It’s not just my crusade. Meaningful membership in the Catholic Church in the United States is plummeting. While the sex abuse crisis is clearly an important reason, another is that the Church’s homophobia and savage anti-LGBTQ doctrines shock decent Americans.

I despise the Church for how it talks about me and the people I love. I’m delighted to report that straight and cis Americans in huge numbers, especially young people, also despise anti-LGBTQ hate speech and are deserting the Church over it.

You don’t get to call decent people depraved and disordered, after all, and be counted as decent or even as civilized. Lots of people get that.