The Opposition

Facebook Note from my friend, Kimball:

I came across this quote in my non-comprehensive research on the subject of gay rights:

"For the lesbian and gay movement, then, cultural goals include (but are not limited to) challenging dominant constructions of masculinity and femininity, homophobia, and the primacy of the gendered heterosexual nuclear family (heteronormativity). Political goals include changing laws and policies in order to gain new rights, benefits, and protections from harm."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_rights#cite_note-1

Insofar as this quote correctly characterizes opposition to Proposition 8, I support Proposition 8. I believe that gender, masculinity and femininity are important and essential to individuals, family and society. As to what 'dominant constructions of masculinity and femininity' refer to, I am not sure. I readily concede that there exist many cultural norms concerning masculinity and femininity that are unimportant at best and extremely damaging at worst. But at the end of the day, every person alive is the product of one man masculine enough and one woman feminine enough to get together, however briefly or committed to each other. (Indeed, anyone who is such a product deserves our individual and collective respect as a member of the human family. If people ever start resulting from some other way, I will revise my opinion accordingly, but until then, gender is critical to society in my view.)

Consequently, I am against homophobia, insomuch as it entails the devaluing or diminishing of anyone's humanity anywhere. I also do support anyone in their right to an aversion to unwelcome sexual advances.

I am in support of the primacy of the gendered heterosexual nuclear family.

The phrase, "new rights" did not escape me, and I think the relaxing of the concept of marriage in this case is an instance of an attempt to gain a right heretofore nonexistent. I also support any law that protects all people from harm. This is all I will say concerning the opposition to Proposition 8.

Most concerning to me is the implicit notion that the opposition hopes for no less than for society to assign the same sanctity to same-gender sex as to opposite-gender sex, which to me is offensive.

Whether or not this quote is overstating the intent of the opposition to Proposition 8 is another matter, but I suspect it is not. But I do respectfully and strongly disagree with the opposition to Proposition 8 (including many of you whom I care about) on these terms.

Kimball Bighorse
30 August 2008