by Lynette Alice

Created on: December 19, 2008   Last Updated: March 10, 2009

In 1992 the term "gay agenda" entered the public lexicon to describe what some conservative and anti-gay groups felt was a push for the normalization of homsexuality at the expense of heterosexuals. What they considered to be a gay agenda in all actuality really didn't exist, it was in fact their own belief that such a thing existed which actually breathed new life into the gay rights movement which should not be confused with the gay agenda. Whether the term agenda is totally appropriate or not is really little more than an argument of semantics, however in plain terms thanks to these conservative and anti-gay organizations there now is what could be considered a gay-agenda.The true story behind it may surprise you.

In 1992 it was theorized the LGBT community had been plotting to push an agenda which included same sex marriage, gay adoption, the provison to allow gays to openly serve in the military, and the inclusion of LGBT persons as a legally protected minority group with "special" rights and provisions under the law which heterosexuals would be barred from. This however was not the actual truth. Gay people did desire the right to marry and adopt children then just as now, however there were no truly concerted efforts to make such movements a visible reality. It was actually the U.S government which proposed the idea of open service in the military in an attempt to retain skilled servicemen and women in the ranks whom were gay as well as allow the ability to recruit them to bolster what was a waning military personnel base. On the final issue, there was no request for any "special" rights or provisions, just equal rights to the same basic liberties heterosexual people enjoyed.

As time moved on over the next sixteen years some advances towards making the perceived gay agenda mandates had been realized. The Don't Ask/ Don't Tell - Don't Harrass/Don't Pursue policy was instituted in the military which allowed the legal enlistment of gays, but not open service. Gay marriage was eventually passed in Massachusetts, then California (Which was overturned by Proposition 8), and most recently Connecticut. Gay adoption has been passed in a few more states, but is still being blocked in the vast majority. Finally no special rights have ever been handed out to the LGBT community, if anything basic rights have been denied or revoked.

As the public became more accepting of the LGBT and their plight, disgruntled conservative, private membership organizations, individuals,

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