LGBT conservatism
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LGBT conservatism refers to
History
Before the Stonewall riots
In France, in 1791, Louis Michel le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau presented a new criminal code to the national Constituent Assembly.[1] He explained that it outlawed only "true crimes", and not "phony offenses created by superstition, feudalism, the tax system, and [royal] despotism".[1] He did not list the crimes "created by superstition". The new penal code did not mention blasphemy, heresy, sacrilege, witchcraft, incest or homosexuality, these former offences were decriminalized. In 1810, a new criminal code was issued under Napoleon. As with the Penal Code of 1791, it did not contain provisions for religious crimes, incest or homosexuality. In 1852, under the prime ministership of the Duke of Saldanha, a liberal-conservative Cartista, same-sex sexual intercourse was legalized throughout Portugal.[2]
In 1870, the draft penal law submitted by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck to the North German Confederation retained the relevant Prussian penal provisions criminalizing male same-sex sexual intercourse, justifying this out of concern for "public opinion":
Even though one can justify the omission of these penal provisions from the standpoint of Medicine as well as on grounds taken from certain theories of criminal law – the public's sense of justice (das Rechtsbewußtsein im Volke) views these acts not merely as vices but as crimes [...].
On May 15, 1871, under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Paragraph 175 was enacted throughout the German Empire.
In August 1885, under Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, the Labouchere Amendment passed August 7, 1885 becoming Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885.[3]
In 1887, during the period known as the Conservative Republic (Spanish: República Conservadora), same-sex sexual intercourse was legalized throughout Argentina.[4]
On February 24, 1954, British Prime Minister
In 2007, Brian Coleman, a former openly gay Conservative member of the London Assembly and former mayor of Barnet, wrote in the New Statesman that in the mid-1950s, London police were aware that future Prime Minister Edward Heath was "cottaging" (seeking out anonymous sex partners in public lavatories) and that they warned him to stop, lest it damage his career. Coleman also claimed that gays "ran" the Conservative Party in London for many years, suggesting Heath may have been "protected". "[Britain] had managed for decades with gay men holding a significant number of public offices", Coleman wrote.[6]
In 1957, after the international conference Wolfenden50, the Conservative government appointed the Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution 1957 to investigate what were perceived as two increasing social problems, in the context of rising prosecutions. The committees terms of reference asked members to consider 'the law and practice' relating to both 'homosexual offences and the treatment of persons convicted of such offences' and to offences connected to 'prostitution and solicitation for immoral purposes'. The association between homosexuality and prostitution reflected the committee's assumption that both were forms of deviance threatening the family as 'the basic unit of society'. The committee's report in 1957 included as its first recommendation 'That homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private be no longer a criminal offence'; other recommendations sought the tightening of the law concerning public same-sex behaviour and street prostitution, although acts of selling sex would remain legal.[7]
In May 1965,
Prospective Conservative Prime Minister
When the Sexual Offences Act 1967 passed in 1967, only a handful of Conservatives voted for the decriminalization of male same-sex sexual intercourse, including future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.[8]
On June 25, 1969, shortly before the end of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Grand Coalition headed by CDU Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger, Paragraph 175 was reformed, in that only the "qualified cases" that were previously handled in §175a – sex with a man less than 21 years old, homosexual prostitution, and the exploitation of a relationship of dependency (such as employing or supervising a person in a work situation) – were retained. Paragraph 175b (concerning bestiality) also was removed.
After the Stonewall riots
Rise of LGBT conservatism
In 1975, the
In 2007,
During the First Thatcher ministry, Criminal Justice Act 1980 was passed in 1980, legalizing same-sex sexual intercourse in Scotland.
On May 28, 1988, during the Third Thatcher ministry, Clause 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 received a 2 to 1 majority in the House of Lords and a vote of 254 to 201 in the House of Commons.[11]
In 1991, the CGHE reconstituted at the Conservative Party Conference and renamed the Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality (TORCHE). The organization would remain active til 2004 when it disbanded.[12]
On April 21, 2003, the
On June 24, 2004, Fine Gael proposed legalizing civil partnerships for same-sex and opposite-sex couples who choose not to marry, the first Irish political party to do so.[13] In November 2004, in reaction to the legal challenge on tax issues Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern said "Couples want equality and we should try to deal with some of those issues" but added that moves to legalise gay marriage are "a long way off".[14] During the 2004 Irish presidential election, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Progressive Democrats, produced policies or made statements in favor of varying forms of recognition for same-sex couples. During the 2007 Irish general election, the manifestos of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Progressive Democrats, supported civil unions for same-sex couples. All parties ran advertisements in Gay Community News (GNC) with commitments to same-sex couples.
