Some California jurisdictions are moving toward legally recognizing polyamorous relationships, renewing debate over how the law defines marriage.
BlazeTV host John Doyle described the change as giving relationships involving three or more people legal standing comparable to marriage. He connected the development to earlier efforts to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.
Doyle noted that California voters rejected same-sex marriage in 2008, before the U.S. Supreme Court recognized a constitutional right to same-sex marriage in 2015. He argued that the shift reflects organized political activism rather than an inevitable cultural progression, then asked Daily Wire host Michael Knowles for his view.
Knowles recalled conservative activist Andrew Breitbart’s work helping organize Friends of Abe, a network for conservatives in the entertainment industry. He said California has many conservatives, but that they are outnumbered by people on the left.
Breitbart often argued that politics follows culture, Knowles said, and urged conservatives to become more involved in media and the arts. Knowles agreed that cultural institutions matter, but said the history of same-sex marriage showed that politics can also shape culture.
He pointed to Proposition 8, which California voters approved in 2008 to prohibit same-sex marriage. In his account, the issue was later settled by the Supreme Court, with Justice Anthony Kennedy’s opinion recognizing a right to same-sex marriage. Knowles criticized the ruling, arguing that it went beyond interpreting the Constitution and challenged traditional ideas about marriage.
Knowles added that public support for same-sex marriage grew after the court’s decision, though he said it has eased somewhat in recent years. He argued that the California debate over polyamorous relationships reflects a similar interaction between law, politics, and public opinion.
