Sexuality is a God-given gift to be expressed within the context of a marriage between one man and one woman for life. Forms of sexual interaction outside of marriage distort God’s gift of sexuality.
God’s truth about sexuality and marriage is deeply rooted in Christianity and many other religions and cultures. As such, countless Americans oppose the contentious crusade of LGBTQ+ activists to elevate false forms of sexuality, particularly homosexuality, in law and culture. Increasingly, activists are attempting to use the law to force compliance of anyone who disagrees with their ideology.
Men and woman should not be punished by the government for believing God’s design for sexuality is good. Kansas Family Voice advances policies that protect the right of Americans to freely exercise their faith (including disagreeing with sexual relationships apart from God’s design of marriage) and opposes policies that seek to force families to accept, and even celebrate, the LGBTQ+ agenda.
MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL
Sexual orientation is a term used to refer to an individual’s romantic and/or sexual attraction.
HETEROSEXUAL
Attraction to the opposite sex.
HOMOSEXUAL
Attraction to the same sex.
BISEXUAL
Attraction to both the opposite and same sex.
LGBT ACTIVISTS OFTEN CLAIM THERE ARE BETWEEN 10 AND 50 SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS THAT INCLUDE VARYING DEFINITIONS OF GENDER IDENTITY.
HOW DID OUR NATION GET HERE?
LGBTQ+ activist organizations have been working for many decades through pop culture and the media to normalize homosexual behavior within American culture. At the same time, they have pushed state and federal governments to recognize their same-sex relationships in an official capacity.
In 2000, Vermont became the first state in the nation to offer a legal alternative to marriage for same-sex couples called civil unions. Although civil unions weren’t recognized by the federal government, the state form of civil unions granted all the benefits of marriage without hijacking the definition and name. Yet, gay activists argued “civil unions” were discriminatory because state governments refused to call these unions “marriages”.
Fifteen years later, Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) was decided by a slim majority of Supreme Court Justices. This case changed the legal definition of marriage in a sprawling opinion that forced same sex “marriage” on every state in our nation. The legalization of “same-sex marriage” gave LGBTQ+ activists and their allies in government the firepower they needed to go after the foundational religious beliefs of Americans whose faith teaches that marriage is a union between one man and one woman for life.
Activists have used laws, lawsuits, policy, regulations, executive orders, pop culture and intense pressure on businesses to force the viewpoint that same-sex attraction is morally good and acceptable. This is a social and moral issue where the forced acceptance of homosexual conduct has no reasonable place in the hands of government.
Schools forced to teach children that homosexual conduct is healthy and acceptable.
Small businesses forced to contradict their deeply held beliefs about sexuality.
Health care professionals forced to counsel clients that homosexual behavior is a healthy choice.
Adoption agencies and courts forced to accommodate for new definitions of family.
WHAT IS SOGI AND WHY IS IT DANGEROUS?
Sexual orientation and gender identity laws, or SOGI laws, either attempt to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to civil rights codes that protect groups based upon race, sex, religion, etc., or they attempt to redefine the term “sex” to include “sexual orientation.”
Kansas Family Voice does not support these efforts because laws that prevent discrimination based upon biological sex already apply to both gay and straight people, alike. In addition, there is no evidence sexual orientation is an immutable, involuntary, and an innate characteristic like race, color and sex. It is very difficult to ask the government to provide protections to people based upon a fluid, changeable behavior that can only be defined by a single individual at a time.
To date, more than 90 percent of the state legislation that would make “sexual orientation” a protected class (providing special rights to a very small minority of the population based upon their sexual attractions) has been stopped by Kansas Family Voice and our allies. Read more about SOGIs
THE FEDERAL (IN)EQUALITY ACT
One of the most alarming SOGI examples is the so-called Equality Act (H.R. 5) introduced in Congress and passed by the House of Representatives in 2019.
If signed into law, this act would elevate homosexual and bisexual attraction (but not heterosexual attraction) to a federal protected class status. This would mean existing religious freedom and religious protection statutes would no longer be a valid defense against the LGBTQ+ agenda. Read more about the meaning of protected class status.
Under the Equality Act, religious convictions don’t matter. Churches would likely have to host same-sex wedding ceremonies and might even be required to remove materials from their resource centers that teach homosexual relationships are not in line with the Word of God.
The so-called Equality Act would quite literally eliminate the right of Americans to publicly object to the LGBTQ+ agenda without risking severe consequences from the government. Learn More
SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN SCHOOLS
Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and national LGBTQ+ activist organizations state that traditional (including religious) convictions about sex create “shame, stigma, and fear”1 and is considered “discriminatory” against LGBTQ students.
COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION
Comprehensive sex education (CSE) laws often require schools to teach students that homosexuality is a normal, safe and healthy part of human sexuality, though this is far from the truth. People engaging in homosexual sex are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, and STDs, and may be at higher risk for partner abuse.2
Mandatory CSE laws also conflict with the personal beliefs and values of many American families and students. Most families believe delayed sexual activity is in the best interest of their child’s socio-emotional health.3 These laws often prohibit teachers from stressing abstinence as the healthiest option for students.
Kansas Family Voice works with state legislatures and leaders to promote sex education policies that allow parents to direct the material and content their child will be exposed to.
