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Gay agenda

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"Gay propaganda" redirects here. Not to be confused withRussian gay propaganda law.

"Gay agenda"or"homosexual agenda"is apejorative[1][2]term used by sectors of theChristian religious rightas a disparaging way to describe theadvocacy of cultural acceptance and normalizationofnon-heterosexualsexual orientations and relationships. The term originated amongsocial conservatives in the United Statesand has been adopted in nations with activeanti-LGBTmovements such asHungaryandUganda.

The term refers to efforts to change government policies and laws onLGBT rights–related issues. Additionally, it has been used by social conservatives and others to describe alleged goals of LGBT rights activists, such asrecruiting heterosexualsinto what conservatives term a "homosexual lifestyle".

Origins and usage

Origins

DVD cover titled "The Gay Agenda: The March on Washington" above a set of three pink boot prints marching close together from lower right to upper left
Cover of DVDThe Gay Agenda: March on Washington

In theUnited States,the phrase "gay agenda" was popularized by a video series produced by a California evangelical religious group called Springs of Life Ministries.[3]The first video of the series,The Gay Agenda,was released in 1992 and distributed to hundreds ofChristian rightorganizations.[4] Tens of thousands of copies of the video were sold, it was distributed to theUnited States Congress,and Commandant of the Marine CorpsCarl Mundy Jr.gave it to the other members of theJoint Chiefs of Staff.[5] In 1992, theOregon Citizens Alliance(OCA) used the video in their campaign forOregon Ballot Measure 9,opposing what the OCA called "special rights"for gays,lesbians,andbisexuals.[3][6]

The Gay Agendawas followed by three other video productions made available through Christian right organizations and containing interviews withopponents of LGBT rights,intended to expose the lesbian and gay movement's secret plans for America:The Gay Agenda in Public Education(1993),The Gay Agenda: March on Washington(1993), and a feature-length follow-up to the original,Stonewall: 25 Years of Deception(1994).[4]

Usage in the United States

The term "gay agenda" or "radical gay agenda" has been used by members of the Christian right to refer to efforts to change government policies and laws on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues, for example,same-sex marriageandcivil unions,LGBT adoption,recognizingsexual orientation as a protected civil rights minority classification,LGBT military participation,inclusion ofLGBT historyand themes inpublic education,introduction ofanti-bullying legislationto protect LGBT minors—as well as non-governmental campaigns and individual actions that increase visibility and cultural acceptance of LGBT people, relationships, and identities. The term has also been used by somesocial conservativesto describe alleged goals ofLGBT rightsactivists, such as supposedrecruitmentof heterosexuals into a "homosexual lifestyle".[7][8] ColumnistJames Kirchickwrites that the idea of a "homosexual agenda" to subvert American cultural and family institutions largely replaced earlier panic over the "Homintern",an alleged gay conspiracy to undermine the U.S. government.[9]

The term has been used in response to efforts to include protections for LGBT people under local and stateanti-discrimination laws,[10]as well as U.S. Supreme Court cases that granted new rights to LGBT individuals, such asLawrence v. TexasandObergefell v. Hodges,which respectively held that private acts of consensual sex between same-sex couples and the right of same-sex couples to marry were fundamental rights guaranteed under theEqual Protection Clauseof the U.S. Constitution.[11] In his 2003 dissent inLawrence,U.S. Supreme Court JusticeAntonin Scaliasaid the court had become embroiled in aculture warby seeking to protect homosexuals from discrimination, writing that the decision reflected a "law-profession culture, that has largely signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda".[12]

Conservative Christian groups such as theAlliance Defending Freedom(ADF), theCatholic Family & Human Rights Institute(C-Fam), and theWorld Congress of Families(WCF) have used the term in their literature.[13]: 15–18  According to its website, ADF has litigated numerous anti–gay rights cases in countries outside the US, in order to combat the "homosexual agenda" which it claims will "destroy marriage and undermine religious freedom".[13]: 9  ADF presidentAlan Searspublished a book in 2003 titledThe Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Freedom Today,which argues that overturninganti-sodomy lawswould lead to the legalization of pedophilia,incest,polygamy,andbestiality.[13]: 15 

American conservative Christian groups such as theFamily Research Council(FRC) have cited fears of a "homosexual agenda" in lobbying against extendinghate-crimelegislation to cover acts motivated by bias against a person'ssexual orientationorgender identity,[14] as well as public-school curricula about homosexuality introduced in an effort to reduce bullying.[15]

