Redefining morality

Linda Hirshman of Salon says gays have made such huge gains in 2011 because we have fundamentally changed the debate.

They did it – and this is the lesson that the gay revolution holds for any progressive movement – not by asking for “tolerance.” They didn’t ask people to accept gay marriage by holding their moral noses. Rather, they set out to change people’s minds about what is moral.

For too long, morality in America has been reduced to sexual morality. That allowed economic justice -- and the vast income inequalities we now see -- to be ignored as topics of discussion. Gays changed the discussion. Instead of discussing the morality of sex gay leaders (and gay court cases) talked about the morality of relationships. And in 2011 we passed 50% of Americans approving marriage equality.

It is time to change the discussion around lots of other progressive causes, to fight morality with improved morality.