Gay Sen. Jeremy Moss Confronts Schriver's Anti-LGBTQ+ Attack from the Front Row, Then Shuts It Down
'Buffoonish': Confrontation with Republican lawmaker sends resolution to legislative graveyard
In a dramatic turn of events at the Michigan Capitol Feb. 25, what was intended to be a show of conservative force against marriage equality quickly unraveled when out State Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) stormed into a press conference and confronted Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) with righteous indignation.
Moss, a fierce champion for LGBTQ+ rights who sponsored legislation adding protections to Michigan's civil rights law, didn't just observe — he seized the moment to deliver a passionate rebuke that left Schriver visibly shaken.
“Oh, no questions? I’ll take questions,” Moss said, before taking Schriver’s place at the podium after he left adruptly without answering questions from journalists.
Schriver's non-binding resolution backed by seven conservative Michigan Republican legislators urged the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the historic Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015. The resolution specifically targets Michigan's dormant 2004 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, which could potentially be revived if the Supreme Court were to reverse its previous decision.
What made the press conference particularly explosive was Sen. Moss's fearless decision to position himself defiantly in the front row, locking eyes with Schriver throughout his homophobic rant:
“Today I hereby call on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, where gays, queers, transsexuals, polygamists and other perverts advance attacks on our children. Marriage belongs to one man and one woman... This is a biological necessity to preserve and grow our human race... We must restore the order of the family. If we cannot conserve the bedrock of our civilization, the family, then we can’t call ourselves conservatives anymore,” Shriver said, before stepping away from the podium without answering questions.
"This was just as buffoonish as I expected it to be," Moss thundered when he took to the podium after Schriver hurried away, his voice cutting through the tension-filled room. The out gay lawmaker's fury was palpable as he defended his community against what many view as a direct attack on their families and very existence. "I think that this has fallen flat with people in the State of Michigan. I think that people respect their LGBTQ neighbors, their LGBTQ family members. These marriages have been the law of the land for 10 years. They contribute to family security. They contribute to economic security."
Despite originally having six co-sponsors, Schriver found himself abandoned at the actual event, his allies seemingly unwilling to publicly stand behind their bigotry. His apocalyptic rhetoric echoed in a room of empty chairs as he claimed, "Ten years ago, the United States Supreme Court redefined the sacred institution of marriage. This blunder compromised the mother-father-child family unit."
News of the resolution prompted immediate public response, with protesters gathering at the Capitol and filling the halls of the Anderson House Office Building on Wednesday. Many carried signs supporting Moss and condemning the attempted rollback of hard-won rights.
Perhaps most telling was the reaction from Schriver's own party. House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) hurriedly organized a competing news conference and effectively buried the resolution by assigning it to the House Government Operations Committee — widely known as a legislative graveyard.
While the immediate threat appears neutralized, largely thanks to Moss's unflinching confrontation, concerns remain about potential Supreme Court action. Justice Samuel Alito recently renewed criticism of the same-sex marriage decision, and he was joined by Justices John Roberts and Clarence Thomas in dissenting from the original ruling.
Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor) suggested that Michigan might eventually need to formally repeal its dormant same-sex marriage ban through a voter-approved constitutional amendment.
"I'm not sure if the moment's here yet or not," Morgan told Michigan Public Radio Network, "but I think we're getting to that moment where we're ready, where we have to, as we inch closer and closer to the potential of the Supreme Court rolling back our right to marriage equality."
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer responded with a video to Schriver's press comments on Facebook, mincing zero words. "Here's my response to that," she wrote. "Hell no."
For now, Moss's fiery defense has not only shut down this particular attack but has also sent a clear message: Michigan's LGBTQ+ community has a relentless warrior in their corner who won't back down when their rights and families are threatened. His willingness to directly confront homophobia in the halls of power demonstrates exactly the kind of bold leadership the community needs as conservative forces continue to target hard-won protections.
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