Religious conservatives waged a 50-year battle to deny the rights of gay and lesbian people, especially the right to marry. As the dominate force in the GOP, they coerced traditional Republicans to formally oppose same sex marriage, and make it a national political issue in the 1990’s. They also oppose the Equality Act which would extend federal protections to LGBTQ people nationwide. And at the state level, Republican legislators, as in Florida, passed “don’t say gay” laws targeting LBGTQ people.