LGBTQ+ CONTENT IN SCHOOL CURRICULUMS
Some states4 have also passed laws that require historical figures who may have been LGBT to be identified in classroom content and textbooks for math, history, civics, science classes and more.
Since these laws do not consider whether the historical figures’ sexual attractions and sexual identity have anything to do with the content and material, it is clear these laws represent state indoctrination of children. We don’t need to know who Abraham Lincoln was sexually involved with to learn about his important contributions to our history.
Kansas Family Voice opposes laws that mandate these wildly controversial curriculums in our schools. We believe parents must retain the ultimate right to direct their children’s education and values.
SCHOOL ANTI-BULLYING POLICIES
We all agree that bullying is harmful. Almost all U.S. states have anti-bullying policies in schools. Yet, the LGBTQ+ lobby has hijacked these policies to use them against students and teachers that disagree with their sexual agenda.
The speech of students and teachers is being censored with these policies. Students are being punished for “bullying” simply for saying they believe homosexuality is wrong.
In America, only parents have the constitutional right to direct the moral upbringing of their children, not schools.
Kansas Family Voice advocates for the religious freedoms and free-speech rights of both teachers and students because constitutional rights do not fade away at the schoolhouse door.
1 Colorado’s Comprehensive Sex Education House Bill 1032 (2018)(enacted)
2 Fergusson et al. 1999, Herrell et al. 1999, Sandfort et al. 2001, and e.g. Bailey 1999
Fergusson, D.M.; Horwood,L.J.; Beautrais,A.L. (1999): Is sexual orientation related to mental health problems and suicidality in young people? Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 56, 876-880.
Herrell,R.; Goldberg,J.; True, W.R.; Ramakrishnan, V.; Lyons, M.; Eisen, S.; Tsuang, M.T. (1999): Sexual orientation and suicidality: a co-twin control study in adult men. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 56, 867-874.
Sandfort, T.G.M.; de Graaf, R.; Bijl, R.V.; Schnabel (2001): Same-sex sexual behavior and psychiatric disorders. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. 58, 85-91
Bailey, J.M. (1999): Commentary: Homosexuality and mental illness. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. 56, 876-880.
3 See for example: Kantor L, Levitz N. Parents’ views on sex education in schools: How much do Democrats and Republicans agree?. PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180250. Published 2017 Jul 3. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180250
Robert Rector, Melissa G. Pardue and Shannan Martin, “What Do Parents Want Taught in Sex Education Programs?” The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, No. 1772, January 28, 2004.
4 IL, NJ, CO, CA, WA & D.C.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN THE MARKETPLACE
The state has a duty to treat businesses and other organizations with neutrality, not target those who have politically unpopular religious convictions.
BUSINESS OWNERS
LGBTQ+ activist organizations support the state government’s ability to fine or sanction private businesses if they do not support same-sex wedding ceremonies. Masterpiece Cakeshop is a highly publicized case out of Colorado where a same-sex couple sued a bakery and its owner, Jack Phillips, because he declined to use his artistic ability to create a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony. The Supreme Court harshly admonished the Colorado government for its clear hostility toward Jack’s faith, and Jack’s religious freedom was protected. Learn more about Religious Freedom and Business
HOUSING
Private housing communities reserve the right to refuse housing to applicants who do not meet community standards (age restrictions, faith affiliation, or felony conviction). LGBTQ+ activist organizations have sued faith-based housing communities for declining to admit same-sex couples. In one recent case, the Eighth Circuit ruled in favor of the faith-based community declaring “sex” does not mean “sexual orientation,” and the community had the right to conduct their business according to their religious beliefs.
HOSPITALS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES
Hospitals and insurance companies in some states are required to provide fertility treatments for same-sex couples, even if this violates their religious beliefs. As a result of the Obergefell case which legalized “same-sex” marriage in the U.S., employers must also provide insurance and spousal benefits for same-sex couples, even if it violates the mission and religious convictions of the organization. Learn more about Religious Freedom and Healthcare
THERAPY BANS
Currently, 18 states plus D.C.1 have banned access for children to basic talk therapy to resolve unwanted same-sex attraction. These laws say that a “gay identity” must be acceptable and desirable for every child in every situation.
Often referred to as “conversion therapy” bans because they falsely claim that no child struggling with same-sex attraction can want to be “straight” without abuse or coercion by therapist’s intent on converting them.
Watch this video to hear the perspective of someone helped by therapy.
There are already laws against abusive and coercive therapy, and there are virtually no recent examples of licensed mental health care professionals attempting to “convert” anyone. What these laws actually do is prohibit therapists from reaching a medical conclusion that a child’s same-sex attraction may be harmful for that child. The therapy bans do not take into account studies2 that have found an association between childhood abuse and same-sex attraction.
In the 18 states that ban talk therapy:
Therapists are prohibited from coming to a medical conclusion that a child’s same-sex attraction is harmful because it arose from abuse or emotional distress.
Therapists are prohibited from coming to a medical conclusion that a child’s same-sex attraction is undesirable because of a child’s religious and moral beliefs.
Families are unable to determine the goals of their own children’s therapy, in line with the family’s religious or moral beliefs.
Therapy ban laws also attach civil and criminal penalties for therapists who do not fall in line. Some states have even tried to label parents and therapists as child-abusers if they seek therapy for their child to help resolve unwanted same-sex attraction.
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