Homophobes have a branding problem. Most Americans now think gay sex is “acceptable” (how gracious of them) and thus are turned off by politicians and pundits who, say, compare homosexuality to pedophilia or generally think gay people are icky. Former National Organization for Marriage leader Maggie Gallagher has a genius solution: bring on the “Pro-Straight” Movement!
Gallagher recently penned a National Review op-ed regarding a growing societal problem: around six in ten Americans consider gay sex morally acceptable. Meanwhile, it’s considered “scandalous” for an ESPN reporter to say that gay people “are walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ,” or for a neurosurgeon to compare homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality. Man, do Americans have their priorities out of whack!
After grudgingly admitting that fewer and fewer people consider gay people inferior to straight people, Gallagher envisions a brave world in which “we can as a society eliminate cruel homophobia without jettisoning heteronormativity — which is the need for social norms and institutions to be oriented strongly around the problem and the blessing that sex between men and women makes babies.” Think Progress wittily called her philosophy “Pro-Straight.”
Nope, sorry. You can’t wax nostalgic about the good ol’ days when a man didn’t have to be afraid to publicly compare a gay person to a pedophile. Although the MRAs and “White Power” folks will certainly welcome the Pro-Straight movement with open arms.
[Think Progress]
Image via Marriage Debate.
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