Let's Study Countermovements

And finally, a chilling article about how religious right organizations are challenging the advances the LGBT movement has made in education.

These conservative Christian groups are pursuing a litigation strategy, challenging the inclusion of homosexuality in the curriculum of health education courses. One such group got a restraining order in federal court (huh?!?), and the County board later rescinded its approval of the use of the teaching materials. (Anyone know what the grounds of the restraining order were?).

Activists are also turning to state legislatures. "Alabama lawmakers are considering a bill that would bar state spending on books or other materials that "promote homosexual lifestyle." Oklahoma passed a resolution last month calling on public libraries to restrict children's access to books with a gay theme. Louisiana is considering a similar measure. "

Those of us who fall in love with our social movements really need to be thinking all the time about countermovements. Social movements don't operate in a vacuum, and these right-wing Christian movements -- and the successes they enjoy -- really shape the terrain of the public debate, not to mention policy, political opportunities, etc. I know those of you who study the LGBT movement never get very far away from these opponents, but it's a lesson to the rest of us to be thinking about who opposes the movements we study.