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| Remember how the anti-LGBTQ industry claimed that marriage equality would wreck society? They were wrong then, so why should we believe their predictions of doom about the Equality Act? |
With the Equality Act being pushed by Democrats in Congress, the anti-LGBTQ industry and its allies are already spinning dire predictions of its consequences (cue up the lies about transgender predators and so-called Christian businesses being driven out of business). But I think it's not necessarily a bad thing that they are doing this. We've come to expect their portents of doom.
And should take this opportunity to remind everyone about their past portents of doom concerning other LGBTQ issues, such as marriage equality. Last year, journalist Parker Malloy pointed out eight predictions the religious right made about what would happen if marriage equality became legal. And all eight predictions turned out to be wrong Here are two:
"Marriage equality will lead to legal bestiality."
This was a really common argument made by anti-equality pundits, politicians, and religious leaders leading up to and after the Supreme Court's decision.
"Watch what happens," warned Pat Robertson during a July 2015 episode of "The 700 Club." "Love affairs between men and animals are going to be absolutely permitted."
Appearing on "The Glenn Beck Show," Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) mused over a similar question. "If we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further — does it have to be humans? You know?" Oh, we know, senator.
Verdict: FALSE.
"Marriage equality will lead to the downfall of society."
By the mid-2000s, it had started to become clear that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) might not be as constitutionally sound as opponents of marriage equality would've liked. It was around then that they began trying to pass a bill called the "Marriage Protection Act," which would have amended the judiciary code to essentially say that federal courts weren't allowed to rule on DOMA at all.
In 2006, then-Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) laid out his argument in favor of the bill, warning of the dire consequences that could come with marriage equality.
"I believe that if someone chooses another lifestyle than I have chosen, that that is their right in a free society," he said, paying lip service to LGBTQ people's right to exist. "But tolerance does not require that we permit our courts to redefine an institution upon which our society depends. Marriage matters, according to the researchers. Harvard sociologist Pitirim Sorokin found that throughout history, societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family."
The sociologist Pence mentioned, Pitirim Sorokin, published the opinion being referenced in his 1937 book, "Social and Cultural Dynamics." It was controversial, to say the least. Citing Sorokin — and later saying "marriage should be protected because it wasn't our idea," pointing to the institution's supposed creation by a higher power — was a clever way for Pence to argue that his views that some people should have more rights than others was based in concern for society as opposed to bigotry.
Pence will certainly be happy to learn that society still exists, and if there is some larger threat to it, the origin likely has its roots in the current occupant of the Oval Office, not a happily married lesbian couple.
Verdict: FALSE.
Molloy also pointed out that several other claims 'marriage equality will lead to legal polygamy,' 'marriage equality will lead to more abortions,' 'marriage equality will lead to the outright criminalization of Christianity') turned out to be false. It was all about selling fear and exploiting religious privilege, just like now with their opposition of the Equality Act.
The only question is if these folks were so blatantly wrong with predictions about marriage equality, why on Earth should we believe any of them with regards to the Equality Act?
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