American conservative Christian organizations have continued public screenings of videos alleging a homosexual agenda as of 2022.[16]

Usage outside the United States

Africa

AmericanChristian rightorganizations that are losing acceptance among Americans have had more success promoting the notion of a gay agenda in Africa. Examples includeHuman Life International,American Center for Law & JusticeandFamily Watch International.Zambian scholarKapya John Kaomaconsiders these organizationscolonialpowers, working to expand American dominance of Africa.[17]In Africa, fear of a "Western gay agenda" is frequently used by opponents of LGBT rights.[18]

The concept was used in a series of talks in 2009 by American evangelical Christians inKampala.[19][20]A speaker at one such workshop said,"[Parliament]feels it is necessary to draft a new law that deals comprehensively with the issue of homosexuality and [...] takes into account the international gay agenda. "[20]The eventual result of this campaign was theAnti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009(nicknamed the "Kill the Gays Bill" ), which imposed thedeath penaltyfor homosexual behavior; this was altered to life imprisonment after the loss of foreign aid was threatened by other countries including the U.S.[19]

In 2021, the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference called for LGBT rights organizations to be kicked out of their office space inAccrabecause of the belief that they promote the homosexual agenda.[21]

Europe

In Hungary,László Toroczkai,former vice president of the far-right political partyJobbik,has complained of the perceived "homosexual agenda".[22] Toroczkai introduced a law banning public displays of affection by gay people in 2017.[23]

Central America

Beforedecriminalization of homosexuality in Belize,the LGBT and anti-AIDS organization United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) was lambasted in theAmandalanewspaper and by American evangelicals who accused the group of trying to bring the "gay 'agenda'"to the country.[13]: 19 

International organizations

In 2019, two prominentRoman Catholiccardinals –Raymond Leo BurkeandWalter Brandmuller– wrote an open letter toPope Franciscalling for an end of "the plague of the homosexual agenda" to which they in part attributed the sexual abuse crisis engulfing the Catholic Church. They claimed the agenda was spread by "organized networks" protected by a "conspiracy of silence".[24]

Speakers from many nations inveigh against the perceived homosexual agenda at theWorld Congress of Familiesannual summit, a focal point of the worldwide "pro-family"movement.[25]

Responses

TheGay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation(GLAAD) describes the terms "gay agenda" and "homosexual agenda" as a "rhetorical invention ofanti-gayextremists seeking to create a climate of fear by portraying the pursuit of civil rights for LGBT people as sinister ".[26]

Some writers[who?]have described the term aspejorative.[27][unreliable source?] Commentators have remarked on a lack of realism and veracity to the idea of a gay agendaper se.[28][29] Such campaigns based on a presumed "gay agenda" have been described asanti-gay propagandaby researchers and critics.[who?][30][31]

At a press conference on December 22, 2010, U.S. RepresentativeBarney Franksaid that the "gay agenda" is

to be protected against violent crimes driven by bigotry, it's to be able to get married, it's to be able to get a job, and it's to be able to fight for our country. For those who are worried about the radical homosexual agenda, let me put them on notice. Two down, two to go.[32]

Satire

Smiling man in sunglasses at an outdoor rally, displaying a hand-lettered sign which reads, "Free Hugs from a Militant Atheist with a Gay Agenda"
A man satirizing the concept of a gay agenda at theRally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

Asatirical1987 essay by Michael Swift entitled "Gay Revolutionary[ru]"appeared inGay Community News,describing a scenario in which homosexual men dominateAmerican societyand suppress all things heterosexual. The opening line, which read "This essay is an outré, madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage, on how the oppressed desperately dream of being the oppressor", was omitted when the essay was reprinted inCongressional Recordand cited by later religious right publications.[33] The essay has often been cited by conservative Christian authors as proof of a secretive conspiracy to corrupt American youth and subvert thenuclear family,particularly the following paragraph:

We shall sodomize your sons, emblems of your feeble masculinity, of your shallow dreams and vulgar lies. We shall seduce them in your schools, in your dormitories, in your gymnasiums, in your locker rooms, in your sports arenas, in your seminaries, in your youth groups, in your movie theater bathrooms, in your army bunkhouses, in your truck stops, in your all-male clubs, in your house of Congress, wherever men are with men together. Your sons shall become our minions to do our bidding. They will be recast in our image; they will come to crave and adore us.[34]

