Liberty Counsel head claims “Q” in LGBTQ refers to pedophiles
Mat Staver says activists are attempting to force the Supreme Court to legitimize alternative lifestyles and sexual preferences
The head of one of the chief legal organizations challenging LGBTQ rights in America is claiming that the “Q” in the LGBTQ movement refers to people who are sexually attracted to underage individuals, and want to legalize relationships between adults and minors.
Mat Staver, the founder of Liberty Counsel, one of two major legal firms fighting on behalf of “religious freedom” laws and Christian-oriented interests, made the comments during an appearance on the conservative Christian radio show Crosstalk on VCY America.
Staver was on the show claiming that a non-binding resolution that was recently passed by the California General Assembly poses a threat to religious freedom.
The resolution, sponsored by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Cupertino), asks all Californians, including religious communities, to embrace the individual and societal benefits of LGBTQ acceptance.
The resolution also calls on religious leaders to counsel LGBTQ individuals from a place of “love, compassion, and knowledge of the psychological and other harms of conversion therapy.”
According to Right Wing Watch, Staver told Crosstalk host Jim Schneider that the resolution was “essentially a directive” that “targets pastors and churches.”
He also claimed that Low’s 2018 bill to declare conversion therapy fraud would have “banned” portions of the Bible dealing with homosexuality — a false claim that gained significant traction in right-wing media last year.
Staver added that the addition of the “Q” to “LGBT” in the text of the resolution was an effort to promote a “spectrum” of divergent sexualities — not only gay or transgender people, but “minor-attracted individuals,” such as ephebophiles, who advocate for sexual relationships with people under the legal age of consent.
Staver repeated that charge when the conversation shifted to talk about federal legislation like the Equality Act and the Do No Harm Act, and a pair of cases headed before the Supreme Court on whether workplace discrimination against LGBTQ individuals is prohibited under existing civil rights laws.
Schneider asked Staver about the more than 200 corporations that have signed a brief urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the LGBTQ plaintiffs and find that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Staver responded that it was an attempt to use the courts to legitimize alternative lifestyles, gender identities, and sexual preferences in the face of inaction by congressional lawmakers.
“They’re trying to use their corporate clout to send a message to the United States Supreme Court to do what the Equality Act would do,” he said. “And that is elevate sexual orientation and gender identity — and that’s this whole spectrum, by the way, that’s a huge spectrum, which includes gender identity, includes minor-attracted individuals.
“Now what is that? That’s someone who believes that sex with minors is OK, that it should not be stigmatized, or criminalized, that having multiple relationships, not being monogamous, is OK,” Staver added. “They are really on board with all of that, that whole agenda. And they’re wanting to force it on the rest of the country, but they’re wanting to do it through a 5-to-4 vote at the United States Supreme Court.”
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