America Is Having a Huge Anti-Gay Moment

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://jezebel.com/marriage-equality-may-not-survive-this-era-of-gay-panic-1848770495


On the evening of June 2015, the White House lit up in rainbow colors. That day, the Supreme Court had delivered a 5-4 opinion (authored by the mercurial then-Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy) declaring same-sex marriage was lawful. Dignified, even! D.C. residents flocked to Lafayette Square to hug each other and celebrate this win—marketed as #LoveWins—after decades of defeat. Then-First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughter, Malia, even snuck outside of the White House to join the after-dark celebration.

It was a jubilant time! Is there a more straightforward way to say that so many were so excited because a better world seemed possible? So rarely do you get to live in good historic times. Queer people got married that day. Pride parades scheduled for the following weekend had a new frenetic, ecstatic energy. Lead Supreme Court plaintiff Jim Obergefell was a guest of honor at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade, riding in a convertible for cheering crowds.

I remember feeling the impact of Obergefell v. Hodges in waves. “They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right,” Kennedy wrote. A different kind of life could be possible. My partner and I could get married if we wanted to. Then-President Barack Obama compared the decision to “justice that arrives like a thunderbolt.”

Now, not even seven full years later, it appears that even the most obvious and popular victory in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights is on the conservative chopping block. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Obergefell was wrongly decided four times during the confirmation process for now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. It was the sprinkles on the homophobic/transphobic cake we’ve been forced to ingest for the last year as state legislatures attempt to legislate queers, gays and theys out of existence.

*snip*

[Carlitos Brigante]

1. K&R!

[msongs]

2. because jeebus nt

[Wednesdays]

11. What did jeebus have to say about homosexuality?

If I remember correctly, there was nothing.

[Biophilic]

3. No, I don't believe that America is having a huge anti-gay moment.

I do believe that there is a core group of conservatives that believe they are the last bastion against all the liberal movements and forces that have been marching forward over the last 60 or 75 years. They are terrified of that new world. We need to keep terrifying them and reminding everyone of the rights and freedoms that have been won and will continue to be won. They are on the wrong side of the arc. Yeah, they scare me a bit, but I won't be intimidated by them. We are right and they are wrong.

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. To take it a step further,

if they can ban abortion (and they have) they can ban gay marriage. I'm sure it is on the agenda.

[hamsterjill]

25. +1000

It’s all about controlling sex. Republicans have weird hang ups about sex - always have and always will.

[Amishman]

5. Activism outpaced the slow acceptance by the general public

A significant slice of the public was not ready for LBGTQ to enter the spotlight. There is a major difference between accepting something and celebrating it. Allowing LGBTQ characters to be center stage in media and making the subject no longer taboo in schools was too far too fast. Social change happens on a generational timeline.

What doesn't help is those who have been oppressed/suppressed are very eager and enthusiastic (and understandably so!) to talk about their experience and identity now that they can be more open about who they are, which makes the cultural clashes even sharper.

Not saying this is OK, just my observations on what is.

[onecaliberal]

6. NO I reject this. It is rapeublicons spreading hate and fear.

WE ARE THE MAJORITY.

[SoonerPride]

9. only if we vote

too many apathetic and disenfranchised voters to actually contrrol the country

otherwise we would have

abortion free and legal everywhere
free college
universal healthcare
lgbtq acceptance
systemic racism curbed and eliminated from our ingrained social structures

an outsized minority controls the country. (thanks electoral college)

[Bev54]

16. I agree it is the republicans and evangelicals that are attempting to go backwards

I think the majority of the country is much more progressive and realize that people are people. I remember when I was living in Thailand, how I was surprised at how being gay or transgender was not considered really different at all. They were far further ahead than most western countries.

[sop]

7. Anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-democracy, anti-science, anti-immigrant, anti-intellectual, anti-voting,

anti-civil rights, anti-free speech, anti-union, and a whole lot of other anti-stuff.

The rightwing religionists and corporatists have been organizing. We need to fight back. GOTV!

[milestogo]

8. I don't believe it is huge, just very loud.

[LakeArenal]

10. Okay.... since this is a big deal in Costa Rica....

I have to fix the subject line…..

The US as in the United States is having a “HUGE anti-gay moment.

Mexico, Canada and all the Central AMERICAN countries are all North Americans.

I’m reminded of it quite often here.

Are you surprised that they don’t always be lumped together as the US?

[tritsofme]

14. I don't think anyone was confused by the OP title...

[LakeArenal]

15. Exactly.... US always assumes that it means them.

That’s what this county’s point is.

[tritsofme]

21. That's how the word is used in the English language 🤷‍♂️

[LakeArenal]

22. It the United States. That is the correct term.

[tritsofme]

23. America is commonly understood to refer to the US in the English language.

Whether you happen to think it is correct or not, the common usage is what it is.

[Mad_Machine76]

12. I wouldn't say that "America" is having an anti-gay moment

Just a loud a vocal minority of bigots, some of whom happen to be firmly in control of some states.

[temporary311]

13. I'd say two mistakes were made.

The first was too much focus on judicial action, and not enough on legislation.

The second, and probably the bigger, was that too many people seemed to think it was over after the court decision. They'd won a battle and mistakenly thought they'd won the war.

[demigoddess]

17. be open about how being gay is not catching. That is what they are afraid of. That they will be

"converted". especially the men.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

18. One former political party, turned domestic terrorist organization, is just getting louder...

America has always had anti-gay problems, but it's gotten far far worse in recent months. It seemed to start with them not stealing 2020. Escalated after Chappelle's so-called "comedy" special. And has hit warp speed since the 25th month of 2020. The QOP doesn't even bother with leadership anymore. The only reason to be elected is to spread hate, and holy fuck... Nazis hate the trans worse than anyone or anything else, LGB's probably being a close second.

But these little fucking fascist fucks seem to live for bringing pain and misery upon this community anymore. 300+ bills. "Groomers". All of which is getting us targeting and threatened, and I know it's going to get worse. They're going to do what they can to legislate us away, then let their gun-humper cult finish the job.

People are shocked that some of us are so fucking angry, scared, anxious, depressed, etc..? Walk in our boots, world. It's getting to where I feel safer about ISIS than the QOP - only because ISIS is halfway around the world.

Some of us tried to warn you all about the domestic terrorists here - they wear suits and call themselves "Republicans".

After they're done terrorizing (destroying?) the trans community, someone else is next. Gays? Feminists? People of Color? Liberals?

First they came for...

[vercetti2021]

19. Not anti gay

Anti trans. They are on the warpath for us just wanting to be us.

[Tree Lady]

20. I still say the framers never would have set up

Two senators per state if they realized a bunch of small states with minority would lead the country.

We need a billionaire on our side to create communities in red states for us to take over some of the red states.

They will never give up power to make things more modern and fair, so there has to be another way.

[BlueWavePsych]

24. GOP wants Sharia law