The term is sometimes used satirically as a counterfoil by people who would normally find the term offensive, such as the spoof agenda found on theBetty Bowerswebsite,[35]and as the name of a stand-up comedy show inPraguethat is a fundraiser for AIDS relief efforts.[36]

On a 2007 episode ofThe Daily Show,Jon Stewartdefined the gay agenda as "gay marriage,civil rightsprotection,Fleet Weekexpanded to Fleet Year,Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) assistance for whenit's raining men,Kathy Griffinto host everything and a nationwide ban onpleated pants".[37]

Reappropriation

Some LGBT activists seek toreappropriatethe term "gay agenda" for their own use.[38]

In 2008, openly gay BishopGene Robinsondeclared that "Jesus is the agenda, the homosexual agenda in the Episcopal Church"[39]and that the "homosexual agenda [...] is Jesus".[40]

Apolitical action committee(PAC) named Agenda PAC was inspired by the notion of the gay agenda. The PAC is led by LGBT politicians includingMalcolm KenyattaandMegan Hunt,and advocates for greater LGBT political representation.[38] American rapperLil Nas Xthanked the "gay agenda" in his acceptance speech at the 2021MTV Video Music Awards.[41]

See also

References

  1. ^Brindle, Andrew (2016).The Language of Hate: A Corpus Lingusitic Analysis of White Supremacist Language.Routledge Advances in Corpus Linguistics.Routledge.p. 20.ISBN978-1-317-55260-4.
  2. ^Wagner, R. Richard (2020).Coming Out, Moving Forward: Wisconsin’s Recent Gay History.Wisconsin Historical Society.p. 69.ISBN978-0-870-20928-4.
  3. ^abAlvarado, Cheney; Churchill, Lindsey (2019). "Radical Gay Agenda". In Pierceson, Jason (ed.).LGBTQ Americans in the U.S. Political System: An Encyclopedia of Activists, Voters, Candidates, and Officeholders, Volume 2.Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 351.ISBN978-1-4408-5277-0.
  4. ^abHerman, Didi (1997).The Antigay Agenda: Orthodox Vision and the Christian Right.University of Chicago Press. pp. 80–81.ISBN0-2263-2764-7.
  5. ^Colker, David (22 February 1993)."Anti-Gay Video Highlights Church's Agenda".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved7 May2021.
  6. ^Staggenborg, Suzanne (2016).Social Movements(2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 157.ISBN978-0-1993-6359-9.
  7. ^Alvarado & Churchill (2019),pp. 351–353.
  8. ^Sources:
  9. ^Kirchick, James (31 May 2022)."The Long, Sordid History of the Gay Conspiracy Theory".Intelligencer.New York.Homophobia still had a conspiratorial tinge, to be sure, but the fearsome machinations of the 'Homintern' were updated to that of a 'homosexual agenda' whose goals (equality in marriage, military service, and the workplace) were now out in the open.
  10. ^Cobb, Michael L. (2006).God Hates Fags: The Rhetorics of Religious Violence(annotated ed.). NYU Press. p. 119.ISBN978-0-8147-1668-7.
  11. ^Alvarado & Churchill (2019),p. 352.
  12. ^Kranz, Rachel; Cusick, Tim (2005).Gay Rights(revised ed.). New York: Facts on File. pp. 131–132.ISBN978-1-4381-2549-7.
  13. ^abcdBeirich, Heidi (July 2013).Dangerous Liaisons: The American Religious Right & the Criminalization of Homosexuality in Belize(PDF)(Report). Montgomery, Ala.: Southern Poverty Law Center.
  14. ^Thompson, A. C.; Lee, Patrick G. (6 February 2017)."Claims of 'Homosexual Agenda' Help Kill Hate Crimes Laws in 5 States".ProPublica.
  15. ^Eckholm, Erik (6 November 2010)."In Efforts to End Bullying, Some See Agenda".The New York Times.
  16. ^Vaughan, Carson (15 July 2022)."Minds polluted? Film claims teachers are 'grooming' students. Experts say it's filled with falsehoods".Flatwater Free Press.
  17. ^Kaoma, Kapya John (2012). "Sharon Slater, Family Watch International".Colonizing African Values(PDF).Political Research Associates. pp. v–ix.ISBN978-0-915987-26-9.
