that up."

Many of the things in Graham's presentation would not be heard from the media or mainstream society, he said, because people have been silenced or frightened by gay activists.

Graham presented statistics from www.narth.com, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality. Some of the most common concerns for gay men, he said, include HIV/AIDS, marijuana, Ecstasy, amphetamines, sexually transmitted diseases, suicide, heart disease, anorexia, anal warts and anal cancers.

"These things do occur in normal population, but not nearly at the rate as in people troubled with homosexuality," he said.

A video from 1993 was also shown at the meeting, detailing the effects of same-sex attraction in society and schools. One segment discussed the idea that being gay is inborn. The video contended that no evidence supports this theory, and gay behavior can be diminished through reparative therapy.

"Don't get sucked into the gay agenda," a man in the video said.

The video also outlined several demands from the gay community, including repealing laws against sodomy and lowering the age of consent. Graham told audience members that the gay community is smart and patient, and they want to indoctrinate children in the schools. Once children are convinced, all gay activists have to do is wait for parents to die.

"In one generation they win," he said. "There will be no one to stand against them."

While the video was old, Graham said the facts are the same today. Children are being taught the gay agenda in schools, he said, where textbooks are "gay-affirming." He told parents to watch what their children are reading from school, and then find out what their teachers, principal and school board believe. If parents and teachers do not agree, parents may need to run for the school board.

"You've got to remember, your children are at risk, and you can't sit back anymore and think someone else is going to take care of it," he said.

Several inaccuracies were presented at the meeting, Walton said, including the idea of special rights for gays. Gays do not ask for special rights, but equal rights. The way gays allegedly try to affect children and society is also untrue, she said.

"One of the biggest pieces of misinformation, I think, is that there is a gay agenda," she said.

Marina Gomberg, director of development and marketing for the Utah Pride Center, said she worries about how the meeting could affect gay youth. Children who are harassed because of their race or religion have support at home, while gays may not. Gomberg formerly worked with youth at the center, and many reported horrific stories of harassment from their peers, she said.

"We see higher rates of suicide, higher rates of drug use. Dropouts are higher," Gomberg said.

Walton said sexually transmitted diseases are societal problems that affect all couples, and methods of prevention should be discussed, not someone's sexual orientation. A lot of education occurs in the home, she said, and parents need accurate information to help their children.

"What he's really trying to do is talk about disease in a way to scare parents," she said.

Walton said the Utah Pride Center has also reserved a room in the American Fork library for gay youth and their families. A meeting will be held April 9 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss risks to youth and to teach families where to find support.