In 2010, Ógra Fianna Fáil came out in favor of same-sex marriage.
In 2010, the Botswana government, under the control of the Botswana Democratic Party, passed an amendment to its Employment Act that will bring an end to dismissal based on an individual's sexual orientation or HIV status.[15]
In July 2011, Young Fine Gael came out in favor of same-sex marriage.[16]
On October 5, 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron said at a Conservative Party conference that "So I don't support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I'm a Conservative."[17]
On March 3, 2012, Fianna Fáil came out in favour of same-sex marriage in Ireland.[18]
On February 5, 2013, Marriage Act 2013, during its second reading, received in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom that Conservatives voted 126 for, 134 against (including 8 voted against from the Democratic Unionist Party), 5 both, and 36 did not vote.[19] On May 21, 2013, the act, during its third reading, received in the House of Commons that Conservatives voted 117 for, 127 against (including 8 voted against from the Democratic Unionist Party), 7 both, and 51 did not vote.[20] On June 4, 2013, the act, during its second reading, received in the House of Lords that Conservatives voted against the Dear Amendment to reject second reading, 66 voted in favour, including 2 in favour from the Democratic Unionist Party, 1 in favour from Ulster Unionist Party, and 2 in favor from UK Independence Party, and 63 did not vote.[21] The act had its third reading on July 15, 2013, and was passed by a simple voice vote.[22] The amended Bill returned to the House of Commons for approval of the amendments on 16 July 2013, which the House approved on the same day.[22]
On November 5, 2013, Fine Gael came out in favour of same-sex marriage in Ireland.[23]
On May 22, 2015, the Thirty-Fourth Amendment (Marriage Equality Act) to the Irish Constitution was passed in Ireland via national referendum. 62% of Irish voters voted in favour of same-sex marriage. Voter turnout was 61% of the national electorate. The referendum was introduced under the Fine Gael-Labour coalition government.
By country
Australia
Belgium
While centre-right parties such as the New Flemish Alliance support LGBT rights, as of 2014 none of the major conservative parties are opposed to LGBT rights.[24][circular reference]
Brazil
Before and following the
On 16 January 2017, Marcelo Crivella, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, promoted Nélio Georgini, a gay evangelical conservative, to the head of the city LGBT council.[25]
In 2018, 30% of the Brazilian LGBT community voted for the right-wing populist Jair Bolsonaro against 57% of votes for left-wing Fernando Haddad in the presidential runoff, according to Datafolha. Following the conservative wave that contributed to the emergence of the Gays com Bolsonaro Movement (inspired by the Gays for Trump organization), the 30% of LGBT votes for Bolsonaro shocked many in the Brazilian Media, as Bolsonaro is seen as a socially conservative homophobic politician.[26] The reasons attributed to these votes were the widespread fear of violence, economic insecurity, attachment to traditional values, discontent with the Workers' Party, as well as a perceived political manipulation of LGBT activism by the left.[27]
Canada
LGBTory was founded in 2015 as a group for LGBT supporters of the Conservative Party of Canada and provincial conservative parties across Canada. Prior to that, small groups existed locally in some Canadian cities or as discussion forums on the Internet.
Openly gay political figures such as Scott Brison, Lorne Mayencourt and Jaime Watt are or have been associated with conservative parties at the provincial or federal levels, Keith Norton, Phil Gillies and Heward Grafftey came out as gay after their careers as politicians had ended, and Richard Hatfield was outed as gay after his death.[28] Most such figures, however, have been Red Tories, a moderate or even progressive faction within Canadian conservatism, rather than conventionally conservative "Blue" Tories; Brison, in fact, quit the Progressive Conservative Party to join the Liberals after the PCs merged with the more right-wing Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party.
In 2015, a contingent of federal Conservative MPs and provincial
In 2016, Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose became the first leader of the federal Conservative Party to march in the Toronto Pride Parade. She was joined by leadership contestants & MPs, Lisa Raitt, Michael Chong, Kellie Leitch, and Maxime Bernier.