  18. ^van Klinken, Adriaan (2017)."Culture Wars, Race, and Sexuality: A Nascent Pan-African LGBT-Affirming Christian Movement and the Future of Christianity".Journal of Africana Religions.5(2): 217–238.doi:10.5325/jafrireli.5.2.0217.ISSN2165-5405.JSTOR10.5325/jafrireli.5.2.0217.
  19. ^abGettleman, Jeffrey (3 January 2010)."Americans' Role Seen in Uganda Anti-Gay Push".The New York Times.Retrieved5 November2022.
  20. ^abKaoma, Kapya (Winter 2009)."The US Christian Right and the Attack on Gays in Africa".The Public Eye.Vol. 24, no. 4. Political Research Associates.Retrieved5 November2022.
  21. ^Neliba, Arnold (23 February 2021)."Church Warns European Union against Pushing Homosexual Agenda in Country".Catholic Information Service for Africa.Nairobi.Retrieved4 May2021.
  22. ^"Hungarian top court overturns village's ban on mosques and LGBT displays".TellMAMA: Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks.12 April 2017.Retrieved4 May2021.
  23. ^Benke, Erika (7 February 2021)."The village aiming to create a white utopia".BBC Victoria Derbyshire programme.Retrieved4 May2021.
  24. ^"Catholic cardinals urge end of 'homosexual agenda'".BBC News.20 February 2019.Retrieved5 November2022.
  25. ^Provost, Claire (6 June 2017)."'This is a war': Inside the global 'pro-family' movement against abortion and LGBT rights ".OpenDemocracy.net.Retrieved4 May2021.
  26. ^"GLAAD Media Reference Guide: Offensive Terms to Avoid".GLAAD. 9 September 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 20 April 2012.Retrieved27 June2012.
  27. ^F. Earle Fox; David W. Virtue (2002).Homosexuality: Good and Right in the Eyes of God?.Emmaus Ministries. pp. 269–.ISBN978-0-945778-01-1.
  28. ^Bouley, Charles Karel II (22 February 2005)."The gay agenda revealed!".The Advocate.Retrieved27 April2021.
  29. ^Sa'at, Alfian (10 March 2007)."Iced Bandung – What Is The Gay Agenda?".Trevvy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 7 March 2008.
  30. ^Irvine, Janice M. (1997). "One Generation Post-Stonewall: Political Contests over Lesbian and Gay School Reform". In Duberman, Martin B. (ed.).A Queer World: The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader.New York University Press. p. 581.ISBN978-0-8147-1875-9.
  31. ^Mason, Gail; Tomsen, Stephen (1997).Homophobic violence.Hawkins Press.ISBN978-1-876067-04-5.[page needed]
  32. ^"Barney Frank Reveals Gay Agenda".The Advocate.22 December 2010.Retrieved4 July2012.
  33. ^Halsall, Paul, ed. (2023)."People with a History: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans* History Sourcebook | Michael Swift: 'Gay Revolutionary'".Internet History Sourcebooks Project.Fordham University.Retrieved7 March2024.
  34. ^Herman (1997),p. 85.
  35. ^"Thanks to Betty Bowers, homosexuals' sneaky little secrets are now revealed to the godly: The Homosexual Agenda!".Bettybowers.com.n.d. Archived fromthe originalon 9 October 2000.
  36. ^Howlings, Eva (21 January 2020)."Prague's only LGBTQ comedy troupe cracks jokes, topples barriers".Expats.cz.Prague.Retrieved5 November2022.
  37. ^Masaki, Lyle (15 August 2007)."Jon Stewart spells out the gay agenda".Logo TV.Retrieved5 November2022.
  38. ^abRiley, John (1 September 2022)."'Agenda PAC' launches to defeat anti-LGBTQ candidates ".Metro Weekly.
  39. ^Robinson, V. Gene (14 June 2006)."'Jesus is the Homosexual Agenda'"(Address at the 75th Episcopal General Convention).Retrieved5 November2022– via Beliefnet.com.
  40. ^De Santis, Solange (13 July 2008)."Church need not be afraid, New Hampshire bishop tells Putney gathering".Episcopal Life Online.Archived fromthe originalon 17 July 2008.
  41. ^Exposito, Suzy (12 September 2021)."Lil Nas X wins video of the year at the 2021 MTV VMAs: 'Thank you to the gay agenda!'".Los Angeles Times.

Further reading

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