IGF CultureWatch

A chance to celebrate bipartisanship on marriage equality is ignored by hyper-partisan Biden.

Added: Biden’s White House party and the way it was staged is giving the anti-gay right (including at the Heritage Foundation, among others) evidence that they were correct in opposing the bill. That’s unfortunate, given that the legislation is both “good for gays” and good for those who hold traditional religious views on marriage.

And worth repeating:

Behind the success of the Respect for Marriage Act, which mandated federal recognition for same-sex marriages, was a group of influential Republican donors and operatives, including some of the party’s most prominent gay leaders. https://t.co/dk0voTSn22

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 9, 2022

And this!

"One young man scolded me for saying “gay” instead of “queer,” which is apparently “more inclusive.” (Talk about “Don’t Say Gay”!)" https://t.co/SSiv8rMVnG via @intelligencer

— David Boaz (@David_Boaz) December 18, 2022

Also, Wayne Besen exmaines whether Brinton’s conversion-therapy-torture claims were “contrived or embellished to manipulate high-profile leaders and elevate themself into the upper echelons of LGBTQ+ activism.”

Puberty blockers stop sexual development, which after enough time won’t resume when blockers are stopped. When adults make the decision to transition, doctors have full packages to work with. But when sexual development is stopped before puberty, that’s not the case and the ability to have sexual activity leading to orgasm is likely to be gone or extremely diminished. That’s an inconvenient truth at odds with woke gender theory and the lucrative business of transing the kids.

This has become a human rights crisis.

Sweeping legal action needs to be taken immediately to stop the transing of children.

This should never happen to another child, ever again. pic.twitter.com/dLXDyu9YlZ

— Buffy the Trans Empire Slayer (@TransMpireSlayr) December 9, 2022

And this:

1/ It’s quite irresponsible for the NYT to claim that youth gender medicine treatments “have been shown to reduce suicide risk.” In late 2022 there’s just no excuse for this sort of misinformation anymore. I’m at a loss here. These studies have been *so* thoroughly critiqued. pic.twitter.com/RQ6L2wDnzT

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) December 10, 2022

Common-sense comments below are sure to make the LGBTQ+ woke kool-aid drinkers apoplectic. Heresy of the highest order against the new progressive faith that must never be challenged!

If people giving gender-affirming care actually CARED, they’d help us accept ourselves for who we are, not inject us with drugs and chop off body parts.

How is a “gender affirming” double mastectomy considered life-saving or medically necessary?

How did we get here?

— KC Miller (@KCMiller1225) December 13, 2022

Gender dysphoria remains the only mental health condition I’m aware of, in which the proposed treatment is to affirm the distressing thoughts inside one’s head and physically modify one’s body.

We don’t treat anorexia with liposuction.

We must safeguard children from harm.

— James Esses (@JamesEsses) July 28, 2022

Make no mistake, the GOP is moving forward on marriage equality.

39 House Republicans voted to codify marriage equality into federal law.

We are proud of these members and thank them for their courage, principles, and vision! https://t.co/BCuJdw7q2C

— Log Cabin Republicans (@LogCabinGOP) December 9, 2022

From the Heritage Foundation’s political action arm.

Yet this level of support from Republicans would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

Sen. Todd Young should be proud of his vote to codify same-sex marriage, a position the vast, vast majority of voters support. Including Republicans. https://t.co/6DLUmMRVre

— Dan K. Eberhart (@DanKEberhart) December 9, 2022

And Andy Craig’s tweets on the distinction between guaranteeing marriage equality and the overly broad application of sexual-orientation nondiscrimination laws to prosecute small business owners who, based on adherence to traditional religious beliefs, choose not to provide expressive services celebrating same-sex marriages.

Going all the way back to Obergefell and before, there’s been a concerted effort to conflate two totally distinct and independent things: civil marriage for same-sex couples and anti-discrimination laws covering sexual orientation.

— Andy Craig (@AndrewRCraig) November 17, 2022

Another view:. Even if you don’t think creating a wedding cake for a gay marriage is protected free speech (as I do, as expressive messaging), the case is stronger when it comes to website design.

I agree with Brad Polumbo but the difference is the state of Colorado would not prosecute the LGBTQ business owners.

Added:

I support a website designer’s legal right to refuse to design a gay wedding site, and I support this restaurant’s right to refuse to host an antigay organization https://t.co/Mh7CZAHMNG

— David Boaz (@David_Boaz) December 6, 2022

Worth repeating:

We are in Birmingham for the Conservative Party Conference, having frank conversations, dispelling myths and raising awareness of our aims with attendees. If you’re there, do feel free to come by our stall for a chat 👋#ConservativePartyconference2022 pic.twitter.com/KLlJVokLST

— LGB Alliance (@ALLIANCELGB) October 2, 2022

Here’s what compromise doesn’t look like:

More on RFMA:

Sad to have to point this out while families and loved ones are still mourning, but the crass politicization of these tragedies must be called out because it’s wrong.