GLAAD and other organizations have blasted TLC's new TV pilot, "My Husband's Not Gay," and started a petition to kill the show five days before its debut.

"This show is downright irresponsible. No one can change who they love, and, more importantly, no one should have to," GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement on the group's website. "By investing in this dangerous programming, TLC is putting countless young LGBT people in harm's way."

GLAAD's statement reflects the sentiment of the Change.org petition launched Dec. 29 by Josh Sanders, who describes himself as a "devout Christian" who grew up in a conservative community where being gay was thought "an abomination." The petition urges TLC to cancel the reality TV show "which promotes the false message that gay people can and should choose to be straight in order to be part of their faith communities." The petition, as of this writing, has collected 82,437 signatures.

TLC, a network that has long shared stories about people with different lifestyles, released a statement about the show.

"The individuals featured in this one-hour special reveal the decisions they have made, and speak only for themselves," the statement says.

The network announced the special on Dec. 22 with the headline "New TLC Special ... Explores Unconventional Mormon Marriages." The announcement included a description of the show.

"In Salt Lake City, UT, there are some Mormons who live their lives... a little differently," the announcement said. "There are some men who are happily married and attracted to their wives, but they are also attracted to other men. They refer to it as Same Sex Attraction... not gay, SSA. In the new TLC special, these couples share the challenges they face every day and explain why they have decided to live the way they do, and explore how these wives endure this unusual facet in their relationships as they strive to make their marriages work."

TLC will air "My Husband's Not Gay" on Sunday.

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