The gay community, with all our pouty rants for equal rights and same-sex unions, has become drunk with intoxicating victories in the past few years. Politicians have warned that the same Supreme Court that gave us the right to have sex in our homes could soon let us marry the one we’re having sex with.

But as a responsible minority, we should look in the mirror and admit that our quest for justice does impact our straight counterparts, like it or not. Sobering up from the highs of the Lawrence v. Texas decision and the premiere of Bravo’s queer Tuesday line-up, I decided to look into the Right’s concern about same-sex unions and their potential effect on the sacred institution of marriage.

To examine this issue, I needed an easily recognizable subject — a cultural figure who could demonstrate how gay rights victories really do impact heterosexual marriage. So by the research-certified technique of random selection, I chose as my subject, J.Lo.

Employing the finest research techniques known to 21st century gay commentary, (I cruised the Internet), I came across some startling information that gives me pause from my earlier pleas for same-sex marital rights.

Jennifer Lopez, 33, was born into a modest family in The Bronx. She spent eight years at an all-girl Catholic school, where she learned Vatican values and the principle of sex-only-in-the-confines-of-marriage. She was smart and entertaining — destined for success, both personally and professionally. When asked once what she got on her SATs, Miss Lopez replied, “Nail polish.”

Her big break in show business came in 1990 with her performance in the critically acclaimed TV series, “In Living Color.” Despite working in an industry that was celebrating the gay ’90s, J.Lo, like the rest of us, witnessed a setback for gays in 1996. That September, Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — a bill to prevent extension of marital rights to same-sex couples. Sensing the world was more stable for her to express her love through the heterosexual tradition of marriage, Jennifer got engaged in October to Ojani Nao on the set of Selena, her big screen hit.

However, tragedy befell the popular entertainer as her marriage to Ojani only lasted a year. And looking at what was going on with gay rights suggests why she landed in divorce court. Less than three months after Jennifer and Ojani’s nuptials in February 1997, the state of New Hampshire became the 10th state to pass a gay civil rights bill. In July, a U.S. District Court Judge called the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy unconstitutional. And before year’s end, New Jersey ordered that same-sex couples could have the same adoption rights as straight couples. Clearly, these threats to the social order were too much of a strain for Mr. and Mrs. Nao.

Things were lonely for the singing star before the transition from the gay-loving Clinton-Gore White House to the Bush-Cheney crowd. But with the less gay-friendly Republicans in charge, J.Lo was again ready to tie the knot, marrying Cris Judd in September 2001. However, just like her first marriage, the bond was soon impacted by an onslaught of gay-affirming developments. It started with the November elections, in which three Michigan towns kept or codified GLBT civil rights protections. Miami Beach voters approved a domestic partner benefits initiative and Maryland became the 12th state to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

In 2002, things only got worse as pro-gay news eroded Mr. and Mrs. Lopez-Judd’s marital bond. In January, the Democratic National Committee called for spousal benefits under Social Security for gay and lesbian couples. Then, in July, the Massachusetts legislature rejected a Republican effort to add a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

But despite the Bush Administration’s effort to spend $300 million to promote heterosexual marriage through welfare reform legislation earlier that year, things were unraveling for J.Lo. She filed for divorce from Cris in July 2002, which became final in January.

My research also revealed that, despite these two divorces, J.Lo kept the religious values instilled in her by her family and Holy Family Catholic School. Even though she met her future fiancé, Ben Affleck, on the set of her latest “smash hit,” Gigli, she says she did NOT sleep with him until AFTER she was “separated” from husband Cris Judd.

Clearly, we should all be concerned for the future Mrs. Lopez-Affleck. Should the Massachusetts Supreme Court rule, as Vermont’s did a couple years ago, in favor of same-sex unions, Jennifer may be set up for divorce number three.