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| - This is a satirically paraphrased quote based on statements Mike Johnson made about gay marriage in 2004. The actual quote read, in part, "homosexual relationships are inherently unnatural and, the studies clearly show, are ultimately harmful and costly for everyone. Society cannot give its stamp of approval to such a dangerous lifestyle. If we change marriage for this tiny, modern minority, we will have to do it for every deviant group."
In early November 2023, with U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson's election to the speaker job, a meme attributing a statement to the Louisiana Republican went viral on multiple social media platforms. The alleged quote, which could be read as Johnson having participated in homosexual relationships in college, conveyed that Johnson's opposition to gay marriage was due to its being "such a fun lifestyle."
"I did extensive studies of homosexual relationships," a portion of the alleged statement read. "My studies clearly show that, although they are more satisfying than hetero relationships, they are bad. Society cannot give its stamp of approval to such a fun lifestyle."
How many of you had ‘extensive studies of homosexual relationships’ in college while getting a law degree? Anyone? pic.twitter.com/AdJTYrQICI
— Samantha? (@rabbithole0000) November 4, 2023
Based on shared language and structure, the meme quote appears to be a satirical paraphrase of a controversial statement Johnson made in a 2004 editorial in the Shreveport Times. These words were unearthed by CNN's KFILE on Oct. 27, 2023, following Johnson's election to speaker of the House.
At the time, Johnson was a lawyer for the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, which fought to block passage of gay marriage. The actual quote, with emphasis added below to indicate matching language between the meme and reality, compared homosexuals to pedophiles and other "deviant" groups:
Homosexual relationships are inherently unnatural and, the studies clearly show, are ultimately harmful and costly for everyone. Society cannot give its stamp of approval to such a dangerous lifestyle.
If we change marriage for this tiny, modern minority, we will have to do it for every deviant group. Polygamists, polyamorists, pedophiles, and others will be next in line to claim equal protection. They already are. There will be no legal basis to deny a bisexual the right to marry a partner of each sex, or a person to marry his pet.
Because the quote at issue has been altered, we rate claims that Johnson made the statement attributed to him in these memes as "False."
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