Utah is Set to Decriminalize Polygamy, and Right-Wingers are Blaming the Gays

A bill that would effectively decriminalize polygamy in Utah cleared a key hurdle on Wednesday, when it was overwhelmingly approved by the state’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Currently, polygamy is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Under the bill, it would become a minor infraction similar to a traffic ticket, punishable by a fine of up to $750 and community service.

The goal of the bill is to encourage victims of abuse in polygamous marriages to come forward without fear of prosecution. But not surprisingly, some right-wingers claim the measure is a direct result of the legalization of same-sex marriage — just as Chief Justice John Roberts predicted in his dissenting opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges.

“[F]rom the standpoint of history and tradition, a leap from opposite-sex marriage to same-sex marriage is much greater than one from a two-person union to plural unions, which have deep roots in some cultures around the world,” Roberts wrote.

Read more: https://www.towleroad.com/2020/02/utah-is-set-to-decriminalize-polygamy-and-right-wingers-are-blaming-the-gays/