The most profound impact of Obama’s “evolution” on same-sex marriage could come in the form of dismantling decades-old anti-gay prejudices within the black church.

Since President Obama declared his support for marriage equality last week, many politicos (including myself) have speculated about whether black voters, who are divided on the issue, will abandon him. The consensus among gay rights supporters and foes alike is a resounding “no.” Sure, some black clergy are outraged, but even they admit this issue is no deal breaker. And the ongoing debate over an unlikely black backlash eclipses what promises to be the most profound impact of the president’s “evolution.”

President Obama has single-handedly dismantled the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy within the black church — that silent disdain on issues of sexuality that renders black gay and transgender people all but invisible, shames people living with HIV, and masquerades as love-the-sinner-hate-the-sin compassion.

Last Wednesday marked the beginning of the end of this dysfunctional dynamic. President Obama sparked an unprecedented dialogue about gay rights within the black community that won’t be quelled anytime soon. The conversation continues to dominate the blogosphere and cable news shows. Never before have we seen African-Americans from all walks of life discuss marriage equality, making it the trending topic in mainstream and ethnic media outlets alike.

CNN ran countless segments over the weekend capturing the opinions of black clergy and their parishioners on both sides, and Michael Eric Dyson broke into an impassioned monologue on MSNBC challenging black pastors and a few of his media colleagues to “stop using their Bibles to co-sign bigotry.”

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