It's NOT a preference

    “I have no agenda and I do want to be clear that I have never discriminated on the 

  basis of sexual preference and I would not discriminate on the basis of sexual preference.” 

-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, 

responding on October 13, 2020 to a question from 

Ranking Member Senator Dianne Feinstein at 

Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing

                        

There have been several times where I have addressed the matter of "preference." Let me give you an example of preference. Some people eat vanilla ice cream. Some like chocolate better. My favorite happens to be strawberry. Of course I will eat any of those flavors. I love ice cream. What we are talking about here though is a preference. I prefer strawberry. It is my personal preference.

Now when it comes to dating men or dating women, this is NOT a preference matter. I do not simply like one better than the other. Oh no! I am ONLY attracted in a sexual and in a romantic way to men. I am gay. It is my orientation, NOT my preference. It's also not a lifestyle choice. You don't wake up one morning and say "I'm going to wear the gay outfit today."

In 2012, Mrs Feinstein said “Same-sex couples live their lives like all married couples. They raise children, share finances, care for each other and love each other in good times and bad, so it was no surprise to me that she would ask about same-sex marriage. What surprised me is that she didn't correct the judge.  I know that Feinstein gets it.  She has said so time and time again.

When Judge Amy Coney Barrett refusing to commit if same-sex marriage rights are protected, Feinstein said "Well that’s really too bad because it’s really a fundamental point for large numbers of people in this country.  I understand you don’t want to answer these questions directly but you identify yourself with a Justice that you, like him, would be a consistent vote to roll back hard fought freedoms and protections for the LGBT community. And what I was hoping that you would say is that this would be a point of difference where those freedoms would be respected and you haven’t said that."

I should point out that later in the day, Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono chastised Barrett pointing out that the term is considered offensive and outdated. Thank you Senator, but the term has never been correct.