In 2019, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Deputy Premier Christine Elliott, and cabinet ministers Caroline Mulroney & Stephen Lecce all marched in the York Region Pride Parade. This was the first time a sitting conservative Ontario Premier had marched in a pride parade while in office.
Eric Duncan was elected as the first openly gay Conservative MP in 2019, and Melissa Lantsman was elected as the first openly lesbian Conservative MP in 2021.
LGBT representation in politics is promoted by ProudPolitics, a non-partisan networking and mentoring organization whose members span the political spectrum.
Chile
In 2014, the doctrinal council of the conservative National Renewal voted 72.3% to reject a proposal that would have advocated limiting marriage and adoption to heterosexual couples.[30]
European Union
Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum, including conservatives, have formed the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.
Denmark
The leader of the Conservative People's Party in Denmark, Søren Pape Poulsen, is openly gay.[31]
France
A 2013
Support for the
In 2011, 15% of non-heterosexuals supported center-right wing parties, while in 2012, 20% of non-heterosexuals supported center-right wing parties, and in 2013, 22% of non-heterosexuals supported center-right wing parties. In 2011, 17% of bisexuals supported center-right wing parties, while in 2012, 21% of bisexuals supported center-right wing parties, and in 2013, 17% of bisexuals supported center-right wing parties. In 2011, 13% of LGBT people supported center-right wing parties, while in 2012, 20% of LGBT people supported center-right wing parties, and in 2013, 21% of LGBT people supported center-right wing parties. In 2011, 21% of heterosexuals supported center-right wing parties, while in 2012, 25% of heterosexuals supported center-right wing parties, and in 2013, 22% of heterosexuals supported center-right wing parties.[32]
Despite their opposition to Law 2013–404, the center right parties maintains its support among the LGBT electorate, but in a more fragmented way than in the past. In 2012, 16% of LGBT people supported the Union for a Popular Movement (UPM), while in 2013, 14% of LGBT supported the UPM. In 2012, 20% of heterosexuals people supported the UPM, while in 2013, 17% of heterosexuals supported the UPM. This decline of support for UPM helped benefit of the Union of Democrats and Independents, with 6% among LGBT people in 2013, given that the positions taken by some of its leaders, such as Rama Yade and Jean-Louis Borloo, in favor of same-sex marriage it was perhaps not unrelated.[32]
In 2012, 10% of non-heterosexuals supported the
Support for the National Front is stronger in the ranks of LGBT people than among all the French people, with 13% support for the National Front in 2013. The National Front is benefiting among LGBT voters, with a +5% increase between 2012 and 2013, than in the rest of the population, +4% of heterosexuals in the same period. The increase of the National Front among LGBT people is probably due to the composition of the electorate, with more male, urban, and younger people than the average population therefore generally more willing to vote for the National Front. In Paris, 26% of LGBT residents support the National Front, with 16% heterosexuals support National Front. The National Front's opposition to Islamism is attractive to LGBT people who perceive Islam as a threat to their lives and freedoms.[32]
Affiliation | % of French LGBT people | |
---|---|---|
Total | 100 | |
Right-wing parties | 36 | |
Gaullist parties
|
21 | |
Union for a Popular Movement | 14 | |
Union of Democrats and Independents | 6 | |
Other | 1 | |
National Front
|
15 | |
Left-wing parties | 36 | |
Socialist Party | 27 | |
Europe Ecology – The Greens
|
6 | |
Other | 3 |
Germany
In Germany the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) since 2020 and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) in Bavaria since 2023 support Same-sex marriages. In 2020, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) published a political video supporting same-sex marriage and families,[33] and in 2023 the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) adopted a party platform supporting same-sex marriage.[34][35] As of 2023, the right wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) remains the largest party opposed to same-sex marriage and supports only civil partnerships. The leader of the AfD Alice Weidel is open lesbian and lives in a same-sex marriage with two children.[36][37][38]
Netherlands
Much of the Dutch right wing (including figures such as Geert Wilders) has evolved to include LGBT rights platforms which do not conflict with the current status quo but also embrace an increased perturbation to supposed threats from minority religions (especially Islam) which, in their view, threaten to upend the vestiges of the liberalism and tolerance which has been associated with the Dutch social climate.
The former political party the Pim Fortuyn List supported LGBT rights, and its leader and namesake Pim Fortuyn was openly gay.
