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Antigay Church Sign Sparks Backlash in Small Maine Town

antigay church

An antigay Baptist church posted the old platitude "Jesus made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," for Pride Month. 

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An antigay Baptist church in Maine that posted an old homophobic platitude during Pride Month is receiving backlash, according to News Center Maine.

"Jesus made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," reads the sign outside of the Second Baptist Church in Palermo.

Below the sign is a pro-life banner that unironically reads, "Every life matters. Abortion is still murder."

It's not the first time the church has posted the retro antigay saying, but it's being met with resistance from Palermo residents.

One resident, Stan York, who raised his kids there with his husband, posted about the church's hateful sign on social media.

York received an outpouring of support in response to his Facebook post.

"I just felt so sad that a nine-year-old needs to be told that there are people out there who aren't accepting of his grandparents. And his big question is why, and that's something I couldn't answer. Hopefully, the kids out there will see that this is just not right and the sign should be changed," York told News Center Maine.

Among the Palermo residents who spoke out against the antigay church is York's colleague Leslie Dyer.

"God created Adam and Eve, and Steve and Jimmy and Kimmy and Lola and Linda. God created everybody. Not just Adam and Eve to be Adam and Eve. We're all here to be happy. We all want to live our best lives. Our happiest lives. And if you find that one person that makes you happy, why shouldn't you be able to be with them?" Dyer said.

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Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.
Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.