Brian S. Brown
Encyclopedia
Brian S. Brown is an American
activist and president of the National Organization for Marriage
(NOM), a non-profit advocacy organization that works to prevent or overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States
.
, a socially conservative organization. He was NOM's executive director from its founding in 2007 and was additionally named president in 2010, succeeding Maggie Gallagher
.
, California
. As a teenager he became interested in conservative writings, natural law
, and issues of religious liberty. At age 25 he converted from Quakerism to Roman Catholicism. He has a bachelor's degree
from Whittier College
, a master's degree
in modern history from Oxford University, and is a C.Phil. at UCLA.
According to Brown's wife, when they were living in Connecticut, there were two lesbian couples on their street. A neighbor held a neighborhood party, but Brown was not invited; his wife was invited to attend if she did not share her husband's views on same-sex marriage. Brown says he has friends and family who are homosexual, but says "we can disagree on all sorts of things and still care about each other."
He married his wife Susan in 1999. They have seven children whom they homeschool. In 2008, the family moved to California so he could work for the passage of Proposition 8, a voter referendum
prohibiting same-sex marriage there. The family now resides in the Great Falls
, Virginia
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
activist and president of the National Organization for Marriage
National Organization for Marriage
The National Organization for Marriage is a nonprofit political association established in 2007 to work against legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States, specifically to pass California Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage in California...
(NOM), a non-profit advocacy organization that works to prevent or overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States
Same-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
.
Activism
In 2001, Brown became the executive director of the Family Institute of ConnecticutFamily Institute of Connecticut
The Family Institute of Connecticut is an interdenominational, conservative 501 non-profit educational organization founded in 1989. Its stated goal is to encourage and strengthen the family as the foundation of society and to promote Judeo-Christian ethical and moral values in the culture and...
, a socially conservative organization. He was NOM's executive director from its founding in 2007 and was additionally named president in 2010, succeeding Maggie Gallagher
Maggie Gallagher
Margaret Gallagher Srivastav , better known by her working name Maggie Gallagher, is an American writer, commentator, and opponent of same-sex marriage. She has written a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate since 1995, and has published five books...
.
Personal life and beliefs
Brown was raised in WhittierWhittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. As a teenager he became interested in conservative writings, natural law
Natural law
Natural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
, and issues of religious liberty. At age 25 he converted from Quakerism to Roman Catholicism. He has a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Whittier College
Whittier College
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...
, a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in modern history from Oxford University, and is a C.Phil. at UCLA.
According to Brown's wife, when they were living in Connecticut, there were two lesbian couples on their street. A neighbor held a neighborhood party, but Brown was not invited; his wife was invited to attend if she did not share her husband's views on same-sex marriage. Brown says he has friends and family who are homosexual, but says "we can disagree on all sorts of things and still care about each other."
He married his wife Susan in 1999. They have seven children whom they homeschool. In 2008, the family moved to California so he could work for the passage of Proposition 8, a voter referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
prohibiting same-sex marriage there. The family now resides in the Great Falls
Great Falls, Virginia
Great Falls is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 15,427 at the 2010 census.Although primarily a bedroom community for Washington, D.C., one major attraction is Great Falls Park which overlooks the Great Falls of the Potomac River, for which...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.