Russia
Sweden
The Open Moderates is the LGBT-organisation of the Moderate Party in Sweden. The Open Moderates is an organization for everyone that shares the values of the Moderate Party and who believe that LGBT-issues are important political issues to work with from a centre-right perspective.
The origin of the Open Moderates is the Stockholm-based club "Gay Moderates" that was formed already in the late 1970s. That club had mostly social activities and it was active upon until the mid-1990s. A new generation took over and reorganized the Gay Moderates as a new more political network to lobby the Moderate Party. In 2003 the name was changed to the current Open Moderates to signal that the organisation is open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation that want to work with LGBT political issues.
In recent years, the
The conservative Citizens' Coalition leader Ilan Sadé is openly gay.[39]
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the centre-right party Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland support LGBT rights,[40] but the right-wing Swiss People's Party does not.
United Kingdom
In April 2015,
The first LGBT
.LGBTory campaigned in seats throughout the campaign for the 6 May 2010 General Election. There are now at least 12 openly gay and lesbian Conservative MPs in Parliament.
LGBTory, now[when?] renamed to LGBT+ Conservatives, works to promote LGBT equality within the Conservative Party and generally across the UK, actively campaigning against the Gay Blood Ban and for marriage equality, regardless of sexuality or gender identity.[citation needed]
The UK Independence Party has an officially recognised LGBTQ in UKIP campaigning group which is active on the social media sites Twitter and Facebook. It has been represented at the party's annual conference.[42] Peter Whittle of the UKIP was the only LGBT candidate in the 2016 London Assembly election and afterwards was selected as the UKIP's deputy leader.
United States
Notable LGBT conservatives
Lesbian women
Gay men
- Fernando Holiday
- Clodovil Hernandes
- Guy Benson
- Bruno Bilde
- Peter Boykin
- Steeve Briois
- Bo Broman
- David Bull
- Neil Brown
- Renaud Camus
- Sébastien Chenu
- Iain Dale
- Don Dobie
- Jack Donovan
- Eric Duncan
- Trevor Evans
- Kenny Everett
- Pim Fortuyn
- Peter Gibson
- Kay Gottschalk
- Richard Grenell
- Darren Grimes
- Gerald Grosz
- Don Harwin
- Chris Janssens
- Shayne Mallard
- José María Marco
- Javier Maroto
- Joe McCracken
- Ken Mehlman
- Deroy Murdock
- Douglas Murray
- Andy Ngo
- Amir Ohana
- Andrew Olexander
- Matthew Parris
- Florian Philippot
- Søren Pape Poulsen
- Chris Rath
- Jeremy Roberts[43]
- Lee Rowley
- Dave Rubin
- George Santos
- Dean Smith
- Jens Spahn
- Brandon Straka[44]
- David Starkey
- Andrew Sullivan
- Peter Thiel
- Tomas Tobé
- Leo Varadkar
- Peter Whittle
- Tim Wilson
- Lucian Wintrich
- Dan Wootton
- William Wragg
- Michael Yabsley
- Trent Zimmerman
Bisexual
Transgender
List of organizations
Some organizations include:
- Gay Voter's League (not active since 1981) – linked to the Republican Party (United States)
- Gays for Trump – linked to the Republican Party (United States)
- GayLib – linked to the Union for a Popular Movement, Union of Democrats and Independents and Radical Movement (France)
- GOProud – linked to the Republican Party (United States)
- Liberal Pride - linked to Liberal Party of Australia (Australia)
- Likud Pride – linked to Likud (Israel)
- LGBTory – linked to the Conservative Party of Canada/Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (Canada)
- LGBT+ Conservatives (formerly known as LGBTory) – linked to the Conservative Party (United Kingdom)
- Log Cabin Republicans – linked to the Republican Party (United States)
- Moderate Party (Sweden)
- Republican Unity Coalition – linked to the Republican Party (United States)
- Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality) – linked to the Conservative Party (United Kingdom)
See also
References
- ^ a b "Livre III ... du code pénal" Choix de rapports, opinions et discours prononcés à la tribune nationale (in French). VI. Paris: A. Eymery. 1819. p. 320. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
- ^ "Sodomylaws.org". Sodomylaws.org. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
- ^ "Key dates for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality". 26 July 2016.
- ^ Lucas, Paoli Itaborahy; Zhu, Jingshu (May 2013). "A world survey of laws: Criminalisation, protection and recognition of same-sex law" (PDF). International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-07-17.
