life on the Street

liberal homophobia

It's an interesting article, chronicling the free pass that liberals, especially politicians, get from large swaths of the gay community despite documented ambivalence (or worse) against gays.

Of course, the author makes clear that conservatives are unarguably worse, but what really bothers me is the continuance of the fallacy that everyone who is conservative or on the "right" is anti-gay, or anti-gay rights. This paragraph is emblematic:

In the realm of politics -- the main arena where the tangible struggles for gay equality play out -- there is no argument to be had about whether it is liberals or conservatives who are predominantly on the side of gays. By no means do the instances of liberal homophobia cited above amount to the same sort of organized campaign of intolerance that is a sustaining principle of the religious right. But the emphasis that the left places on its role in securing gay rights is vastly overstated, and in the public square, another arena in the battle for gay civil rights, liberals have foisted a discourse that is at times reactionary and outright hostile. Support for gay rights legislation -- when they feel like supporting it -- does not absolve liberals of homophobia, however casual it may at first appear. It’s well past time to put to rest the conviction that antigay bigotry is the exclusive province of the Right.

Here, we have three different words, con-fused to describe us Others: "conservatives," "the religious right," and "the Right." I'd argue that it's really only the religious right that is fairly painted as anti. What about secular conservatives, or those that identify as conservative out of a genuine conviction that government has no place regulating these sorts of things? What about libertarians, who are often, fairly or not, classified as on the right side of the spectrum?

It's good to see some attention, especially in a publication like the Advocate, being paid to the fact that not all liberals or Democrats are down for the struggle. The honesty is refreshing. I don't think it's too much to ask, though, to extend that honesty and respect to your traditional opponents. Isn't that what equality is about anyway?