Former congressman Barney Frank has predicted an end to homophobia in the United States within ten years.
The 74-year-old openly gay Frank is currently pitching his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.
In a wide-ranging interview with Business Insider, Frank was asked how retreat in two states of laws critics argued would allow businesses the discriminate against gay men and lesbian will impact the gay rights movement.
"To complete victory within 10 years I believe," Frank answered. "That is, there will be no legal obstacle to gay and lesbian people and sadly, I have to say – even more than with African Americans – a lack of actual prejudice. I wish we would make as much progress on the racial side in terms of personal feelings. I would be shocked if the Supreme Court did not find a national right of marriage, and with that will come things like adoption. We will still have the problem that it will be legal to discriminate in appointment against people in many states. On the other hand, the reaction here suggests that maybe even that's gonna fade."
"And I think certainly the next time the Democrats have the House, the Presidency, and the Senate, we'll pass a national employment bill that will protect people against discrimination, including people who are transgender. Short of that, I think a couple states that don't now have the law – like Pennsylvania – will pick it up. So I think within 10 years we will have complete legal equality and a lack of actual prejudice," he added.
The 74-year-old openly gay Frank is currently pitching his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.
In a wide-ranging interview with Business Insider, Frank was asked how retreat in two states of laws critics argued would allow businesses the discriminate against gay men and lesbian will impact the gay rights movement.
"To complete victory within 10 years I believe," Frank answered. "That is, there will be no legal obstacle to gay and lesbian people and sadly, I have to say – even more than with African Americans – a lack of actual prejudice. I wish we would make as much progress on the racial side in terms of personal feelings. I would be shocked if the Supreme Court did not find a national right of marriage, and with that will come things like adoption. We will still have the problem that it will be legal to discriminate in appointment against people in many states. On the other hand, the reaction here suggests that maybe even that's gonna fade."
"And I think certainly the next time the Democrats have the House, the Presidency, and the Senate, we'll pass a national employment bill that will protect people against discrimination, including people who are transgender. Short of that, I think a couple states that don't now have the law – like Pennsylvania – will pick it up. So I think within 10 years we will have complete legal equality and a lack of actual prejudice," he added.
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