- ^ "Archives reveal Churchill's Cabinet discussed gays". PinkNews.
- ^ "Edward Heath: Britain's Forgotten And Mysterious Prime Minister". International Business Times. 21 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "UNITED KINGDOM: CONFRONTING CRIMINAL HISTORIES" (PDF).
- ^ Doran, Tom (8 April 2013). "Margaret Thatcher's Legacy on Gay Rights". The Daily Beast – via www.thedailybeast.com.
- ^ Aster, Tony (19 October 2014). "The Dissident: Peter Campbell, the Conservative Party Paedophile behind Gay Marriage".
- ^ Coleman, Brian (June 25, 2007). "Thatcher the gay icon". New Statesman. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ISBN 9780521003773– via Google Books.
- ISBN 9781135013769– via Google Books.
- ^ "FG proposes civil partnership rights". RTÉ.ie. 24 June 2004.
- ^ "'Better rights' for gay couples". 15 November 2004 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Amendment to end dismissal based on HIV status". 9 September 2010.
- ^ "Young FG Propose the Recognition of Marriage for Same Sex Couples". 27 August 2011. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ guardian.co.uk (5 October 2011). "David Cameron's Conservative party conference speech in full". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "Fianna Fail Ard Fheis Supports Same Sex Marriage". GLEN. March 3, 2012. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "MP-by-MP: Gay marriage vote". BBC News. 5 February 2013.
- ^ "Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill — Third Reading — 21 May 2013". The Public Whip. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Lords Divisions results". UK Parliament. June 4, 2013. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ a b "Bill stages — Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2012-13 to 2013-14". UK Parliament. 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Government to call for Yes vote for gay marriage - Independent.ie". 5 November 2013.
- ^ "Vlaams Belang".
- ^ "Crivella nomeia gay "evangélico" para pasta em defesa de LGBT". lgbtbrasil.com.br. Archived from the original on 2017-08-10. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
- ^ Sullivan, Zoe (October 29, 2018). "LGBTQ Brazilians on edge after self-described 'homophobic' lawmaker elected president". NBC News.
- ^ Bulgarelli, Lucas (2018-10-27). "Análisis | Por que 29% dos LGBTs votam em Bolsonaro?". EL PAÍS (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ "Gay politicians come out of the closet and into the cabinet". The Globe and Mail, November 13, 2009.
- ^ Brennan, Richard J (June 29, 2015). "Tory MPP Lisa MacLeod rejects anti-Pride comments from Ottawa radio host". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Consejo doctrinario de RN rechaza limitar idea de familia al matrimonio heterosexual".
- ^ "Conservative leader: 'I'm gay, so what?'". The Local Denmark. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Google Translate". translate.googleusercontent.com.
- ^ "75 Jahre CDU: CDU entdeckt die Ehe für alle für sich". Süddeutsche Zeitung Jetzt (in German). 27 June 2020.
- ^ Stern, Henry (14 April 2023). "Ehe für alle, aber keine Gender-Sternchen: So will die CSU Bayern vereinen". Augsburger Allgemeine (in German).
- ^ Stern, Henry (14 April 2023). "Nein zum Gendersternchen, Akzeptanz der "Ehe für alle": Schweinfurterin hat großen Anteil am neuen CSU-Grundsatzprogramm". Main Post (in German).
- ^ Welt.de: Ein lesbische Kanzlerkandidatin, 5 July 2023
- ^ Kurier.at: Jung, lesbisch und sehr weit rechts, 20 September 2017
- ^ FAZ,net: Alice Weidel steht zu ihrer Homosexualität, 20 September 2017
- ^ "Varför portas Medborgerlig Samling från Pride" (in Swedish).
- Swissinfo. September 11, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
- ^ Rhoden-Paul, André (23 March 2015). "Tories draw level with Labour in winning gay vote". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Roberts, Scott (25 September 2012). "UKIP approves internal LGBT campaign group". PinkNews. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ^ Roberts, Jeremy (March 15, 2022). "Roberts: Coming out while in politics has been both positive and liberating". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ Lewak, Doree (15 June 2019). "Former Democrat turned conservative gay rights activist slams Pride, sues LGBT Center". The New York Post. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ Jensen, Erin (February 19, 2016). "Caitlyn Jenner says she gets more 'flak' for being a Republican than trans". USA Today.