Prop 8 Reveals Churches' Fear of Strong Women

Religions fear the crumbling of 'male authority:' Rodriguez
By Ambreen Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 26, 2008 5:23 PM CST
Prop 8 Reveals Churches' Fear of Strong Women
Mel House joins others in protests outside the Los Angeles Mormon Temple two weeks ago.   (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Churches led the charge against Proposition 8 and gay marriage because of their insecurities over the breakdown of heterosexual families and the consequent rise of independent women, says gay author and devout Catholic Richard Rodriguez. Gays are scapegoats because they—like feminists—threaten "an alternative to the traditional male-structured society."

Churches "want to reassert some sort of male authority over the order of things," says Rodriguez. But their actions smack of hypocrisy. "The real challenge to the family right now is male irresponsibility and misbehavior toward women," he says. "If the Hispanic Catholic and evangelical churches really wanted to protect the family, they should address the issue of wife-beating in Hispanic families and the misbehaviors of the father against the mother. But no, they go after gay marriage." (More Richard Rodriguez stories.)

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