By Emily Brummer

From their offices in Madison, two prominent figures at the center of Wisconsin’s gay rights debate look out over the political terrain and come to exactly opposite conclusions. And they each do so using the exact same emblem: children. The Rev. Ralph Ovadal, a staunch opponent of recognizing gay marriage, says children should not be subjected to same-sex parent homes. Christopher Ott, a staunch supporter of full civil marriage equality, worries about the message of intolerance this debate sends to children.

“I don’t think gay marriage threatens the institution of marriage,” says Ovadal, a director of the Madison-based organization Wisconsin Christians United. “It doesn’t threaten my marriage,” he continues. “But it does adversely affect children. Homosexuals should not be adopting children because of the behaviors they engage in. I think it’s dangerous, it’s immoral and it’s unhealthy.”

Ott, director of the gay rights group Action Wisconsin, also based in Madison, has a very different opinion. "Anti-gay legislation such as AB475 sends a harmful message that violence against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people is OK,” Ott says. “I often wonder what kind of message this sends to children, especially those who discover they are gay and then see how the legislation goes out of its way to make sure they know they are second-class citizens.”

And yet each man sees Wisconsin’s public opinion growing more in his favor.

Ott says the results of recent Badger Polls administered throughout the state show support for equal rights for homosexuals is “overwhelming,” but answers to questions phrased in terms of gay marriage reveal less support. Indeed, another Badger Poll found 60 percent of Wisconsinites oppose gay marriage. Still, Ott believes the public is ahead of legislators in support of gay rights, as well as gay marriage. In yet another poll, Ott says, more Wisconsinites support the idea of gay couples being able to register and legally protect their relationships than oppose it by a slim margin – 48 percent are in favor of such civil unions, while 47 percent are not. “That’s more support than you’ll find in the legislators,” Ott says.

It seems, however, that Ovadal would dispute Ott’s claim. Ovadal believes that homosexual acts, such as sodomy, should be re-criminalized like they were in the United States prior to 1982, when Wisconsin became the first state to adopt gay rights legislation. To promote his stance, Ovadal often takes part in demonstrations throughout Wisconsin, where protestors wield banners and signs declaring, “Christ Can Save” and “Homosexuality Is A Sin.” Ovadal admits that 10 years ago, such picketing was dangerous, and he has faced violent encounters because of his beliefs.

Today, however, Ovadal feels public opinion on homosexuality reflects his group’s view. “Now, about 80 percent of the people in the towns that we visit support us. Many people thank us,” he says.

Ovadal asserts that a lot of people are uncomfortable with what he refers to as “the homosexual agenda,” but because they are bombarded with pro-homosexuality messages from the media as well as the educational establishment, they begin to feel their views border on bigotry. “When people like us stand up and calmly and rationally explain our position, without using violence, those uncomfortable with the homosexual agenda respond favorably to it, and we win them over,” Ovadal says. “I believe we are gaining ground in this state, and I’ve been very happy with our progress.”

Thus is the complexity of the gay marriage debate in Wisconsin, an issue that came to light nationally within the past year and has since found its way into many a Legislature at the state level. In Wisconsin, it appeared in the form of AB475, also known as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a bill that was introduced to change Wisconsin’s current definition of marriage from “a union between husband and wife” to “a union between a man and a woman.”

Kathy Cramer Walsh, a UW-Madison assistant professor in political science and scholar of public opinion, feels that legislators opposed to the idea of gay marriage are not necessarily basing their views on feelings of homophobia, but are keeping their voter's wishes in mind. She does acknowledge that while most Wisconsinites oppose gay marriage legislation, there is more support for same-sex civil unions. “On some level, homophobia is there,” Cramer Walsh says. “But legislators are strategizing and mobilizing their base in conservative Christians. An issue such as this usually resonates well with such groups.”

Despite what Ott perceives as a setback with the debate in the Legislature over whether gay marriage should be recognized, he maintains that legislative support for gay rights is growing. To illustrate his point, Ott recalls a bill similar to AB475 that legislators voted on in 1997. Ott says 20 people opposed the 1997 bill compared to the 29 people who opposed AB475 in today’s Assembly. “That’s almost a 50 percent increase in the number of people who have come to the side of tolerance and equality. Things are moving in our direction, and we think it’s going to continue,” Ott says.

According to UW-Madison’s LGBT Campus Center, before the Supreme Court overturned Texas’ anti-sodomy law, an estimated 60 percent of Americans supported the idea of granting gay partners the same civil rights as heterosexual couples. But now, amidst the gay marriage debate, support for gay civil rights is around 40 percent.

The debate over governmental recognition of gay marriage, therefore, has some Wisconsinites pondering its impact on the Wisconsin gay rights movement. Some, like Ovadal, see the debate as potential evidence of decreasing support for the rights of homosexuals in Wisconsin.

Although Ovadal says he supports rights for all Americans, he does feel that concerning gay marriage, gay rights activists “went a bridge too far, too fast.” He says, “People are not ready for the idea of gay marriage.” Indeed, Ovadal feels gay rights activists may have moved too quickly on the issue when he says, “By proposing gay marriage to the average citizen, homosexuals hurt their agenda.”

Ovadal feels that Wisconsinites are not ready to support gay marriage based on his insight of Wisconsin’s opinion on the family unit. Ovadal claims a number of people agree with him that a male/female parenting system is what’s best for children. “It doesn’t always happen as it should,” Ovadal says, “but it is still the best model by far.”

While some believe that the introduction of bills such as the DOMA signal a decline in support of gay rights among Wisconsinites, Cramer Walsh feels the opposite. She says that the ensuing generational shift, in which younger citizens tend to support gay rights more than older individuals, is a growing trend. “Will this debate affect support for gay rights?” she asks. “I don’t think so. I think support for gay rights is on the increase.”

As a number of gay couples around the state are wondering just how long it will take the government to recognize their relationships, Cramer Walsh feels it will require a Democratic majority in both legislative houses before couples see any progress. However, Cramer Walsh does acknowledge that political parties have changed significantly on civil rights issues over the course of history, and that it would be unlikely for the Republican Party to eventually push for gay rights.

Ott compares the issue of gay marriage to the fight against racial segregation. “I think we’d still have racial segregation today if it were left up to the lawmakers,” he says. “Gay marriage is similar. It will take a long time for legislators to lead on this issue.”

Cramer Walsh admits that there is always risk involved in pushing for equal rights since some people who are undecided about such issues may be lost along the way. “But, when you face discrimination time and time again, you don’t want to wait anymore. Some people have waited for too long, and if you keep waiting, nothing is going to happen,” she says. “I think the fight is worth it. It at least brings the issue into public light, and gets folks who’ve never thought about things like this to start thinking about the issue.”

Ott would tend to agree.

“Now is the ideal time to fight for this,” Ott says. He highlights the recent approval of gay marriage in Canada as motivation for groups such as his to continue their efforts. “Our expectations have been raised. Many thought, myself included, that maybe gay marriages would be recognized in our lifetimes, but now with the recent developments in Canada, we realize we don’t have to wait forever.”

For more information, visit the following sites:

Action Wisconsin: This is a gay rights site that tracks developments and offers ways to get involved through volunteering and gay rights community events.

Human Rights Campaign: This is a national gay rights site that offers information on legislation, the 2004 Presidential Campaign, coming out, ways to get involved through Grassroots Advocacy, volunteering and taking part in community events.

Wisconsin Christians United: This site offers information on how to get involved in responding to the "homosexual agenda," participating in community events, literature drops, spreading the gospel to homosexuals and learning more about the "homo-fascist watch."