May 2, 2014
SD State Rep: Gay Sex A 'One Way Alley For The Garbage Truck'
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 2 MIN.
A Republican state representative from South Dakota is causing a stir Friday for a letter he wrote this week, saying that being gay has health risks and that anal sex is a "one way alley for the garbage truck," the Huffington Post reports.
Rep. Steve Hickey (R-Sioux Falls), a pastor who has opposes same-sex marriage, said he was inspired to write the letter after a lesbian couple announced they would challenge South Dakota's ban on same-sex marriage.
In his letter, which was posted to his Facebook page, Hickey writes:
Certainly there are board-certified doctors in our state who will attest to what seems self-evident to so many: gay sex is not good for the body or mind. Pardon a crude comparison but regarding men with men, we are talking about a one-way alley meant only for the garbage truck to go down. Frankly, I'd question the judgment of doctor who says it's all fine... This indeed is a matter of being on the wrong side of history considering that historically, homosexuality has been a notable marker of the downfall of past civilizations, not their rise. It's not hate for a physician to speak up about something that is harmful to human health. It is not unloving to tell people you don't have to have sex with and marry someone to love and be loved by them. As one who performs marriages and counsels couples as part of my professional life, marriage is the last thing I'd recommend to someone who simply wants to be loved and legitimized. What do other health care and mental health professionals in our state really think?
You can read his full letter here.
According to Talking Points Memo, the lawmaker sent his letter to the Argus Leader newspaper, which has not yet decided whether to publish it.
Hickey told the Argus Leader recently and spoke out against same-sex marriage.
"It's evidence of a progression away from the foundation was this nation was (built) on," he said. "The spiritual ramifications for a nation that loses its moral rooting, moral basis, are substantial."
