An Associated Press story, excerpted and linked after the jump, says that Trump’s election victory “resets” the culture wars. It quotes LGBT and pro-abortion activists lamenting that their causes have experienced a setback.
First of all, Trump supports gay rights. He “is fine” with gay marriage, something he reiterated after his election. And the sexual revolution certainly has nothing to fear from someone with his record.
But he is committed to appointing pro-life judges, something else he reiterated after his election. And, based on earlier statements, he is likely to be more friendly to religious liberty issues, such as allowing conscience exemptions.
So cultural conservatives are likely to get something, though not everything, from a Trump presidency. But the same can be said of cultural liberals.
From Trump win resets culture war debate on abortion, LGBT rights, Associated Press:
For the combatants in America’s long-running culture wars, the triumph of Donald Trump and congressional Republicans was stunning — sparking elation on one side, deep dismay on the other.
Advocates of LGBT rights and abortion rights now fear setbacks instead of further gains. But the outcome emboldened the anti-abortion movement and breathed new life into the religious right’s campaign for broad exemptions from same-sex marriage and other laws.
Kelly Shackelford, head of First Liberty Institute, a legal group that specializes in religious freedom cases, said that, for his cause, the environment will transform from “brutal” under the Obama administration to friendly given GOP control of both Congress and the White House. His clients include two Christian bakers in Oregon who were fined for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
