“The fact is, after all the fuss about ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ there’s been no great backlash against its repeal. People will see that it has had absolutely no negative effect, and it will be an issue of the past. We haven’t weakened anything. Gay men and lesbians in the military will serve with distinction along with the other soldiers. I don’t see anything about gay marriage happening on a federal level, but more and more states will go that way. When they do, people will see, as with the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ that there are no negative consequences. Places that have gay marriage have had none of the negative consequences that people warned us about. Zero. The divorce rate hasn’t gone up. There have been no calamities. Marriage hasn’t lost its meaning. Same-sex marriage as a divisive issue is losing its steam. Overall, antigay prejudice is diminishing. It won’t be used by the far right the way it once was. But I worry about what will replace it.” —Massachusetts congressman and the second openly gay member of the House Barney Frank, in his sit-down with the May Playboy. [Playboy via Politico]
