Michael Bussee, one of the founders of Exodus International, the largest "exgay" organization in the nation is now a gay man who speaks out against Exodus. After co-founding Exodus Bussee fell in love with another "ex-gay" Gary Cooper. As expected Bussee and Cooper lost their entire church social network and remained silent about the "exgay" issue for many years. Cooper contracted HIV and shortly thereafter saw the Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition claiming Exodus was "tremendously successful" to justify his war on the civil rights of gay people. Bussee and Cooper felt they could no longer remain silent and came out in the media as "ex-ex-gay" declaring conversion therapy as ineffective.