In the past week, you’ve likely seen “Pride month” displays from companies,
Sexual Orientation
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. Family Policy Alliance 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.
Today, Family Policy Alliance and our alliance of faith-based organizations, are working to ensure Americans have the right to live their lives in a manner free from state-sponsored punishment if they disagree with homosexual conduct. Every American must be free to live according to their sincerely held beliefs and convictions.
Sexuality in God’s Eyes
From God’s perspective, it is impossible to decouple sexual relations from the covenant of marriage. God created marriage as a lifelong covenant made between a man and a woman to which God Himself is witness. In this context, the word covenant refers to a solemn oath or promise — made till death do us part as well as traditionally, forsaking all others.
In Genesis 1:27 we read, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Later, in Genesis 2, we find Adam in the Garden alone. In response to Adam’s loneliness God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him,” (v.18). Man without woman is not good; we need one another. We complement one another. At the close of chapter 2, God ordains the covenant of marriage: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (v.24).
When the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, he establishes marriage as the only place for sexual relations, “But if they [those unmarried] cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1. Cor. 7:9). Paul invalidates the argument that sexual relations between unmarried persons is acceptable to God.
To be clear, when people engage in sexual conduct outside of the covenant of marriage, they are breaking God’s command. Is it any wonder then, why many of the challenges we face as a society are linked to sexual activity apart from the covenant of marriage? The abortion battle and the death of tens of millions; the epidemic of pornography; the #metoo movement; child trafficking; and the promotion of homosexual conduct in schools, all stem from violating God’s command.
A Symbol of Christ and His Church
In God’s revelation through the writing of Paul, it is revealed that the one flesh union of husband (male) and wife (female) is a living picture of a deeper spiritual reality. “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph. 3:32). God’s design is for marriage to demonstrate the divine Christ’s unity with the earthly Church — two distinct, yet complementary beings bound together for mutual benefit and enjoyment.
A Word to Those Who are Single
Living a pure, single life in our society today is challenging. Especially as we are all bombarded with the temptations of a hyper-sexualized culture. As a single person, you may feel as though life is unfulfilling or lonely. Yet despite what progressive media would have you think, our Lord Jesus Christ lived a single life of purity and was still joyful and fulfilled. The Apostle Paul too conducted his ministry as a single person (1. Cor. 7:7). They both found their intimacy and fellowship within the family of believers.
We are all to look to the church as our family. As Paul says to Timothy to think of the church as his own family; “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity (1 Tim. 5:1-2). Family is our source of the deepest fellowship.
The Christian’s Response and Responsibility
Today’s hyper-sexualized agenda that intentionally celebrates distortions of God’s design for sexuality — including any sexual activity outside of biblical marriage — is ultimately harmful to individuals, families, children and society itself. Truly loving our neighbors today means advocating for policies that advance good and preserve our right as Christian Americans to disagree when culture celebrates that which God has said is not good.
Part of being salt and light in our nation at this time is speaking Truth, even when that Truth is not popular or welcome. For if Christ-followers do not provide Truth and hope to those who are searching for a way out of the hyper-sexualized culture, who will?
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.”
Family Policy Alliance 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 Family Policy Alliance 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.
Family Policy Alliance 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.
Family Policy Alliance 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.
Family Policy Alliance 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
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.”
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
Family Policy Alliance is standing firm to protect our First Liberty, religious freedom, for all Americans, but this requires the Body of Christ to engage the culture. When religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and our nation prospers.
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.
CHECK THE STATUS OF THERAPY BAN LAWS IN YOUR STATE
Our alliance has stopped legislation in over 20 states that would ban licensed therapists from providing basic talk therapy to those struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction in the 2018 and 2019 legislative sessions.
Our state ally, California Family Council, played an instrumental role in helping to defeat a radical piece of legislation (CA AB 2943) that would have prohibited millions of people from purchasing services and resources that declare the power of Christ can overcome unwanted same-sex attraction — not just for children, but also for adults.
STATES THAT BAN BASIC TALK THERAPY FOR CHILDREN STRUGGLING WITH UNWANTED SAME-SEX ATTRACTION VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THERAPISTS, CHILDREN, AND PARENTS.
1 NJ, CA, NY, MA, ME. CO, CA, IL, VT, NM, CT, RI, NV, WA, DE, MD, NH, HI, D.C. and Puerto Rico
2 Roberts AL, Glymour MM, Koenen KC. Does maltreatment in childhood affect sexual orientation in adulthood?. Arch Sex Behav. 2013;42(2):161–171. doi:10.1007/s10508-012-0021-9
Reports of parental maltreatment during childhood in a United States population-based survey of homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual adults. Corliss HL, Cochran SD, Mays VM Child Abuse Negl. 2002 Nov; 26(11):1165-78.
Hughes TL, Haas AP, Razzano L, Cassidy R, Matthews A. Comparing lesbians’ and heterosexual women’s mental health: A multi-site survey. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services. 2000;11:57–76.
Pervasive trauma exposure among US sexual orientation minority adults and risk of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Roberts AL, Austin SB, Corliss HL, Vandermorris AK, Koenen KC, Am J Public Health. 2010 Dec; 100(12):2433-41.
Redefining the Family
Recent Supreme Court rulings require all states to permit adoption by same-sex couples. The increase of same-sex parenting has created a host of unforeseen consequences.
State governments and LGBTQ+ activist groups are relentlessly trying force a definition of family contrary to God’s design. They target faith-based adoption agencies, demanding the agencies place children in the homes of same-sex couples. As a result, adoption ministries that serve children, particularly older or special needs children who are harder to place, have been forced to choose between shutting down or violating their faith.
In the end, the real victims are the children who await forever homes and birth mothers whose choices become far more limited without faith-based agencies.
In other words, activists and some government bodies believe it is better to shut down a faith-based agency to advance their LGBTQ+ agenda than it is for that ministry to serve the community’s children in need of forever homes. Read more about the importance of Christian adoption agencies. Read more about the importance of Christian adoption agencies.
Although adoption is a legal option for all same-sex couples, many of these couples still desire to have their “own” children. Because of this desire to create a “biological” family, same-sex couples are using artificial reproductive technology such as in-vitro fertilization (through sperm and egg donation) and surrogacy (where a woman carries a baby for a couple).
For millennia, a biological mother has always been the woman who gives birth to her baby, and the strongest factual presumption in the law has been that the biological father is the man married to the mother. As a matter of biology, there can only be two parents who are the biological mother and father of a child.
Yet, now with assisted reproductive technology, the unprecedented creation of three and four-parent families has become a cultural reality. Courts and lawmakers are frantically trying to address the rights of multiple parents for the purpose of ensuring same-sex couples have legal rights to a child that can’t possibly be the natural child of both partners. In states that allow surrogacy contracts, the law now calls the couple paying for a child by surrogacy the “intended parents.” Through a surrogacy contract, a court gives the intended parents all the rights of biological parents, while at the same time, stripping the true biological parents of their right to parent their child — before the baby is even conceived.
Family Policy Alliance works to safeguard the fundamental, constitutional and God-given rights of families. We oppose state-based policies that allow same-sex couples to circumvent the legal adoption process, redefine the family, or allow for the purchasing and selling of children.
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