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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Homo Psst? Conservatives? Wanna Shut Down the Gay Rights Movement?

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 2:43 PM

You can! And it's easy! Just give us what we want.

An advocacy group that was a major player in Connecticut’s gay marriage debate has decided to close its doors at the end of 2009.

Leaders at "Love Makes a Family" say the 10-year-old group wants to conclude its work on a victorious note in the wake of last fall’s state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

Social conservatives complain that the gay rights movement—the demos, the demands, the coverage, the campaigns—makes it so darn hard for them to "protect" their children from an awareness of the existence of homosexuality, which they want to do because... um... I guess because hearing about homosexuality can make someone homosexual. (If only we heard more about heterosexuality then no one would be gay.) But most of what we read about teh gays in the papers or see on our TVs—most of what their children are exposed to—wouldn't be written or broadcast if there weren't a debate about gay rights. No debate = nothing much to cover. Since gays and lesbians aren't going to go away—since we're going to keep demanding our rights until we've got 'em—the only way to end the debate is to give us what we want. All of it. Everything.

So, social conservatives, give us what we want. You'll get to hear a lot less about us, we'll get to enjoy our full civil rights—everybody wins! Including your gay children!

Comments (16) RSS

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It's Foucault's 'perverse implantation'...

Example #1. "Mommy, what's a blow job?" "Well, honey, it's what conservatives are obsessing about when they think of the President."

Example #2. "Daddy, what's gay marriage? Is that when two men love each other?" "No, son, it's what gets hateful people out of bed in the morning, and what makes the GOP some money."

Posted by eamon on April 1, 2009 at 2:49 PM

don't hold your breath, danny

Posted by not even warmed up yet on April 1, 2009 at 2:51 PM

These people, "conservatives", will not stop because their only motivation is using hate to rally bigots and get their money and votes. It's really got nothing to do with our fight for justice. You see the way they always lie about gay people.

Posted by Vince on April 1, 2009 at 3:00 PM

But then they might be forced to actually go out and help people. Why feed the hungry when there are so many gay people to hate?

Posted by very bad homo on April 1, 2009 at 3:18 PM

Of course the gay rights movement will not cause anyone to become gay, but there is a grain of truth in what conservatives say about it's influnce. The existence of a gay rights movement and the debates it creates validates young gay people and helps them accept that their homosexuality is perfectly acceptable. This did not happen much before Stonewall. It has with out a doubt helped many people come out of the closet and many of them in turn become active in the gay rights movement.
Conservatives should not hold their breath either because they are powerless to make our movement go away.

Posted by Heather on April 1, 2009 at 3:18 PM

Oh, don't worry Vince. If Gays received full emancipation tomorrow morning, the Far and Religious Right would only need about 48 hours at-most to find a new scape goat.

I'm guessing there's probably some passage in Leviticus somewhere that, when telephoned through ancient Hebrew-to-ancient-Greek-to-Latin-to-early-modern-English translates as something to the effect of: "left-handed, green eyed eaters of pork are an abomination in the sight of thy Lord", and the hysterical letters asking for donations to combat this scourge against morality will begin anew.

Trust me, they'll find some other group to hate - it's just what they do.

Posted by COMTE on April 1, 2009 at 3:26 PM

I want a pony on my birthday.

Posted by Sargon Bighorn on April 1, 2009 at 3:38 PM

hate is bad.
unless you are hating conservatives.

Posted by pot, meet kettle on April 1, 2009 at 3:39 PM

"...the only way to end the debate is to give us what we want."

Actually, there is one other way, but it's really expensive and involves killing lots of people.

Posted by Yeek on April 1, 2009 at 3:41 PM

@7
Adrian, is that you?

Posted by Enigma on April 1, 2009 at 3:49 PM

Give em an inch.

And they'll complain it's not eight.

Posted by Mr. Obvious on April 1, 2009 at 4:10 PM

@8 Nothing wrong with hate. Hate is good. It is discrimination and oppression that are bad. When the gays get the power and start changing the laws to limit the rights of conservatives, then you can call the kettle black.

Posted by Kip Waddle on April 1, 2009 at 4:15 PM

It does seem that it is always easier to point out the speck in another's eye, then to do the actual work of dealing with the plank in one's own eye.

The desire of the Religious Right to create a triumphalistic theocracy requires funding, so a new scape goat would need to be found.

Posted by kim in portland on April 1, 2009 at 4:26 PM

9
we're listening...

Posted by the 2nd Amendment shall make you free on April 1, 2009 at 6:07 PM

Dear Dan, thanks for saying "social conservatives." There are many, many Republicans who are Republicans because they are fiscally conservative. Just because a person is a Republican doesn't mean they are a fascist asshole trying to keep the gays down. I'm socially liberal and fiscally conservative, and I tend to vote Republican (not always, but a lot of the time). This doesn't make me one of the Religious Right who are trying to prevent gay marriage and abortion, etc

Posted by Liberal Conservative on April 1, 2009 at 6:43 PM

ooh..the gay children comment was a low blow, Dan:)

Posted by tired on April 1, 2009 at 8:02 PM