I grew up in the church of Christ to a family who was “liberal” as far as that goes, and I also worked as a lifeguard. I’d volunteer my time at church camp, and one year disaster struck: there were not enough girl lifeguards to monitor the girls’ swimming hole time.
A robust debate ensued. To cancel girls’ swimming entirely or to bend the “no mixed bathing” rule enough to allow me to supervise the girls’ swim. This was a close run debate, with many cabin moms falling squarely on the side of maintaining the purity of the river. I was closely questioned as to my ability to contain my lust and focus on the job (mind, I worked at a public pool and also swam competitively and was well acquainted with the temptations of a high-cut swimsuit leg). Eventually, a compromise was reached that I should put my shirt on during girls’ swimming hour, my own considerable charms apparently being too much for the sheltered young lasses of the church camp to gaze upon.
My point in this story is that the GOP today is half busybody church camp cabin moms and aspiring brownshirts yearning to club people as they get shoved onto the train.