Anti-LGBT lobbyists want schools to ban gay couples from going to prom
Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty)
Influential anti-LGBT activists are trying to get schools to ban students from taking “same-sex dates” to prom.
The “mean-spirited” move comes from Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, who has come under scrutiny in the past years over his alleged influence in the Trump administration.
Perkins, who is alleged to have provided secret policy advice to Mike Pence and helped Trump appeal to evangelical voters, sent out a mailer to supporters attacking LGBT equality in public schools.
In a message to supporters, he wrote: “Family Research Council (FRC) is dedicated to ensuring our nation becomes a place… where public school children are not exposed to pro-LGBT curriculum that encourages kids to ignore biology, use gender inclusive language, and even attend events with same-sex dates.”
Perkins explained that the group’s Constitutional freedoms were “under attack” by public schools who allow teens to attend with same-sex dates.
He wrote: “The Declaration of Independence proclaims that Americans are ‘endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’
“Our nation’s foundational document undeniably originates from a biblical worldview. But in our current social and political climate, those ‘unalienable Rights’ are under attack more than ever before.
“The religious liberty of Christians is increasingly in the crosshairs of the emboldened Left. Faith, family, and freedom have been undermined at every level of our government and culture.
“The battle to regain and retain our God-given rights is being waged in the public square, but Scripture tells us that our main opposition is spiritual.”
(Getty)
Perkins told supporters the group is seeking to raise $5 million, in order to “fund our ongoing vision of a culture where all human life is valued, families flourish, and religious liberty thrives.”
The Family Research Council recently vowed to keep details of its discussions with the Trump administration private – after a subpoena directed activists to turn over documents relating to its work on the transgender troop ban.
Perkins is alleged to have had input in a a White House policy document that made the case for banning transgender people from the military by citing transgender people’s “high rates of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders” and “extremely high rates of suicidal ideation and other comorbidities.”
The document also claimed that “transition-related treatment is proving to be disproportionately costly.”
Leading and military experts came forward to deride the claims, with the American Medical Association stressing that there is “no medically valid reason to exclude transgender individuals from service.” Two former Surgeons General also rubbished the report.
Tony Perkins, President of the Family Researcil Council, stand for the Pledge of Allegiance on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention (Win McNamee/Getty)
The group faced a lawsuit from LGBT activists seeking to get them to turn over documents related to the issue.
Perkins told supporters: “[LGBT activists] have resorted to one of their favourite avenues to impose their fringe agenda: the court system.
“They have issued subpoenas, demanding that we produce all communications on the topic between senior leaders at Family Research Council and the administration.
“We’ve had to hire a law firm to represent us in the case, and our lawyers have objected to this demand, asserting our First Amendment religious freedom and speech rights. The LGBT activist groups have now filed a motion seeking a court order compelling us to turn over the privileged documents.
“Let me be clear, the purpose of these subpoenas is not to resolve any constitutional questions. Their intent is clear – to intimidate FRC and our supporters from standing up for our military service members.
“They also know that it takes significant time and resources to respond to subpoenas, scarce time and resources that we should be focusing on advancing faith, family, and freedom.”
Perkins added: “As a trusted friend of FRC, I wanted to make you aware of this developing situation and ask for your prayers.”
