In later years, Myrdal was criticized from the left for his lack of sensitivity to gender issues and homophobia. Sweden legalized homosexual adoption in 2003 and same-sex marriages in 2009. Myrdal was virtually alone among leftists in joining Christian conservatives to protest the new laws, arguing that legislators needed to respect social reality and children had a right to a legally recognized biological mother and father. However, he rejected accusations of homophobia, arguing that he had advocated for gay rights already in the 1940s and complaining that the allegation had become an "online truth." Myrdal claimed that he had no objection to state-sanctinoed same-sex unions, but objected to laws that could end up forcing Christian, Muslim, Jewish or other clergy to marry same-sex couples. "To call this an objection to gay marriage is senseless," he said.