A Montana lawmaker said Tuesday that he will vote no on decriminalize gay sex in his state because he thinks homosexuality is "deviate."
"To me sex is primarily purposed to produce people," said state Rep. Dave Hagstrom (R-Billings), according to a video shot by local news outlet KXLH-TV. "Sex that doesn't produce people is deviate."
Hagstrom noted the word "deviate" isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Deviate simply means it's not normal, it's not typical," he said. Hagstrom also claimed that he has homosexual friends, "so there's no homophobic issues going on here with me."
Hagstrom made these remarks in an attempt to explain why he was voting against Senate Bill 107, a measure that would erase language from Montana law classifying homosexual sex as "deviate sexual conduct," thus making gay sex a felony offense.
The bill, which was passed by the state Senate in February, won a majority of votes in the Montana House on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. The only lawmakers to vote against the measure were Republicans who said their religion prevented them from endorsing it, KXLH reported.
Hagstrom also compared gay sex to a pen that he held for House members to see. "This pen has two purposes," he said. "The first purpose, of course, is to write. The second purpose is to retract, so that it doesn't leave a stain on your shirt or your purse. One is primary and the other is secondary. To me, sex is primarily purposed to produce people. That's why we're all here."
The bill must be voted on again in the state House before it can be sent to Gov. Steve Bullock to be signed into law.
Click the video above to watch Hagstrom's remarks.
(Hat tip, Raw Story)
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